This year’s KCON New York made the final additions to its program on Thursday (May 12), adding fan favorites like American-born balladeer Eric Nam, R&B crooner Crush and hip hop team Dynamic Duo to the concert lineups.
The two-day East Coast Korean pop culture event returns to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, for its second year June 24-25. Eric Nam, Crush, and Dynamic Duo were the final acts announced during this week’s KCON weekly live chat. The live chat also revealed the planned lineup for the two concerts, the focal point of each KCON event.
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Crush, who will perform on June 24, is one of South Korea’s most in-demand hip hop artists, bringing an urban style to his R&B productions ever since he released his first single, “Red Dress,” in 2012. This year, Crush has been all about collaborative tracks. He was featured on “What 2 Do” alongside Dean and Jeff Bernat and his latest single, “Don’t Forget,” featuring Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation, is one of the best K-pop team ups of 2016 so far. Crush performed the hit song “Just” at last year’s KCON LA alongside Zion.T, but will share the stage this year with Dynamic Duo.
Rappers Gaeko and Choiza, known as the hip hop team Dynamic Duo, have been around since 1999 under the moniker CB Mass. The two began their career as Dynamic Duo in 2004 with the release of Taxi Driver, which became best-selling hip hop album of the year in South Korea. Their latest album, last year’s Grand Carnival, featured the tongue-in-cheek “Jam” and the old-school style “J.O.T.S.” Crush is signed to their label Amoeba Culture, an urban music company that the pair founded in 2006.
Atlanta-born YouTube star turned K-pop idol, Nam is a popular soloist and MC in South Korea and will be performing during the second day’s concert on June 25. He’s attended KCON LA in past years, but this is the first time he’ll be visiting KCON New York fans. A fan favorite thanks to his charming demeanor on television programs and sweet voice, Eric Nam released his latest EP, Interview, in March. The album peaked at No. 12 on Billboard’s World Album charts, while his duet “Spring Love” with Red Velvet member Wendy was one of the most viewed K-pop music videos on YouTube in March.
KCON NY will kick off on June 24 with its all-day convention followed by the first of two concerts. Other than Dynamic Duo and Crush, the first night features New Jersey-born Ailee, multifaceted boy band BtoB and rising rookies Seventeen. The next night’s show features Nam, as well as idol-band DAY6, retro-inspired girl group Mamamoo and headliners BTS.
BTS, one of the most young K-pop acts around the world, became the first-ever K-pop act to launch their own unique emoji on Twitter earlier Thursday.