K-pop boy group EXO and rapper CL of now-defunct K-pop girl group 2NE1 will grace the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

The two global K-pop acts confirmed Wednesday that they will perform at the closing ceremony that will take place at the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. local time.


 

Dubbed “the biggest boyband in the world,” eight-piece boy band EXO has been on a winning streak since its debut in 2011. The group’s “The War” album from last year became its fourth full-length album to have sold over 1 million copies, while the act earned its place in the 2018 Guinness World Records book for winning the most grand prizes -- five from the Mnet Asian Music Awards. EXO has also previously performed at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

CL, a prominent rapper who debuted as a member of 2NE1 in 2009, has been performing in the US with her unique rapping style since 2015. After releasing her first English-language EP “Lifted” in August 2016, the singer kicked off her first North American tour from October to November the same year.

Earlier on Friday, the Olympics opening ceremony titled “Peace in Motion” saw four Korean singers, Ha Hyun-woo of rock band Guckkasten, soloist Lee Eun-mi, iconic rock singer Jeon In-kwon and indie duo Bolbbalgan4’s Ahn Ji-young, who sang of hopes for a peaceful world with John Lennon’s “Imagine,” the iconic song representing peace. Many other K-pop hits, including Psy‘s “Gangnam Style” and songs of K-pop stars such as Twice, Big Bang, BTS and Red Velvet, blasted in the stadium as the event’s background music as the athletes marched into the stadium.

On Feb. 5, Baekhyun of EXO and K-pop boy band VIXX also performed at the opening ceremony for the International Olympic Committee general assembly. The former sung the South Korean national anthem with 25 elementary school children, while the latter performed its 2017 hit “Shangri-La,” which features Korean traditional aesthetics. 

(lotus@heraldcorp.com)