Dubai Festival City will host a free K-pop concert early next year, bringing two major South Korean artists to the city for a single evening performance as part of the Dubai Shopping Festival calendar.
Solo star Chung Ha and SHINee member Onew are scheduled to appear at Festival Bay, Dubai Festival City Mall on Saturday, January 3, under the ongoing e& DSF Nights concert series. The show is open to the public at no cost.
The event places two established solo performers on the same stage outside South Korea, a pairing that is uncommon on the international circuit. Both artists are coming off new releases in 2025, with Chung Ha recently unveiling her mini-album Alivio and Onew releasing his second full album, Percent.
Chung Ha rose to prominence after debuting with the project girl group I.O.I before transitioning into a solo career marked by commercially successful tracks such as Gotta Go, Snapping, and Roller Coaster. Her music has accumulated more than 80 million streams on Spotify, supported by her reputation as a singer, dancer, and choreographer.
Onew, meanwhile, is widely known as a main vocalist of SHINee and has steadily expanded his solo catalogue since 2022. His individual releases include O (Circle), Beat Drum, and Animals, reinforcing his profile beyond group activities.
The concert is set to begin at 8:30 p.m., with organizers advising early arrival due to the open-access format and expected turnout.
The appearance forms part of the 31st season of the Dubai Shopping Festival, which began on December 5 and runs through January 11. The DSF Nights series has featured a rotating lineup of international performers across multiple venues in the city.
Recent years have seen a steady rise in K-pop programming across the UAE, with large-scale events such as DREAM Concert in Abu Dhabi and WATERBOMB in Dubai drawing regional audiences. Industry interest in Korean culture continues to expand locally, with plans previously announced for a future “K-City” development dedicated to Korean entertainment and culture in the emirate.
