- Lee Seung Gi returns to singing by participating in the “Asia Song Festival”
- High expectations on his performance with representative singers of various countries expected to spread throughout Asia
- Rapidly rising as a Korean Wave star and attracting much attention with his versatile performances as a singer, actor and a host
- Confirmed participation of versatile entertainment stars in the Asia Song Festival
- Growing as a cultural contents forum encompassing all mass culture genres

 

☐ The Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (Chairman Young-hoon Kim, hereinafter referred to as “foundation”) announced on September 21 that Lee Seung Gi will participate in the “2011 Asia Song Festival,” Asia’s largest music festival. The ability to sing is basic! Lee Seung Gi, who has settled as a top male star as the “brother of the people” showing versatile skills as an actor, entertainer and a host, is expected to sing again after a break at the “2011 Asia Song Festival,” raising high expectations among Asian fans.

 

☐ Most of all, Japan is paying close attention to Lee’s new activities. Although he has not yet   fully advanced into Japan and other countries, the drama “Brilliant Legacy” where Lee acted as a protagonist, has been broadcasted in 81 countries worldwide in the midst of high popularity already confirming Lee as a new Korean Wave star. In particular, “Brilliant Legacy” recorded top ratings among other programs broadcast at the same time on Japanese TV with explosive popularity. Lee’s popularity and recognition are rapidly rising in Japan. In recognition of his contribution to the widespread popularity of Korean dramas in Asia and as a representative Korean star, Lee received the “Korean Wave Contributor” Award from the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the beginning of this year. Furthermore, Lee appeared in the Japanese flagship entertainment program “Smap x Smap” of Fuji TV last June speaking in fluent Japanese on a parody story of the drama “Brilliant Legacy” gaining favorable response from Japanese fans. 

 

☐ Lee has recently appeared before 2,500 female fan meetings and sang his hit songs within a year in Japan. While being cheered by Japanese fans, he opened the curtain with the title song of his fourth album, “Love Teaches Drinking” and gave a live concert by singing hit songs “Marry Me” and “I Must Have Lost My Mind,” an OST of “My Girlfriend is Gumiho,” raising the mood to the top. On a survey on “singers who would succeed in Japan” carried out by an expert music site last March, Lee topped the list with a 45 percent support rate. Fans are avidly calling to see Lee in person.

 

☐ Lee Seung Gi, who has steadily grown as a next generation Korean Wave star with outstanding singing and acting abilities, is showing great talent not only as a singer, but also as an actor and entertainer settling as a versatile entertainer despite fierce competition with idol and girl groups.  He started his career as an actor with “Renowned Seven Princesses,” a KBS drama broadcast in 2006, and recorded top ratings with his acting in “Brilliant Legacy” of SBS in 2009 and “My Girlfriend is Gumiho” in 2010, consolidating his position as a next generation male actor. Lee has achieved noteworthy records in various fields as the most preferred actor by advertisers and as an entertainer earning high ratings in “One Night, Two Days,” an entertainment program he appears in, and “Strong Heart,” which he presides over as a host. Further, the first drama “Brilliant Legacy” he appeared as a protagonist recorded top ratings of over 40 percent viewership.

 

☐ Great artists performing as singers and actors will appear in the “Asia Song Festival” this year, drawing much attention. In addition to the aforementioned Lee Seung Gi, Si-won Choi of Super Junior, Yoona of Girls’ Generation, Nishijima Takahiro of Japan’s super performance group AAA, Peter Ho who recorded top earnings among Taiwanese actors, Leo Ku, national singer of Hong Kong and Tata Young of Thailand will participate in the festival among others. Held since 2004, the “Asia Song Festival” has played the role to introduce K-POP to the world and spread pop music of other Asian countries to Korea. It has now grown as a forum of cultural contents encompassing all mass culture genres with participation of versatile entertainers and artists who not only sing, but also act in movies and dramas. 

 

☐ During the first round of free ticket download service provided on September 16, access to the Web site exploded as soon as it was opened, selling out all seats of the first opening and making us realize the high interest in the “2011 Asia Song Festival.” Phone calls from fans who did not get to procure tickets also poured in and the foundation plans to open a second round of ticket download service on September 30 (Fri.) for Asian fans looking forward to the event. 

 

☐ For details on the “2011 Asia Song Festival,” check our official Web site (www.asf.or.kr). The Web site provide English, Japanese and Chinese for non-Korean music fans. We are also communicating with Asian fans through our official twitter (@asongfe).