K-POP MANIA

from What's On AUH - September 2022

by Motivate Media Group

BRUNCH

What’s K-popping?

Hyperound K-Fest comes to Abu Dhabi

Paul Kim

Loco ZICO

K-pop has solidified itself as the genre of the moment, with fans across the globe desperate to see their favourite Korean pop stars live. Abu Dhabi fans will get a chance to do just that very soon, as a huge Korean music event is about to hit the capital. The concert, called Hyperound K-Fest Abu Dhabi, will see 10 of the biggest Korean sensations take to the stage for one night only on Saturday September 10. Headlining acts are ZICO and Loco, but fans will also enjoy live performances from P1Harmony, Sik-K, DJ Woogie, GOT7 member Jay B, Peakboy, The Rose, Paul Kim and DVWN.

P1Harmony

GET YOUR TICKETS

l There are five ticket categories: Bronze for Dhs215, Silver for Dhs315, Gold for Dhs525, Platinum for Dhs735 and Platinum Plus for Dhs850. l Floor tickets are priced from Dhs525, so bring your dancing shoes if you pick one of these tickets. Tickets are now on sale via etihadarena.ae. l For those fans who live outside of Abu Dhabi, we have some good news as the event is planning on arranging shuttle buses to and from Etihad Arena from the surrounding emirates. There are no age restrictions, but anyone younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult (over the age of 21). l A green pass on Al Hosn will be required or a PCR test not older than 14 days. Face masks are mandatory at all times inside the venue. Hyperound Fest Abu Dhabi, Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Saturday September 10, from Dhs215. @hyperound.ae

Jay B

MORE K-POP MANIA

In more K-pop news, the ever-popular girl group Blackpink are bringing their world tour to the Middle East next year, and you’ll be able to see them live in Abu Dhabi on Saturday January 28, 2023.

The four-piece band – made up of Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa – shared details of their upcoming world tour on social media last month, confirming shows in both Abu Dhabi and the Saudi capital of Riyadh a week prior on Friday January 20, 2023. While the date has been confirmed for Blackpink’s Abu Dhabi gig, a location and ticket prices are still yet to be announced.

From Dune to Star Wars, the UAE is a dream background for big-time blockbusters

As soon as Dune made its debut back in 2021, Legendary and Warner Bros. announced that a sequel was lined up. Dune 2 is set to detail the second half of Frank Herbert’s epic scifi novel with Denis Villeneuve returning to his seat in the director’s chair.

Within five months, the first edition of this much-loved sci-fi flick garnered an impressive $400 million in the box office. At the 94th Academy Awards, the film scooped up six Oscars: Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, Best Production, Best Original Score, Best Sound and Best Film Editing – the most awarded movie of the night.

Fans in the UAE will be quick to point out that a decent chunk of Dune was filmed in our great capital. If you were unaware of this fact, the vast desert setting of planet Arrakis was none other than the Empty Quarter in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE’s capital will reprise its role as the iconic backdrop of the desert planet Arrakis in Denis Villeneuve’s version of Frank Herbert’s best-selling story.

On shooting in Abu Dhabi for Dune, Robbie McAree of Epic Films, which provided production services for Dune stated that the UAE has seen its share of Hollywood, Bollywood and independent movies who chose the country as a filming destination but having a film like Dune really raises the bar.

He added that that the producers, upon seeing the location, fell in love with the UAE and the vast desert landscapes. The picturesque scenes that Abu Dhabi’s Empty Quarter boasts matched the director’s vision for planet Arrakis.

For Dune, shooting took place in July and August for the perfect look. However, the sequel will be filmed in the latter half of this year – a time of year that is significantly cooler – a welcome break for the film team and actors, we’re sure.

Speaking of actors, as of now, Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård and Javier Bardem are confirmed to take up their original roles. They will be joined by Lea Seydoux, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler. It has not been confirmed if Jason Momoa and Oscar Isaac will be making comebacks. The film’s expected release date is November 2023.

SYNOPSIS

Dune: Part 2

Villeneuve promises a more intense sequel as the remnants of the House Atreides – led by Paul and Lady Jessica – try to rebuild after the catastrophic events of the first movie. Filmed at: Abu Dhabi’s Empty Quarter and Liwa desert

Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Five out of five sweaty palms for the stunts in this, the fourth Mission Impossible movie. Super-agent Ethan Hunt and his team take on another deadly mission to prove their innocence when they are framed for bombing the Kremlin. The sequence on Burj Khalifa is undoubtedly Cruise’s most famous stunt to date. It involves a start on the 123rd floor, a malfunctional suction glove, rappelling down the building and an almost-fall that requires his associates to clutch onto his foot as he hangs on for dear life. Gulp. Filmed at: Burj Khalifa, Dubai International Financial Centre and Deira Creek

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

We always knew the force was strong with Abu Dhabi, but did you know the planet of Jakku – where we first meet Rey, the central protagonist of the final Star Wars trilogy – is actually our very own Abu Dhabi? Or at least that’s where those scenes were filmed. The movie centres around Rey, a desert scavenger, and Finn, an ex-stormtrooper, who must join Han Solo and Chewbacca to search for the one hope of restoring peace when a new threat to the galaxy rises. Star Wars is one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, so having your location immortalised as part of the saga is a pretty big deal. Abu Dhabi actually gets a name check in the movie too, during a conversation with companion Finn, Rey refers to a location called ‘Liwa Outpost’. Filmed at: Empty Quarter in Abu Dhabi

Furious 7 (2015)

Love them or hate them, Fast and Furious movies are a big deal at the box office. And the seventh installment of the franchise, Furious 7, takes some of its road rage out on the cinematic streets of our capital. In one of the most physics-defying scenes from a series known for playing fast and loose with the laws of nature, Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) and Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) take a Lykan Hypersport car and jump between the Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers. Twice. This movie was sadly Paul Walker’s last, as he tragically passed away during filming. Impressive CGI rendering was used to fill-in his final scenes to make for an emotional farewell. Filmed at: Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, Emirates Palace, The Corniche and Yas Island

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

When the location scouts were searching for a futuristic cityscape to set the third installment of this sci-fi reboot saga, Dubai must have stuck out immediately. Its architecture, fast cars, smart city credentials and Dubai Metro stations that look straight out of 3020 make it the perfect candidate for offering a glimpse of what’s to come. Filmed at: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre and Burj Khalifa

6 Underground (2019)

There’s some pretty simple box office arithmetic that goes into putting Michael Bay and Ryan Reynolds together. You know you’re going to get epic cinematography backed up by frantic action scenes and sassy dialogue, delivered with trademark Reynolds panache, which neatly sums up this particular high energy, super fun Netflix movie. And a lot of it was filmed right here in Abu Dhabi. Filmed at: A total number of 24 locations including Louvre Abu Dhabi, Aldar’s headquarters, Etihad Towers, Arkan – Al Ain Cement Factory, Liwa desert, Sheikh Zayed Bridge and Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque.

Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

This sequel to the hugely popular 2001 movie starring Will Smith, didn’t hit quite as well with the critics, but it is absolutely watchable if you let yourself embrace the cheesiness of it all. As you might expect from a film that puts humanity on the brink of annihilation, there’s not a lot of happy imagery for planet Earth – Dubai’s big moment comes in the form of the Burj Khalifa being up-ended and used to shish kebab a section of London’s South Bank. Those aliens really did us dirty. Filmed at: Burj Khalifa