The Hallyu Dream Festival

Fans scream their hearts out, showing their love for K-Pop.

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[SOV]
[Interview : ] "We love Korea".

[Interview : ] "We love everyone here"

[Interview : ] "It's the best".

Let's join them at the Hallyu Dream Festival, which took place in Gyeongju.

Gyeongju, a city where history breathes in every corner, is full of excited fans.

[Interview : Ahn Da-sol, Fan] "I am really proud of the fact that celebrities I like are popular in other countries as well".

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "Let's go, K-Pop!"

Just as the name Hallyu Dream Festival implies, fans from all over the world have gathered here to celebrate K-pop.

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "I am from England".

[Interview : ] "Russia".

[Interview : ] "I am from Germany".

[Interview : ] "Israel"

[Interview : ] "Hi Tiffany Young, I love you".

[ENG]
[Interview : Rekasu Sai, Fan Canada] "Girls' Generation, I like Tiffany Young. Yes, I love her. Good dancer, very cute and very pretty".

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "I want nobody nobody but you".

Singing along to their favorite singer's songs is a given.

She is a fan of TOP from Big Bang

[ENG]
[Interview : Casey, Fan USA] "His voice is very good. I like when he raps, it's very good".

Before the concert begins, the Korean card game Go-Stop makes sure that no one stays bored.

[ENG]
[Interview : Hannah, Fan USA] "I like the sound. Tak! Tak! Tak! I love K-pop. Girls' Generation, 2NE1, B2ST, MBLAQ, SHINEE. I love them all. Everyday I shock. Shock!"

Finally the moment everyone has waited for has arrived and pop idols begin to arrive one-by-one.

The leaders of the K-Pop movement, such as 2PM, BEAST, 4Minute, and TVXQ, have gathered at the Hallyu Dream Festival.

[Interview : Lee Ji-eun, Singer] "I heard that this was a global concert. It is such an honor to be invited".

[Interview : Jun Hyo-seong, Member Secret] "We will do our best on stage to boost the K-Pop craze".

[Interview : G.O, Member MBLAQ] "K-Pop has become a sensation all around the world. I hope that today, this spot will be the center of that sensation".

Fans anticipate a great show from their favorite singers.

Finally, the finale of the Hallyu Dream Festival has started. About 20,000 fans from Korea and abroad have come together at Gyeongju Civic Stadium.

The stage heats up with each and every performance.

Fans from abroad sing along to the lyrics and sway to the rhythm of their favorite songs.

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "It's cold, but it's fun. It's interesting".

Singers and fans immerse themselves in the frenzy of the show, singing together in unison.

The fans are loving every moment of the fantastic performances and being able to see their favorite K-pop stars.

The fans automatically start to dance along as the members of Girls' Generation do their famous dance.

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "We love Korea".

[Interview : ] "We love everyone here"

[Interview : ] "It's the best".

[Interview : ] "Number 1".

K-Pop has spread like wildfire to Europe and America, but what is the reason that makes K-Pop so popular[Interview : Choe Yeong-il, Pop culture critic] "Our country's pop idol singers possess the talent to match the novelty, freshness, and variety that they bring. They are charismatic, and their musical talent is high. The quality of Korean singers have gotten a lot better than that of other countries' because their teamwork cannot be matched by anyone else".

At a hotel in Gyeongju, a press conference is held amid the fans' screams, for none other than Hallyu star Ryu Si-won takes center stage.

Even a famous Hallyu star is awed by the popularity of K-Pop.

[Interview : Ryu Si-won] "The popularity of K-Pop is something I felt firsthand, and Korean singers have so much talent. They are so skilled that they can compete with any singer from around the world".

He wants K-Pop's popularity to last for a long time and even gives some advice.

[Interview : Ryu Si-won] "K-Pop is in a boom right now. A boom can mean that things shoot up, but it can also mean that they can fall down. Things right now are not going in both directions, they are going in one direction. I believe that if K-Pop and Hallyu can spread out into culture, they can settle down and be loved for a long time".

This day was also Ryu Si-won's birthday. He held a special fan-meeting with more than 1000 fans from Korea and abroad. On this day, he was not the actor or singer Ryu Si-won, but just himself.

Amidst an increasing global interest in Korean language and culture, K-pop stars have become the leading banners of Korea to the world.

[STUDIO]

Well a very big happy birthday to Ryu Si-won.
I wonder how old he is now.
Since he's a guy I guess it's okay to talk about age.
But I looked it up and he's 39 international age and 40 Korean age.
We hope everyone had a great time down there.
I think the event may have fulfilled many people's dreams.