'Goodbye Jamboree' K-pop Concert Unites 40,000 Scouts for a Triumphant Finale Amid Enthusiastic Cheers

2023 World Jamboree Scout Closing Ceremony
The 'Scout Spirit' Shone Brighter Than the K-Pop Concert
19 Teams' Passionate Performances Despite the Rain
40,000 Jamboree Scouts from Over 140 Countries 'Enthralled'

On the 11th, scouts are enjoying the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree K-pop Super Live Concert held at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

As the hit songs "Hype Boy" by the group NewJeans and a hit song by NCT Dream played, the passionate cheers of the world’s scout members filling Seoul World Cup Stadium echoed all around.

Over 40,000 youths from 143 countries became one, singing along to "Hype Boy" as NewJeans appeared on stage.

On the 11th, the "K-pop Super Live" concert, which marked the finale of the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul, was a scene that confirmed the global status of K-pop.

On the afternoon of the 11th, the group NewJeans performed at the '2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree K-pop Super Live Concert' held at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

K-pop musicians who stepped up to ensure the successful conclusion of the 2023 Saemangeum 25th World Scout Jamboree became the saviors who turned what could have been remembered as a nightmare event into unforgettable memories.

On this day’s stage, dazzling K-pop stars such as NewJeans, NCT Dream, IVE, MAMAMOO, and ITZY performed one after another. The jamboree scouts enthusiastically sang along and cheered, following the dances and fully enjoying the jamboree’s final official event.

The faces of the scouts gathered at Seoul World Cup Stadium were all filled with bright smiles. Contrary to the regrets and negative reports caused by the event’s disruptions, the anticipation of meeting their favorite and frequently listened-to K-pop stars in person filled the venue.

Especially, the group NewJeans, whose participation was announced late, appeared as the final act of the first part of the "K-pop Super Live," delivering a spectacular closing performance.

The 40,000 scouts filling the seats repeatedly engaged in spontaneous "wave" cheers, enhancing the festive atmosphere.

Earlier, actors Gong Myung, ITZY’s Yuna, and NewJeans’ Hyein, who served as MCs, suggested "singing together" as a way to enjoy K-pop tenfold. On the following stage, NewJeans performed two songs: "ETA," one of the triple title tracks from their mini album 2 "Get Up," which ranked number one on the US Billboard main album chart "Billboard 200," and "Hype Boy," one of the title tracks from their mini album 1 "New Jeans," encouraging the 40,000 audience members to sing along.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The scouts showed enthusiastic cheers for every stage, from the rookie group ZeroBaseOne, who just debuted, to the veteran group MAMAMOO reunited as a full team, expressing their passionate interest in K-pop without reservation.

IVE with "Love Dive" and ITZY with "Wannabe" also received huge cheers. Although ITZY’s member Lia was absent due to health issues, the remaining four members delivered a stable live performance, creating a flawless stage. "Wannabe" was one of the sing-along songs among the global scouts. Many scouts also followed the choreography of the hit songs, creating a heated atmosphere.

The concert opened with the intense choreography of "HolyBang," the winner team of Mnet’s "Street Woman Fighter" Season 1, followed by performances from The Boyz, Kang Daniel (formerly of Wanna One), Kwon Eunbi and Jo Yuri (formerly of IZ*ONE), Monsta X unit Shownu X Hyungwon, fromis_9, Kard, P1Harmony, The New Six, ATBO, Psykers, and the crossover group Liberante, showcasing diverse charms of K-pop on this day’s stage.

At the end of the concert, all performers sang together "Balloon," originally by the band "Five Fingers" and remade by the group TVXQ. Especially, NCT Dream, who closed the event, presented a special stage continuing their connection from the World Scout Jamboree held in the US four years ago. As "Balloon" echoed, scout emblem balloons floated among the scouts, while colorful fireworks decorated the sky over Sangam Field.

With colorful balloons floating above the audience and dazzling fireworks, the scout members stood up, playing and enjoying the festival with innocent expressions.

Hyein of NewJeans, who served as MC on this day, defined the excitement and meaning of the performance by saying, "Dreaming and achieving it seems to be the common denominator between the scouts gathered here and K-pop."

The group Mamamoo skillfully led the performance.
[Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

The 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree concluded all official schedules with the K-pop concert on this day. The closing ceremony was held prior to the concert.

Representatives from Korea, Ireland, and C?te d'Ivoire recited the Scout Oath together with all scouts. The Scout Federation flag was handed over to Poland, the host country of the next "2027 World Scout Jamboree."

Scouts from each country moved to their accommodations according to their national schedules to have personal time for organizing their belongings and rest. The official schedule of the jamboree was concluded. Some scouts from certain countries will stay longer in Korea to continue regional cultural experiences and other activities. They plan to extend their stay in Korea to continue such cultural experience schedules.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.