Kang Daniel allows cameras during fanmeeting because he is CEO
PUBLISHED ONAugust 17, 2019 4:57 AMByWong Xue Min
No cameras at K-pop events?
No, said Kang Daniel.
Showbiz's 'it boy' played the ultimate power move for his Singapore fans when he allowed photos and videos to be taken throughout his fanmeeting last night (Aug 16).
After all, Daniel is his own boss, unlike most South Korean celebrities, and sets his own rules.
A collective gasp could be heard at the Singapore Indoor Stadium when he announced it.
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As a longtime follower of the scene, the reason for the crowd's surprise was clear to me. Such freedom is typically unheard of. Attempts to record your idol usually put you at risk of getting kicked out.
This was just one of the ways the CEO of Konnect Entertainment spoiled his fans. Here are five more memorable moments at the Color On Me event.
1. PICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF
This Singapore fanmeeting is the first stop of Daniel's tour and marked the end of his six-month hiatus due to legal disputes with his former agency LM Entertainment.
The former member of disbanded boy group Wanna One clearly did not slack off during the long break as he churned out quality performances one after another during the two-hour show.
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His deep and entrancing vocals during the song Color captivated the audience. When he burst onto the stage in a striking pink suit and performed the hit What Are You Up To, they went into a frenzy and screamed their hearts out.
With only eight backup dancers and simple stage effects, Daniel's charisma and talent still shone brightly.
2. DURIANS AND SINGLISH
If you were on AsiaOne's Twitter feed yesterday, you would have seen that Daniel was challenged to try the King of Fruits.
Although outside food is not permitted at the venue, an exception was made for the 22-year-old and durian during the interactive section of the fanmeeting.
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Upon sniffing the fruit, he remarked, "Smells like fish!", much to the amusement of fans.
He then confidently took a bite.
Lover or hater? With a look of surprise on his face, he exclaimed, "Not bad!"
Now that durian conversion was done, the next attempt at turning Daniel local was via Singlish.
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The phrase "Give chance leh, I blur sia" was given to him, and although he struggled at pronouncing the words, fans were delighted by the adorable attempt.
3. SURPRISE COVER OF JUSTIN BIEBER'S SORRY
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Towards the end of the show, Daniel announced a little surprise for fans - a cover of Justin Bieber's Sorry.
Although his pronunciation of the lyrics was not perfect, I was still impressed by how well he pulled off the song. With his busy lifestyle as both an idol and a boss, his grasp of English is understandable.
Student Nur Afiqah said, "I really appreciate how he tries his best to close the gap between himself and his fans. People shouldn't criticise idols when they try to speak English since it's not their first language."
4. HIS SECRET EXPOSED
From how confidently he threw the first pitch at a recent baseball game in Busan, we wouldn't have thought that Daniel has never played the sport.
He confessed that he had only practised for 10 minutes before the event, drawing a roar of laughter from the fans.
I guess even 'perfect' K-pop idols are human after all.
5. HUMBLE AND RELATABLE
A quick search on Twitter reveals Daniel's close relationship with his backup dancers. He has even gifted all of them with Adidas shoes.
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After performing the song I Hope, he was seen patting their backs in a gesture of gratitude.
At the end of the fanmeeting, Daniel made sure to walk to all corners of his stage and give sincere 90-degree bows to his audience.
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23-year-old Gavin Chew said, "We love how he's so down to earth and just so genuine and kind to everyone."
Perhaps this is why girlfriend Jihyo of girl group Twice fell in love with him?
The Color On Me tour was originally scheduled to visit Hong Kong next, but that stop has been postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing demonstrations there.
Daniel was recently ranked fourth in Forbes Korea's Power Celebrity list, behind only Blackpink, BTS and his own boy band.