ENHYPEN’s “The City” Delights Jakarta Fans

Fans gather outside ENHYPEN’s pop-up store at Neo Soho Podomoro City in Jakarta on Sunday as part of the “ENHYPEN WORLD TOUR ‘FATE PLUS’ THE CITY JAKARTA.” Korea Times photo by Lee Gyu-lee

By Lee Gyu-lee

Jakarta, Indonesia — Dozens of fans gathered at Neo Soho Podomoro City, a shopping mall in West Jakarta, on Sunday morning to visit a pop-up store for K-pop group ENHYPEN. The store is part of the special project “ENHYPEN WORLD TOUR ‘FATE PLUS’ THE CITY JAKARTA,” which runs from August 9 to September 8 across the city, in conjunction with the group’s Indonesia stopover as part of their world tour.

“The City” transformed the Southeast Asian country’s capital into a playground for ENGENEs, ENHYPEN’s fans, with various events ranging from ENHYPEN-themed hotels, cafes, and restaurants to entertainment activities, expanding the fan experience by allowing them to indulge in the group’s first solo concert in Indonesia. As part of their world tour titled “FATE PLUS,” the group—consisting of members Sunghoon, Jungwon, Jake, Heeseung, Jay, Sunoo, and Ni-ki—held concerts on Saturday and Sunday at ICE BSD City Hall 1-2, selling out the 21,000-seat venue.

For 12-year-old fan Ica, who visited the pop-up store with her parents, it was a rare opportunity to access official band merchandise, as well as special products sold only at the store, such as “The City” keychains and bags.

“I came here to buy (ENHYPEN) photo cards because there is currently no official merchandise store in Jakarta. So I bought the cards and stickers,” she said, adding that she has been a fan of the group for a year. “I became a fan of the group because Ni-Ki is so handsome. He is my favorite.”

ENHYPEN’s pop-up store will be held at Neo Soho Podomoro City in Jakarta from Aug. 9 to 25 as part of “ENHYPEN WORLD TOUR ‘FATE PLUS’ THE CITY JAKARTA.” Korea Times photo by Lee Gyu-lee

Another fan, Tyas, shared that she traveled from Surabaya, the country’s port city about 780 kilometers east of Jakarta, to attend the concert and enjoy events throughout the city.

“I came to Jakarta just for the concert. I went yesterday and it’s my last day in Jakarta,” she said, holding an ENHYPEN-inspired drink at a cafe.

Special ENHYPEN-themed drinks and snacks menu at Menepi Sejenak restaurant in Gading Serpong, Indonesia / Korea Times photo by Lee Gyu-lee

20/08/2024 08:30 | K-pop

“I have been a fan of the band since 2021. I really like Jay’s charisma, voice and style.”

Due to the band’s immense popularity in the country, the store’s T-shirts sold out in just two days after its opening on August 8, and the albums were gone within five days.

The events include two cafe brands, Kopi Soe and Kokumi, which feature special ENHYPEN-themed dishes named after the group’s songs, such as “Bite Me Blueberry Cheese”, and three restaurants, Menepi Sejenak, Taeyang Sung and Norae, with group-inspired dishes like Tamed-Dashed Toast.

Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta also offered an ENHYPEN-themed room where guests received a “FATE PLUS”-related welcome kit and other items during their stay.

Highlights of the event include a sing-along party and a shuffle dance, a game where fans dance the correct choreography to songs played at random.

Fans participate in a random dance event held at the Gelora Bung Karno main stadium in Jakarta on August 11. Courtesy of GDP

Around 500 people gathered at the Sing-along Party, held at the same mall on August 9, to sing ENHYPHEN songs together and play group quizzes, while enjoying a parade of Pikachu characters in traditional Indonesian attire known as Batik.

The Random Play Dance event, held on the street by Gelora Bung Karno on August 11, saw 250 people participate in the game to a total of 26 different songs by HYBE artists, including 10 of ENHYPEN’s hit songs.

Another session of the Sing-along Party will be held on August 24, during a fountain show at an amusement park, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah.

Promotional artwork for the band, such as posters and advertisements, was also plastered throughout the city, including videos of the members performing on regular Commuter Line subway cars.