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| ▲ This photo of Ikuta Rira, better known as Ikura of popular Japanese pop duo Yoasob, is provided by Livet. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- “It means so much to be able to perform in Korea, a country I truly love. I’m practicing hard so I can communicate with the audience in Korean.”
Ikuta Rira, better known as Ikura of popular Japanese pop duo Yoasobi, will hold her first solo concert in South Korea.
Saying she has long received strong support from Korean fans, Ikura said she hopes to connect with them more closely through the upcoming performance.
In a statement released Thursday through concert organizer Rivet, Ikura said, “My solo work focuses on everyday stories, so I hope the music feels more personal and closer to fans,” adding, “I want it to be a show where we can sing and dance together and share warmth and familiarity.”
Ikura is the vocalist of Yoasobi, known for hit songs such as "Idol" and "Racing into the Night." She will present a variety of performances at her solo concert "Laugh," scheduled for May 23 at Olympic Hall in Seoul’s Olympic Park.
She also plans to perform tracks from her second full-length solo album "Laugh," released in December last year. Among the album’s tracks, Ikura said "Cafe Latte," which was used as the original soundtrack for the drama "Waiting for Kyoto," feels especially meaningful to her.
“I wrote the lyrics while thinking about ‘Waiting for Kyoto,’ which was the first project for which I sang an OST,” she said, adding that AKMU’s Lee Chan-hyuk participated in composing and arranging the song.
Having already performed in Korea twice with Yoasobi, Ikura has continued to meet Korean fans as a solo artist by releasing the collaboration song "DUET" with Zico and appearing at the 2025 Melon Music Awards.
Regarding her collaboration with Zico, she said, “Zico created the sound and overall lyrics, and I wrote the lyrics for my parts. Communicating and refining the lyrics together made the production process itself very enjoyable, and we even included some Korean lyrics.”
Ikura added that while staying in Korea for the concert, she hopes to try as much fried chicken and tteokbokki as possible, while promising fans her best performance.
“I’m preparing hard to deliver the best performance and create unforgettable memories together with fans, so please look forward to it.”
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