SEVENTEEN member DINO set the '2025 Esports World Cup (EWC)' opening ceremony ablaze with his performance.
On the evening of the 10th (local time, 11th morning KST), DINO took to the stage at the anb Arena in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, for the '2025 EWC' opening ceremony. He premiered his performance of 'Til My Fingers Bleed,' the theme song for this year's EWC, released last month. DINO, as the first K-Pop artist to perform the competition's theme song, further adorned the opening ceremony, showcasing his global influence.
The mega performance, featuring around thirty dancers, was undoubtedly the highlight. With a stage that seemed to transport the audience into the world of gaming, DINO's powerful dance moves and flawless live performance captivated the audience instantly. The combination of large-scale choreography and DINO's precise movements created a fresh performance rarely seen in K-Pop concerts. The crowd went wild, chanting DINO's name in unison.
DINO collaborated once again with American artist Duckwrth and Telle Smith, the vocalist of the band The Word Alive, blending K-Pop with hip-hop and rock. The performance concluded with a perfect group dance, drawing explosive reactions from the audience.
'Til My Fingers Bleed' is a song that creates a thrilling atmosphere with its heavy beats and powerful band sound. The production team behind hits like K/DA's 'POP/STARS' and several 'League of Legends World Championship' theme songs took the helm in producing this track. The performance was choreographed by the renowned British choreographer Jay Revell, who has worked with global music sensations like David Guetta, Dua Lipa, and Anne-Marie.
DINO demonstrated his solo artist capabilities through boundaryless collaborations with experts from various fields, proving his high topicality. He joined the '2025 EWC' opening ceremony lineup alongside global icons such as Post Malone, top Swedish DJ and producer Alesso, and violinist Tina Guo, known for her work with film music legend Hans Zimmer. The tickets for the opening ceremony sold out quickly after the lineup was announced.
Meanwhile, the 'EWC' is the world's largest esports competition, attracting over 2.6 million visitors and more than 500 million online viewers last year, boasting explosive popularity. This year's competition, which started on the 7th, will run until the 24th of next month, with a total prize pool of over 70 million dollars, making it the highest in the international esports competition scene.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)