Pop Star Shakira Surprises Fans with Korean Greeting Thanks to Dancer Kani

Global pop star Shakira is drawing attention with a surprise Korean greeting addressed to her South Korean fans.

Shakira recently posted a short video on her official Instagram account, greeting viewers in Korean by saying, "Hello. I am Shakira." The video showed her speaking the Korean lines carefully with a shy expression, followed by Kani cheering for her, creating a heartwarming atmosphere.

Immediately after its release, the video spread rapidly across domestic online communities and social media platforms, drawing responses such as, "I cannot believe Shakira gave a greeting in Korean," and "Could she be preparing for a concert in Korea?"

Behind Shakira's Korean greeting was the French choreographer Kani. Kani, a global choreographer who is married to a Korean spouse and has gained recognition through appearances on Korean entertainment programs, is the head choreographer who directed the official theme song "Dai Dai" for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. She reportedly taught Shakira Korean herself during rehearsals, completing the video together.

The close bond between the two grew even stronger while preparing for the World Cup stage. Kani directed Shakira's performance and worked closely with her, drawing attention from fans for their natural chemistry on the practice set. This Korean video also brought smiles by fully showcasing their comfortable, best-friend chemistry.

Korean fans' interest grew even further following Shakira's meeting with BTS. On July 19 (local time), Shakira shared the stage with BTS during the halftime show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA. Following BTS's performance of "Dynamite," Shakira decorated the finale with the official World Cup theme song "Dai Dai."

After the performance, BTS leader RM posted a photo taken with Shakira on his social media along with the caption "QUEEN," and Shakira responded by posting a group photo with the BTS members on her official Instagram with the caption "BTS♡." The meeting between the two global artists became a major topic among fans worldwide.

Meanwhile, riding the wave of popularity of the official World Cup theme song "Dai Dai," Shakira is continuing her U.S. arena tour. She is meeting global fans by holding performances for her "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran" world tour, starting at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and moving on to UBS Arena and Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.



(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.