Korean Pop, or K-Pop, is coming to Hawaii as K-Pop sensation Taemin brings his “Ephemeral Gaze 2024-25 World Tour” to the Neal Blaisdell Arena with a 7:30 p.m. performance on March 22.

This concert event by Rick Bartalini Presents marks the artist’s first performance in the islands and the state’s first major K-Pop concert since the genre became a global phenomenon.

Hawaii-only fans were given exclusive access to purchase concert tickets on Jan. 23 before tickets went on sale to the general public the next day.

In anticipation of his March concert, Taemin has a special video message for his fans. The video is in Korean with English captions:

In the video, Taemin says:

"Aloha, Hawaii. This is Taemin. The 2024-2025 Taemin World Tour "Ephemeral Gaze" in the US will start with five cities in North America and extend all the way to Hawaii. I’m so, so happy and excited to be able to meet my fans across the US. I’ve heard that you’ve been showing lots of love and support, and I’m truly grateful. I can’t wait to meet all of you as soon as possible. Until then, please wait just a little longer. Let’s create some precious memories together."

Fans will enjoy the artist’s chart-topping hits along with his signature dance moves and strong vocals. Renowned for his “seductive charisma and captivating stage presence, Taemin has redefined performance in K-Pop.”

His career began the chart-topping EP “ACE” in 2014 followed by hits such as “Press It” in 2016 and the cultural phenomenon “Move” in 2017 that “transformed K-Pop choreography with its genre-defying sound.” Taemin’s 2020 album, “Never Gonna Dance Again” received widespread acclaim and his recent EP, “Guilty” in 2023 and “ETERNAL” in 2024, cemented his artistry as a soloist and active member of SHINee.

Taemin is also a member of the supergroup SuperM, a collection of some of SM Entertainment’s most celebrated artists, dubbed the “Avengers of K-POP.” The group has achieved international acclaim, topping the Billboard 200 with their debut album and expanding K-pop around the world.

Tickets for the March 22 concert are available.

According to Bartalini, the concert headlining Taemin is the first of many K-Pop events he plans to bring to the state.

Hawaii fans are ecstatic as seen in this post on the artist’s Instagram:

Editor's note: The article has been updated with the video message for Taemin's fans. (January 28, 2025)