CL, EXO say honored to perform in Olympic closing ceremony

Singer and rapper CL speaks at a news conference for her performance at the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics slated for this Sunday./ Yonhap

By Kang Hyun-kyung

Singer and rapper CL said she is honored to perform at the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Sunday. Nine-member boy band EXO is another K-pop singer to feature in the ceremony.

“I feel extremely honored to be on the stage for the crucial event which people all around the world will watch,” CL said during a news conference at the Main Press Center in PyeongChang, Wednesday. “I hope everyone can enjoy it.”

CL, the former lead rapper of the four-member girl band 2NE1, said the opportunity to perform at the Olympic closing ceremony is a life-time opportunity. “Of course, it’s very important for me,” she said.

Asked if she could give a sneak peek into her performance, CL said she preferred not to disclose it because she thinks her performance is something her audience can better grasp when, and if, they watch and feel it when they hear it.

Also joining the news conference was the nine-member boy band EXO.

Baekhyun said he felt honored to be part of the closing ceremony and also feels the pressure because all eyes are on the event.

Another member Suho said it will be an incredible experience. “All of us were born after 1988 and so we have no direct experience of the Olympics held in our country,” he said. “Now we are invited to perform at such a wonderful event, which is unbelievable.”

The boy band is popular among Japanese fans. Their album COUNTDOWN, which was released in late January, ranked 1st on Japanese Oricon music charts which provide sales rankings of music CDs, DVDs and entertainment products based on weekly tabulations.

The closing ceremony will begin at 8 pm. “Next Wave” is the theme of the ceremony. Award-winning Chinese direct Zhan Yimou will also present his work, “Beijing 8 Minutes,” to highlight the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.