[INTERVIEW] Dua Lipa shares her fascination with Korea ahead of Seoul show

By Pyo Kyung-min

Known for her global hits, Albanian pop star Dua Lipa credits K-pop as one of her musical inspirations. From collaborating with high-profile acts like BLACKPINK and Hwasa from MAMAMOO to exploring Korean culture and cuisine, Lipa's connection to Korea runs deep — a relationship she plans to celebrate with her upcoming concert in Seoul in December.

"Working with BLACKPINK and Hwasa started because I was a fan of their music in the first place," Lipa told The Korea Times in a written interview. "After writing 'Kiss and Make Up,' I thought BLACKPINK would be perfect for it, but had no idea they would actually say yes."

Her collaboration with BLACKPINK dates back to 2018, with a song that not only helped propel the then-two-year-old K-pop group further into global stardom, but also introduced Lipa's name to Korean listeners.

Lipa has also teamed up with Hwasa, a standout solo artist and a member of girl group MAMAMOO, for a remix of her 2020 release, "Physical."

For Lipa, working with K-pop artists offered a rare opportunity to witness their growth. She says this is one reason she's eager to continue collaborating with younger acts in the industry.

"I've loved seeing the girls from BLACKPINK grow over the years and now they're blossoming into their own solo careers. So obviously, I'd totally be up for doing something with one of the girls," she said. "LE SSERAFIM has had a great year, too, and I think it'd be so fun to do something with them."

For Lipa, Korea's appeal also extends beyond its music scene. She is equally impressed by the energy of Korean audiences and the country's cuisine.

Lipa first performed in Korea at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival in 2017. The following year, she returned for her first solo concert, performing to a crowd of around 2,000.

"What stuck with me the most is the energy of the (Korean) fans. It's always so fun to play a show in Korea because the fans really bring it," she said.

Lipa's interest in Korea also extends to its food. Revealing that she recently read "Crying in H Mart," the bestselling memoir by Korean American musician and writer Michelle Zauner, Lipa said the book deepened her desire to explore Korean cuisine.

"When I'm in a new place, I'm always excited to try something new and I'm such a fan of Korean food," Lipa said. "With my Service95 Book Club, we had Michelle Zauner's 'Crying in H Mart' as one of our monthly reads earlier this year and in her book, Korean food is such a central theme to the way she tells her story. Reading that and talking to her about it has definitely made me add some traditional Korean dishes to my list of things to try when I'm in Seoul."

Lipa's fascination with Korea makes her upcoming Seoul concert in December a highly anticipated event, both for her and her Korean fans. She will perform at Guro District's Gocheok Sky Dome, one of the largest concert venues in Seoul, on Dec. 4 and 5, as part of her "Dua Lipa: Radical Optimism Tour in Seoul 2024."

The concert is part of her world tour promoting her third studio album, "Radical Optimism," released in May. Reflecting on the creative process behind the album, Lipa shared that she experienced significant growth.

"It was about creating a body of work that represented a stage in my life where I am constantly learning and growing. This time around, I walked into the studio with so much more confidence," she said.

"The idea of radical optimism really resonated with me during the making of this album. I think it's important to take the good and the bad, appreciate that something great can come from both and understand that we always become stronger because of it."

With the Asian leg of her world tour set to begin in November, Lipa promised she would be fully prepared for the Seoul shows in December.

"It's definitely going to be a party. There's a lot of dancing. And it's the first time I'm performing some of the new songs from my album, so we're having a lot of fun right now figuring out how to bring those to life," she said.

"I'm fully in prep mode for my world tour, which kicks off in Asia next month. I can't wait to be back out on the road, and I'm very excited to return to Asia. It's been way too long!"