The Korea Times
"Thank you. This is my first concert in Korea." Taeko Onuki stood before the cheering crowd in Incheon, more than five decades after her debut. For a moment she seemed unsure what to do in front of the welcome. The Japanese singer-songwriter, often described as one of the pioneers of city pop, performed Saturday at Asian Pop Festival 2026 at Paradise City in Jung District, Incheon. Her set, the final performance on the festival’s first day, became one of the night’s most warmly received moments, especially among Korean fans in their 20s and 30s. As cheers rose for the 72-year-old musician, Onuki covered her face with both hands. She had made her official debut in 1975, but this was her first time meeting fans in Korea. Again and again, she thanked the crowd, repeating that she was “so happy.” Despite her long career, Onuki became known to many Korean listeners only recently, after city pop began enjoying a global revival in the 2010s. The genre, shaped by Western soft rock, jazz, R&B, soul and bossa nova, is often associated with a polished urban mood and the sound of Japan’s e
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