Thousands of hands fist-pumping the air matched the electrifying energy of several South Korean celebrities, who performed Saturday night during Guam’s largest K-pop concert.

The MBC Music K-Pop Concert, sponsored by the Guam Visitors Bureau and MBC, one of Korea's top broadcasting networks, drew about 5,000 music lovers to the Gov. Joseph Flores Memorial Park in Tumon. Over 16,000 people had registered for the free concert online.

Young Hong, vice chairwoman of the Guam Visitors Bureau Korea Marketing Committee, earlier said the concert could register between 15,000 and 20,000 people, including 2,000 tourists from around the region.

Good learning experience for GVB

Guam residents made up 3,417 concert attendees; Korean visitors made up 467; Japan visitors made up 382; U.S. visitors made up 226; and Philippine visitors made up 115, according to rough estimates from GVB.

About 100 tourists from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Russia also flew to Guam for the event.

GVB President and CEO Nathan Denight said the concert was the biggest production that Guam has seen in recent years and could open up opportunities for future events.

Despite bringing in less than the expected number of concert attendees, Denight said it was a good learning experience that received great turnout.

GVB board Chairman Milton Morinaga said, “This is one of the big ways tourism works for our community and another opportunity for our visitors and locals to interact and experience the hafa adai spirit."

The festival boosted the image of Guam as a duty-free island destination, said Jaeha Kim, CEO of Lotte Duty Free Guam, the concert’s main sponsor.

“We are very happy there is a big following among Guam residents for K-pop. We are also pleased Guam is getting attention from our overseas visitors,” Kim said.

Visiting groups feel warm welcome

The concert, which Hong called "one of the biggest events in Guam history,” featured five top K-pop groups, including South Korean sensation and headliner Twice. Other acts were Supernova, JBJ95, H.U.B. and Mighty Mouth.

In a news conference hours before the concert, the visiting groups expressed excitement and gratitude to be performing on Guam.

Kim Sangkyun, a vocalist for JBJ95, said the group members received a warm welcome when they arrived at the airport and took lots of photos with local fans.

“The most famous thing in Guam is Tumon,” Sangkyun said, when asked what he knew about the island. He also looked forward to sightseeing, shopping and visiting Two Lovers' Point.

Lee Sang Chul, or “Sangchu” from Mighty Mouth, said he was excited to be back on Guam for the second time.

He and fellow vocalist So Jun Seob, or “Shorry J,” embraced island culture for the event, wearing shorts and island print shirts as they lit up the concert stage.

“Guam is amazing. The people are too good. We feel the hospitality and we’re truly blessed,” Sangchu said.

MBC TV will broadcast a recording of the Guam concert to approximately 23 million viewers across its South Korean network sometime in December, said Josh Tyquiengco, public information officer at GVB.