Korean-American Singer Lee Jae Shines at North America World Cup Opening Ceremony

World Cup opening ceremony event photo in Mexico City — World Cup opening ceremony event [Photo=Mexico City Yonhap News]

2026 FIFA North America World Cup opening ceremony featured Korean-American singer-songwriter Lee Jae, who captivated global soccer fans with his performance of Korean lyrics.
On June 12, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the opening ceremony showcased the official World Cup theme song "DNA." The stage included renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli and Lee Jae, marking the commencement of the tournament.
During the performance, Lee Jae passionately sang the Korean lyrics, "Even if I fall again, I will rise again," eliciting enthusiastic cheers from the crowd of over 87,000. The presence of Korean lyrics heightened the excitement of the event.
FIFA had previously announced the official theme song "DNA" on its social media, featuring Andrea Bocelli, Lee Jae, David Guetta, and Megan Thee Stallion. Lee Jae made a significant impact by performing the Korean lyrics in the latter part of the song.

Lee Jae has been actively involved in the K-pop industry as a Korean-American singer-songwriter. He has contributed to numerous tracks for K-pop artists, including TWICE, Red Velvet, aespa, and NMIXX, and participated in the production of the Netflix animated series "K-pop Demon Hunters" OST released last year.
Notably, the OST track "Golden" achieved global success, bringing Lee Jae's name to the forefront of the international music scene. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song, generating significant buzz.
This marks the second instance of a Korean artist performing the official theme song at a World Cup opening ceremony. Previously, BTS member Jungkook performed the official theme song "Dreamers" at the 2022 Qatar World Cup opening ceremony, capturing the attention of fans worldwide.
Meanwhile, this tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will feature opening celebration performances in each host country. The U.S. opening ceremony is set to include a performance by BLACKPINK member Lisa, drawing further interest in another K-pop star's appearance.

* This article has been translated by AI.