The six-member global K-pop group KIIRAS made a strong impression in Malaysia during their recent visit for the ‘Fast Track Entertainment LAUNCHPAD’ media event. The group traveled to Kuala Lumpur for the two-day event held on August 3 and 4, 2026, where they performed for local music industry professionals, media representatives, and fans.
Their arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport set the tone for the visit. A large crowd of local fans gathered at the airport to welcome the members. Supporters held up banners and signs with messages of encouragement. The members responded by waving and making eye contact with the fans, creating a friendly and warm atmosphere.
KIIRAS Delivers Energetic Performances at LAUNCHPAD Showcase
The main event took place at the PJ Performing Arts Centre in Kuala Lumpur. KIIRAS took the stage and delivered stable live performances of their title tracks and other songs. Their energetic stages earned enthusiastic responses from the audience.
The crowd responded with loud applause and cheers throughout the performance. Industry professionals present at the event praised the group for their competitiveness in the global market.
The ‘LAUNCHPAD’ event is a global artist development project organized by Singapore-based entertainment company Fast Track Entertainment (FTE) in partnership with Sony Music Malaysia. The platform aims to help emerging artists break into the Southeast Asian market through live showcase experiences.
Local Media Shows Strong Interest in KIIRAS
Malaysian media showed significant interest in KIIRAS during their visit. Several broadcasters, major press outlets, and fashion magazines conducted interviews with the group.
The interviews focused on the group’s global activity plans, team strengths, and future vision. This media coverage highlighted how the project attracted attention from the local entertainment industry.
KIIRAS Expresses Gratitude to Malaysian Fans
After completing the showcase, KIIRAS shared their thoughts about the experience. The members expressed their happiness about returning to Malaysia and feeling the love from local fans.
“We are truly happy and grateful to have felt the warm love from Malaysia once again. Starting with this showcase, we will continue to present new possibilities unique to KIIRAS through various global projects and overseas activities.”
The group also shared that they plan to expand their overseas activities through collaborations with global partners following this project.
LAUNCHPAD Platform Aims to Support Emerging Artists Across Southeast Asia
The LAUNCHPAD platform was officially unveiled during the event. It is designed to accelerate the regional growth of emerging artists by connecting them directly with audiences, media, brands, and industry partners across Southeast Asia.
Harris Lim, the Chief Executive Officer of Fast Track Entertainment, spoke about the platform’s purpose.
“LAUNCHPAD represents an important step in our vision of building a connected entertainment ecosystem across Southeast Asia. We believe an artist can grow faster when they can connect directly with new audiences through special live performance experiences.”
The platform includes original digital content production, regional media exposure, and strategic brand partnerships. These elements create new commercial opportunities while supporting long-term artist development beyond their home markets.
Many emerging artists in Southeast Asia face challenges expanding beyond their home markets due to limited media access, local partnerships, and regional promotional opportunities. LAUNCHPAD aims to bridge this gap.
Malaysian Member Ling Ling Leads KIIRAS on Third Visit to Home Country
KIIRAS features a diverse lineup with members from different countries. The group consists of Malaysian member Ling Ling, Japanese member KURUMI, and four Korean members HARIN, KYLIE, DOYEON, and ROAH.
This marked Ling Ling’s third time returning to Malaysia with the group. As the leader of KIIRAS, she expressed her desire to take her fellow members on a road trip to share her childhood memories and show them more of her home country.
The Malaysian member also mentioned wanting to introduce local foods like Man Jian Gao (a type of pancake) to her group members. She also hopes to take them to Malacca and Penang for city walks to experience the local culture.
KURUMI, the Japanese member, developed a taste for Kaya Pau (a local bread spread) during previous visits and still thinks about it after returning to Korea.
Other Artists Join the LAUNCHPAD Lineup
The LAUNCHPAD event featured a diverse lineup of artists. Alongside KIIRAS, the event included UPRIZE, a seven-member boy group from Vietnam, and Yusry Abdul Halim, a well-known Malaysian singer, actor, director, composer, and producer under Sony Music Malaysia.
UPRIZE, which officially debuted on July 16, 2026, made Malaysia their first overseas activity stop. Member Leon shared that they felt the warmth and friendliness of the Malaysian people upon arrival and praised the local food.
Yusry Abdul Halim, who has been in the entertainment industry for 34 years and is a member of the classic Malaysian boy group KRU, also performed at the event. He encouraged new artists to not be afraid of change, sharing his own journey from a dance boy group to pursuing rock music.
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LAUNCHPAD Plans Future Showcases Across Southeast Asia
Following the official launch in Kuala Lumpur, LAUNCHPAD will be introduced gradually through a series of showcase events across Southeast Asia. These showcases will begin later in 2026 and continue into early 2027.
Each showcase series will be supported by media coverage, digital content production, and strategic collaborations. The platform aims to become an important resource for artist growth in the region.
The KIIRAS members expressed their commitment to continuing their global activities. They plan to show new sides of themselves through various international projects following this showcase.
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