DINO, a member of the K-pop group SEVENTEEN, made history on Thursday night by performing at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is the first K-pop artist to ever perform at the event.
DINO took the stage at the ANB Arena alongside collaborators Duckwrth and Telle Smith to debut the official EWC theme song, Til My Fingers Bleed. The performance featured 30 backup dancers and gaming-inspired stage visuals, creating an electrifying start to the global gaming tournament.
“Can’t take fight from the fighter / Can’t take war from the warrior / Can’t take soul from the soldier,” DINO sang while delivering precise choreography. “And when it’s all done, bet they want more / When do we settle the score?”
The song, released on streaming platforms on June 30, was written as a tribute to competitive players. On Instagram, DINO described the track as being “for the ones who play with everything they’ve got.”
The Esports World Cup is set to run for seven weeks, with competitions in 24 gaming titles and $70 million in prize money at stake.
Post Malone also performed during the ceremony. Backstage, DINO shared photos on Instagram of himself with the American singer, smiling and laughing together after their sets.
DINO’s appearance at the EWC comes shortly after SEVENTEEN released their fifth album, HAPPY BURSTDAY, in May. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, marking the group’s seventh top 10 entry.
Fans can watch DINO’s Til My Fingers Bleed performance on YouTube here.
