[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] A turquoise mesh outfit, cascading water, and the audience singing in unison….

On the 26th, Park Jin-young was undoubtedly the hottest star on the “Waterbomb 2026” stage. As the intro to his new song “WET” began to play, cheers erupted from the audience, and amid water cannons blanketing the stage, Park Jin-young appeared wearing a form-fitting turquoise mesh top and wide-leg pants. He connected with the audience by spreading his arms wide, and despite running and dancing nonstop, he delivered a flawless live performance. His rock-solid physique and explosive energy—which made it hard to believe he’s 55—were more than enough to make Waterbomb his stage once again this year.
Online reactions were also explosive. Comments poured in, such as “Is that really a 55-year-old’s body?”, “Only Park Jin-young can pull off that outfit,” “A legend again this year,” and “The iconic face of Waterbomb.” Following last year’s pink vinyl outfit, “Park Jin-young’s Waterbomb” once again took center stage this year. For this promotional run, he reduced his body fat percentage to single digits, drawing renewed attention to the exercise and diet regimen he has maintained for over 20 years.

However, less than a day later, he appeared before the cameras in a completely different look.
At the “2027 Phenomenon Implementation Plan Announcement” press conference held on the 27th at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, he took the stage in a suit—rather than mesh—in his capacity as co-chairman of the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange. Alongside Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young, he explained the direction of “Phenomenon,” a Korean-style global music festival project, showcasing the face of a producer shaping the K-pop industry rather than that of an artist creating performances.
“Phenomenon” is a global music festival project that combines K-pop performances with tourism and cultural content. It is a vision to create a new festival model enjoyed by people around the world through collaboration between major domestic entertainment companies and the government, and Park Jin-young has stepped forward as a key figure leading the project in his dual roles as an active singer and the head of JYP Entertainment.
The energy of the Waterbomb stage and the seriousness of the “Phenomenon” press conference were worlds apart. Yet, the common thread linking both events was Park Jin-young. He demonstrated his continued influence over K-pop by asserting his presence both on stage as an active artist and off stage as a producer and industry leader.