K-pop stars to tour overseas in 2012

By Noh Hyun-gi

With seemingly unstoppable momentum, K-pop stars are advancing across the globe.

Many fans have asked the artists to visit their home countries through innovative methods like uploading flash mob videos online. Moved by these active and sincere requests, K-pop stars will hold concerts around the world and are planning additional gigs to accommodate the enthusiastic fans.

JYJ confirmed last week that it will hold its first concert in South America this year. The group is comprised of Jaejoong, Yuchun and Junsu, former members of one of Korea’s most popular boy bands, TVXQ. On March 9, the trio will perform at the Teatro Caupolican in Santiago, Chile. World famous bands such as X-Japan and Korn have previously performed at the venue. In November, JYJ will travel to the capital of Peru, Lima, and perform at Explanada Sur del Estadio Monumental, the second largest football stadium on the continent. The stadium had been a concert stage for Britney Spears, The Black Eyed Peas, and Avril Lavigne.

They gained popularity in South America after releasing the English album “The Beginning” in 2010 which included tracks produced by Kanye West and Rodney Jerkins. Many local newspapers and TV channels in Chile have publicized the news of the upcoming concert.

Super Junior is extending their planned stay in Taiwan in response to relentless requests by their fans there. As part of their world tour, “Super Show 4,” the band was going to present three shows at the Taipei Arena from Feb. 3 to 5. However, when the tickets for the third show went on sale online on Dec. 31, 2011, it sold out in 30 minutes and the tickets for the first and second shows that went on sales on Jan. 1 were sold out in 17 minutes.

Multiple local newspapers have noted the popularity of the group following the speedy ticket sales. More importantly, fans who could not buy tickets kept requesting additional shows and many scalpers started to advertise overpriced tickets online. In light of this, SM Entertainment, Super Junior’s agency, decided last week to add another show and add another date on Feb. 2.

TVXQ has also planned additional performances due to fan requests. Originally, “TVXQ Live Tour 2012 ~TONE~” was set to commence at Yokohama Arena in Japan on Jan. 18 and tour nine cities including, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo, Hiroshima and Osaka, and present 20 shows until the end of March. However, local fans pleaded for more shows, and SM Entertainment announced Friday that it will add extra concerts to the tour schedule. The band will add two shows each at the Tokyo Dome, a 55,000-seat baseball stadium in the capital of Japan and the equally large Kyocera Dome in Osaka. The extended tour will present 24 shows in 11 cities and last until the end of April.

Boy band 2PM is taking on the unusual challenge of a six-day run at the Nippon Budokan, an indoor arena in Tokyo. The venue, originally built for judo competitions, holds 4,201 people and has hosted many musicians visiting Japan, including The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Various artists have carried on the cultural significance of the stage for recording live albums labeled at Budokan. While the band is no stranger to the arena, this is the first attempt for a Korean artist to perform for six consecutive days at the venue. The details of the concert are yet to be announced.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2012/01/143_102578.html