[????=??? ??] BIGBANG becomes the first-ever Korean boy group to have two concert tours in North America

BIGBANG becomes the first-ever Korean boy group to have two large-scale concert tours in North America.

Starting from “BIGBANG 2015 WORLD TOUR ‘MADE’ IN SEOUL” held in April this year at Olympic Gymnastics Hall in Seoul, BIGBANG holds world tour in line with their comeback. As part of the world tour, BIGBANG will have a North America tour soon, three years after their first tour in the region in 2012. BIGBANG staged fancy performances in LA and New Jersey in world tour “ALIVE GALAXY TOUR” held in November, 2012, and then put their name in the list of “2012 Best Concerts” selected by New York Time in December that year, to be recognized for their talent and popularity.

This year, BIGBANG meets North American fans once again, three years after the first tour in the region. Beginning from a concert in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Events Center on October 2, BIGBANG will hold concerts in five cities in the United States and Canada, including Los Angeles at Staples Center on October 3, Anaheim at Honda Center on October 4, New Jersey at Prudential Center on October 10 and 11, and Toronto in Canada at Air Canada Centre on October 13.

There have been a couple of cases where a Korean idol boy group had a concert tour in North America. However, BIGBANG is the first one to have such a large-scale tour twice in the region. Notably, as the entry barrier for Asian singers is very high in the North American pop market, BIGBANG’s large-scale tour there proves the team’s strong ticket power and big influence in the region.

BIGBANG is replacing their own records not only in North America but also in Japan. In Japan, BIGBANG has become the first-ever foreign artist to hold a dome tour for three years in a row.

The recent world tour of BIGBANG has been acclaimed by Korean fans for its dynamism created by blockbuster videos, laser lightings, and new songs that are released every month. As such, it has been drawing keen attention from foreign fans as well.

BIGBANG begins the world tour overseas in earnest, by having concert on May 30 and 31 in Guangzhou, China. In the tour, BIGBANG will meet 1.4 million fans around the world, by having 70 concerts in 15 countries including China, Japan, Southeast Asian countries, and North American countries.

In line with the tour, BIGBANG is also releasing their second single “BANG BANG BANG” and “WE LIKE 2 PARTY” on June 1 at 12 o’clock in the night, which will follow the footsteps of “LOSER” and “BAE BAE” that dominated domestic music charts during entire May, to create sensation once again.

2015. 5. 28.

Source: YG Life

The news of BIGBANG's return to North America comes on the heels of several other K-pop acts planning performances in the United States in the second half of 2015.

Along with major acts from the top three entertainment companies in South Korea heading Stateside in the summer of 2015, KCON USA is expanding to the East Coast of the United States. Multiple other K-pop acts will also hold shows in the area in the summer.

With multiple major K-pop acts coming to North America in the warm months between May and October, the United States will have its most K-pop filled summer ever.

Following JYP Entertainment's boy band GOT7's fan meeting in May, YG Entertainment's Epik High begins the true K-pop summer whirlwind of concerts in the States in San Francisco on May 28. Epik High will complete the 11th and final show of their North American tour on June 14 in Toronto. Masta Wu, a popular Korean hip-hop artist, will be a featured guest at one of Epik High's shows in New York City.

BTS is the next group after Epik High to head to the United States, and will kick off their The Red Bullet tour in New York City on July 16.

SM Entertainment's Super Junior will headline KCON 2015 LA the last weekend of July, while thecompany's top girl group, Girls' Generation, will headline KCON 2015 NY in Newark on August 8. KCON's final line-up has yet to be announced, but the organization already revealed that Block B and AOA will also attend KCON 2015 LA.

BIGBANG, also an YG Entertainment act, will appear in the United States and Canada for a series of six concerts, beginning in Las Vegas on October 2. The quintet's final show in America will be held in Toronto on October 13.

Further announcements from KCON aside, at least nine K-pop acts will visit the United States in the summer of 2015, making it the busiest season of K-pop in America ever.  In comparison, less than ten K-pop acts visited the United States and Canada throughout the entire 2014.


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Tamar Herman is a multi-media journalist and the co-founder of KultScene. She is a freelance writer and copy editor, and an MTV Iggy contributor. Tamar currently works in the newsroom of one of New York City's largest news stations, and can be followed on Twitter.


Source: KPopStarz