SM Town Live World Tour IV will begin AUGUST 15, 2014, and will begin at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul, Korea! But they will also be touring other cities around the world. The other cities listed are Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hsinchu.
1) Tokyo, Japan’s performances will be held at the Ajinomoto Stadium. Tour dates:
*October 4, 2014
*October 5, 2014
2) Shanghai, China’s performances will be held at the Shanghai stadium. Tour dates:
*October 18, 2014
3) Hsinchu, Taiwan’s performances will be held at the Hsinchu County Stadium. Tour Dates:
*March 21, 2015
The Tour will include performances from the following artists:
Kangta
From being a part of SM’s first biggest boy-band success, H.O.T. (debut in 1996 WOW), to charting his own solo career, Kangta is a determined force to be reckoned with! This group thrust SM Entertainment into being one of the biggest labels in Korea, and are one of the groups to spark the “idol group” trend! They were the first SM group to hold a concert performance outside of Korea. Move aside noobs, Kangta’s taking the stage this time! He is also scheduled to have a comeback THIS YEAR! His last comeback was in 2010, and that was in Chinese. So his presence will definitely be a treat, both for old-time fans and for newcomers. I just can’t wait to see him grace the stage once again! Check out his last Korean release along with his debut!
BoA
Hailed as Korea’s Princess of Pop (and in many people’s eyes, the Queen), BoA Kwon (debut in 2000 WOW) will also take the stage once again! She is acknowledged for being one of the first Korean artists to achieve international success! She’s not only a household name in Korea, but in Japan as well! She has also stepped into the Chinese market as well as the American market! She has had the privilege of performing alongside the Princess of Pop, Britney Spears! She has also performed with Backstreet Boy’s Howie D. and with “Bratz” (MGA Entertainment’s line of fashion dolls). BoA is well-known to most westerners for singing the ending theme for the anime Inuyasha. BoA was SM’s first artist to chart American music industry territory with her self-titled all-English album, BoA. She also recently starred in her first U.S. movie, Make Your Move with Derek Hough! This humble diva has a huge resume following her, and she’s only 27! Currently, she has been working on her Japanese comeback, scheduled September 3. BoA is also well-known for her extremely immaculate dancing talent, which has gotten the attention of western audiences in Make Your Move and during her U.S. debut. Guys, ya’ll know BoA is my FAVORITE K-pop idol (a tad bit more than f(x)) 😛 I’ve been a fan of this chick since 2003 when she featured in the Bratz song and single Show Me What You Got! Check out her latest Korean activities as well as her debut! The Queen shall take the stage! Bow down!
TVXQ
Originally five members, TVXQ (Though I know them as DBSK) are often referred to as the “Kings of K-pop” by many. TVXQ (debut 2003) have now been stripped down to two members. This group has had the privilege of performing among one of America’s most notorious stars, Britney Spears! These men have since risen as international superstars! They have made their names well-known in Japan. They are noted as being the first K-pop act to have 13 number one singles in Japan! They were the first non-Japanese Asian artists to headline a Japanese nationwide dome tour. Billboard has even described them as “K-pop Royalty”. They have recently been focusing on their activities in Japan, and have had success with their last four singles released there. This group is known for their eloquent, efficient, and polished dancing. They have a distinct style that is hard to miss, and their experience shows. Member Yunho was also featured in the American movie Make Your Move. He showed off his sexy moves! I certainly can’t wait to see these men steam up the stage this August! Check out their latest Korean activities and their debut!
Super Junior
Super Junior (debut in 2005) began with TWELVE full members. They got a lot of attention by having all of those men singing in harmony, almost like a choir! At the group’s peak, they have had THIRTEEN members. That’s a lot of men in one group! Currently, Suju has TEN active members. This was also the first group to add two sub-group members to help cater to the Chinese-Mandarin language. Super Junior was the first SM group to have major success in China. Super Junior has had success in other industries besides music. Along with singing and dancing, they have a lot of entertainment experience from acting and hosting. Because of their success in entertaining, other management companies have been training their idols in other areas of entertainment as well. They were K-pop’s best-selling artists three years in a row! This group is one of SM’s international superstars, and is one of the most notorious groups in the modern K-pop world. Super Junior will bring all that makes them awesome to us this August! Check out this group’s latest Korean activities and their debut!
Girls’ Generation (SNSD)
The 9-member Goddesses, Girls’ Generation (SNSD) (debut in 2007) made their stamp on the K-pop industry with the ever-catchy, “Gee”, gaining them success in Asia and beyond! They certainly represent the beauty of Korea! They are SM’s latest divas, often called the “K-pop Queens of this Decade”. This group has also gained a lot of attention for their number of members! Their voices, in harmony, can take up a whole dome! They still carry the largest number of members of any successful female group! Their foray into the Japanese market has also been highly successful. Their album, Girls’ Generation, is still the highest selling K-pop album in Japan to date! They are considered one of Korea’s top tier female groups in the modern decade. They have managed to experiment with different languages with their songs, most notably “The Boys”, releasing the song in Japanese, Korean, and for the first time, in English. To date, they ARE SM’s biggest and most successful girl group! And their success doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. They will bless us with their lovely presence this August! Enjoy their most recent Korean activities and their debut!
Shinee
Shinee (debut in 2008), the five-member male fashion and style icons of the modern decade, are well-known for their creative, synchronized, and complex dancing. And yes, they are fashion pioneers, starting the “Shinee Trend”. To date, they are the only male group that remained close since their debut, and have never split. They have great success in the Japanese market, being labeled as the group that “managed to get in top 3 for 3 continuous releases since debut”. Shinee is known for their striking, dramatic, individual personalities, which lands them acting roles. Shinee is also known for their boyish youth and energy. When Shinee performs, they perform with their “whole soul” as if they really love music even more than success. Unlike most male groups, Shinee doesn’t mind singing romantic love songs more often than once! They are definitely one of the most unique boy bands of the modern decade. They have had major K-pop success with three full-length albums, five EPs, three concert tours, and many awards. Shinee will “shine” for us this August! I can’t wait to see what these men will cook up for this tour…This is my favorite male group, so I’m anticipating it very much! Check out their most recent Korean activities as well as their debut!
f(x)
f(x) (debut in 2009) is SM’s first major multi-national group where over half the members were NOT born in Korea! f(x) entered the Korean market during a time when most girls were doing the “cute” thing. f(x) decided to “do something different”, and voila! You get the sense of this group. f(x) boasts as being Asia’s Best Female Dance Group, and so far, they are! f(x) is known for their “legendary and epic” dance moves, as well as their multitude of talents: acting, piano, song-writing, guitar, ice skating, drums, acrobatics, and so much more! Because of their individual talents, the members have developed their own independent careers outside of this group! f(x) is known as SM’s “experimental” group because of f(x)’s unconventional sounds and quirky lyrics. Their fashion styles are bold and individualistic. In fact, Olleh finds f(x) to be Korea’s most individualistic girl group. With f(x), you never know how they will comeback! Their “art of surprise” keeps their fans on their toes. f(x) draws curious attention from their unusual approach, but they also gain the respect of many foreign music critics for their original and artistic style. In fact, f(x) is considered SM’s most critically-acclaimed group by many! This group, of all of SM’s groups, seems to have the most artistic freedom, and is the most musically and fashionably expressive. They have had major success in Korea, and have gained Chinese and American attention as well, mostly due to the multi-cultural girls within the group that speak languages those nations can understand. I personally love this group! They recently had their comeback in July, though they went on a hiatus shortly after. It is good to know they will be back to performing in August. I can’t wait to see f(x) make an impact on the stage! Check out their recent Korean activities as well as their debut.
EXO
EXO (debut in 2011, basically 2012) are SM Town’s most recent, fresh boy-band act. They debuted with TWELVE members, just like Super Junior, but unlike Suju, they debuted as two sub-unit groups: EXO-K (Korean) and EXO-M (Chinese-Mandarin). They have had HUGE success, both in Korea and in China. Their fresh, rugged vibe attracts the hearts of many young fan girls, and their “one-shot” camera shooting, a hallmark of their music videos, draws attention from video experts. They are SM’s modern-day boy band, keeping up with the “Social Media Age” and the “Digital Revolution” to properly promote, spread, and highlight this group. EXO, in just two short years, has gained the success that most of their seniors have had to slowly acquire over the years! In less than two years, they have had their first LIVE TOUR! They have only had TWO albums: full-length and repackage (2013), and their repackage was the best selling album of that year! Thanks to SNS, international fans have more access to K-pop, which contributes to their success. But their on-camera confidence, their ability to use two languages at the same time, and their modern, trendy music help to put the cherry on top! They radiate all that an idol boy-band needs to be a huge success. Shoot, their seniors might want to learn FROM THEM. They will be “bursting at the scenes” when they hit the stage this August. It’s hard to deny the affect they’ve had on the K-pop world. They are considered K-pop’s top tier male group in this decade.
Newcomers: Red Velvet
Newcomers, Red Velvet (debut in 2014), just debuted about a week ago, and they have already captured the attention of fellow SM label fans! SM describes them as a mix between Girls’ Generation and f(x). We can see that it’s very true. Like Girls’ Generation, they are four lovely girls, with amazing vocal abilities, and with charming, girlish, and sweet personas. They also look a lot alike! But like f(x), their style is bold, quirky, and colorful. They are SM’s fourth girl group (The Grace, SNSD, f(x), and now them). It has been a while since SM debuted a girl group, so this is quite a refreshing change for SM fans. As they just debuted, there’s a lot more for us to discover about this new group. This Tour in August is the perfect time for them to show the world what they are made of! Check out their debut!
J-Min
J-Min’s inspirations can tell you a lot about her. The person that struck me was Michelle Branch. I honestly didn’t know any K-pop idols knew of Michelle Branch, but here comes J-Min! “K-pop Queen of Acoustic”, J-Min can be likened to the “Jewel of K-pop”. Her music is very different from the other SM Entertainment artists. In fact, if you ever heard her music, you wouldn’t even know she was an SM artist! Her distinct style and expressive music prove that true art can still shine in a modern-music world. Most of her success is in Japan, as that is where she first debuted. It is not surprising, as many artistic artists make their mark there (Utada Hikaru, Gackt, School Food Punishment). It’s no wonder she stands out so much: her music is more Japanese than Korean! She is a huge soundtrack maven! Try your favorite K-drama, and listen to the opening or the ending. You might just see her name pop up in the credits! Her music is very suited to K-dramas because her music is very “real”. Even though she debuted into the music industry in 2007, her first Korean EP and full-album were just released in 2014! I can’t wait to see this performance! It will definitely blow me away! Check out her Korean debut!
Zhang Li Yin
Zhang Li Yin (debut in 2006) is a Chinese solo artist who gained China’s attention AND Korea’s attention. That is quite an accomplishment for a foreign solo artist. She speaks fluent Mandarin and Korean. SM nicknamed her the “Chinese BoA”. She was one of the lead players of the “Korean Wave”. Though she only had one studio album, many of her singles were #1 hits. She was the first foreign artist to win Best Newcomer Award at the Mnet Music Awards. Zhang Li Yin has charted her own destiny, stepping out of BoA’s shadow, and into her own skin. She is now a “Ballad Goddess”. Her music videos are always touching, and she always has a meaningful story behind them. Most definitely NOT generic, and a must-watch! All of her ballads are amazing! Zhang Li Yin is hitting the stage once again! We get to hear her lovely melodious voice soar on stage! I’m so excited! Check out her recent Korean activities as well as her debut!
Fly to the Sky
Instead of going for electronic, upbeat sounds, Fly to the Sky (debut 1999) took a more unique approach to music at the time of their debut. This mid-tempo group is known for their soothing, R&B melodies. They incorporate hip-hop and rap in their music as well. This makes them distinct among SM’s artists. This was one of the groups that also had an international American artist in it. They branched away from SM for awhile, but they came back with the label. They have been on a five year hiatus. But now, they are back! I’m sure fans are anxious to see their faces once more.
So now that I have introduced you to the SM artists that will be attending the Live World Tour, are you people excited? I look forward to August 15!
Leave me a comment and let me know which artist you look forward to the most! Which artist did you just learn about?
Generation Next 