Elton John to hold second concert in Korea next week

British singer-songwriter Sir Elton John is to perform at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul on Nov. 27 and at BEXCO in Busan on Nov. 29. / Courtesy of Access Entertainment

By Rachel Lee

British rock giant, Sir Elton John, is surely among the most awaited artists of this season. He is coming to Korea next week to wow audiences once again.

The 65-year-old artist, who captured the world’s attention with tracks including “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word,” will perform in Seoul on Nov. 27 and in Busan on Nov. 29. The concerts are part of his “40th Anniversary of the Rocket Man Tour,” which marks 40 years after the release of his mega hit “Rocket Man.”

“The show will be a combination of the big hit singles and much-loved albums tracks,” said Elton John in an email interview. “I can guarantee that everyone who attends will know many, if not all, of them!”

This is his first performance here since a 2004 concert at the Olympic Stadium, which attracted about 25,000 fans.

“I remember how warm the audience was (in 2004) and how exciting it felt to be playing in a country where I hadn’t performed before,” the artist said.

Asked if the singer is interested in K-pop, he said he has heard Psy’s “Gangnam Style” and described it as the song that has been “impossible to avoid this summer.”

Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in 1947, Elton John has released over 180 albums and sold more than 250 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time along with The Beatles and Queen. In 1996, the artist received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 1998. He has won countless awards including six Grammys, four Brits Awards and the Polar Music Prize.

“Ultimately, it is all down to the music. Since my career began in the late 1960s people have identified with the songs that Bernie Taupin and I write, they have bought the records and they come to the concerts. And thankfully, over 40 years later, they still love the music,” said Elton John.

The composer recently topped the charts again with “Good Morning to the Night,” in which he collaborated with Australian electronic duo Pnau for the 2012 London Olympics.

“It is always a joy for me to find that, wherever I play, the audience members are familiar with my songs and want join in and share the experience. So in that way Korean fans are similar to fans everywhere – they enjoy the music, they want to be entertained and to go home having had a great musical experience. And that is what we try to give them.”Tickets for Elton John range from 77,000 to 250,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488.