K-pop groups rush to embark on world tours

Just three years after its debut, the seven-member K-pop group Infinite will go on a world tour starting in Seoul Aug. 8-9, and then going to the United States and Latin America. The tour is jointly organized by its agency Woollim Entertainment, Live Nation and CJ E&M. / Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment

By Kim Ji-soo

Infinite is a young K-pop group that debuted in 2010 but is already making great progress in the showbiz industry. The group on Monday announced a world tour titled “2013 Infinite 1st World Tour-One Great Step.”

It’s a bold step for the seven-member group that is steadily gaining popularity.

“It’s still like a dream that we were able to achieve our dream of going on a world tour in just three years,” said Hoya, an Infinite member, at a press conference held Monday in Seoul. “We will do our best to convey Korean culture to the world,” said Sung-kyu, the group’s leader.

Popular in Korea and Asia, they began making their mark in 2011 with “Be Mine,” from their first album “Over the Top” and the “The Chaser” in 2012, then the third for EP “Infinitize.”

Infinite’s latest song “Man in Love,” fared well on the charts, especially on Chinese radio.

Infinite will start their concerts with two dates in Seoul — Aug. 9-10 —at the Olympic Gymnasium in Bangi-dong, Seoul.

Then from there, they will go to Hong Kong on Aug. 18, Fukuoka, Japan on Sept. 5, Hiroshima on Sept. 10, Kobe on Sept. 13-14, Yokohama Sept. 18-20 and in Bangkok, Thailand Sept. 28. In October and November, the seven member group will tour Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Shanghai and Beijing in China, and to the United States, Peru, Britain and France.

Girls’ Generation wave to fans at a concert in Seoul on June 9 that marked the start of the world tour titled “2012 Girls’ Generation World Tour — Girls & Peace,” held at Olympic Gymnasium in southern Seoul. / Korea Times

It’s a whopping and ambitious schedule, and the group said they are already putting in 8 hours a day perfecting the program that they will present to foreign fans. The group’s agency has said that it is taking to the tour with an attitude that they will be learning more even with the risks that may come with pulling off a world tour.

Despite the popularity of “hallyu” or Korean wave, just a handful of K-pop artists have embarked on world tours.

“K-pop artists are now embarking on world tours just like the international pop artists are doing, because we know that there are fans all over the world, fans that were acquired as K-pop grew through various online media,” said Kim Dong-joon, global concert team manager at CJ E&M.

“We can see foreign fans line up at concerts in Korea as well as at music programs like “M! Countdown.’ The world tour means that we are taking ourselves over to meet our fans in their home countries,” Kim said.

Kim added that such world tours would not have been possible without the growth of K-pop.

Even relatively rookie K-pop group EXO’ s new album “XOXO (Kiss&Hug) is currently topping Billboard’s world charts. The album was released on June 3 via iTunes and also on Korean and Chinese music sites.

The reigning diva group Girls’ Generation has announced its world tour. Titled the 2013 Girl’s Generation World Tour — Girls & Peace, the group began with a concert in Seoul June 8-9.

The girls are familiar with Asian tours, having already done two but it will be their first foray into South America. The demand for K-pop remains high in Latin American countries, but the region’s distance has not made it a frequent destination for K-pop groups. Fellow SM Entertainment duo TVXQ will perform in Los Angeles on July 6, and move down to Lima, Peru for a performance there.

G-Dragon, the leader of the boy group Big Bang is currently into the fourth month on his solo world tour. Earlier this week, he performed before 20,000 fans in Thailand where fellow Big Bang member Victory was invited to guest perform. Having begun in March, G-Dragon now has three city concerts remaining on his world tour.

G-Dragon comes with experience; his group toured 25 cities in 16 countries for their 2012 world tour that was organized by the group’s agency YG Entertainment and Live Nation.

The group Infinite’s world tour is a also project between the agency Woollim Entertainment, CJ E& M and Live Nation. Live Nation, one of the world’s largest concert organizers, is working more with K-pop stars after setting up a Korean branch in December 2011.