K-pop proves it's got staying power in Japan

(톱스타뉴스 장영권 기자) TOKYO - Excitement filled the Tokyo Dome last Wednesday as 15 K-pop groups central to the so-called “new” Korean Wave presented a concert called “K-pop Festival” featuring big-name groups such as TVXQ, Girls’ Generation, Kara, 2PM and more.
 
Over 45,000 fans crammed the seats for the event, which was organized by “Music Bank,” a music program on Korean station KBS.
 
The concert demonstrated that the “new” Korean Wave is extending the base of K-pop fans in Japan, where Korean pop culture in the form of dramas, music and film first gained popularity outside of Korea.
 
“We came from Toufuku last night,” a woman in her twenties said. “We stood in line to buy souvenirs starting at six in the morning.”
 
Claiming to be fans of TVXQ and Kara, she said she and two friends were in Tokyo for two days and had purchased 10,000 yen ($127) worth of concert souvenirs, attesting to the market value of the Korean Wave overseas.

Before the start of the concert at 6:30 p.m., the three women had also gone shopping in Ookubu Koreatown, located near Shinjuku, which has become known for the large number of shops selling Korean products and now draws over 60,000 visitors per day.
 
At Hullyu Department Store, which opened in 2008, sales have increased 30 percent just within the past year. With the new group of K-pop fans generated by the Korean Wave, the store now experiences a daily profit of 10 million yen on weekends. Even on a weekday, the one-kilometer-long street is packed with Hallyu shoppers from all around the city.
 
Although Tokyo’s economy took a hit after the recent natural disaster in Japan, Ookubu Koreatown appeared to be doing good business.
 
KBS’s “Music Bank” is broadcast live in 72 different languages around the world, prompting KBS Japan to organize the concert.
 
The tickets, priced at $149 and $162, were sold out within three days. Most concertgoers were within the 10 to 30 age group, and 70 local Japanese media outlets competed for the broadcasting rights and interviews with the bands.
  It was the first time since July 2009, when TVXQ had their first concert in Japan, that any Korean artist had performed at the Tokyo Dome.
 
While in the past, male groups had led the Korean Wave in Japan, the K-pop Festival highlighted the talents of girl groups such as Girls’ Generation and Kara that have since become an integral part of the Korean Wave.
 
“I can’t believe I am performing at a place I’ve only dreamed of,” said Goo Hara, a member of Kara. “I hope that we’ll have our own concert here one day.”
 
TVXQ’s U-Know Yunho, the only Korean artist to have performed at the Tokyo Dome twice, said, “I am overwhelmed with emotion to be back in this place, which has given me so many memories. Being here today with younger singers, I feel as if I have become an athlete with the national team.” Kim Choong, the event producer, called the event “an effort to lower the global wall and give rising groups an opportunity” to shine. A portion of the profits from the concert will be donated to relief efforts in Japan. The event will be broadcast in 72 languages on Friday at 6 p.m. on KBS2.

장영권 기자

Richard@TopstarNews.Net

이 기자의 다른기사 보기