[UPDATE] SMTOWN'08 Concert

Asian pop icons BoA, TVXQ a.k.a. Dong Bang Shin Ki and SuperJunior are kicking off their Asian tour with a concert, SMTOWN LIVE '08, at the Olympic Main Stadium tomorrow night.
Featuring popular girl groups Girls' Generation (popular? huhuhuhuhu...) and The Grace, along with brand new boy band SHINee, the tour will also hit Shanghai, Bangkok and Beijing over the following months.

According to a PR representative for the pop icons' talent agency S.M. Entertainment, BoA is currently slated to perform in Seoul and Shanghai, but has not confirmed if she will go to Bangkok or Beijing.

Returning to the stage after a nine-month hiatus, the Korean pop diva will sing hit songs from popular albums like "Valenti" (2003) and "Girls on Top" (2005).

"I am happy to meet my Korean fans through the SMTOWN LIVE '08 concert," BoA said of tomorrow's performance.

Boy bands TVXQ and SuperJunior, however, will hit all venues, maintaining their status as pioneers in the world of Hallyu entertainment.

TVXQ, in particular, promises to bring in Chinese and Thai concert-goers. As the first K-pop stars to ever stage a concert in Malaysia and as the first Asian group to win two Thailand Music Awards for Best Music Video and Favorite Asian Artist, this five-member boy band has built up a steady Asian fan base over the years.

The same goes for the ever popular 13-member boy band Super Junior, who has a strong following abroad, especially in Thailand.

Newcomers SHINee, however, may steal the show. The fresh, hip, R&B-influenced boy band made a splash when they released their new single "Replay" this year.

The five-member group comes off like a younger version of TVXQ. With a Kanye West inspired wardrobe and strong vocals, they promise to capture young Asian girls' hearts. Girls' Generation and The Grace will also be performing in China and Thailand following their Korean concert.

The sexy and mature Korean girl group, The Grace, has a relatively strong fan base in China, and nine-member girl band Girls' Generation made the number one spot on KBS Music Bank and SBS Inkigayo with their second single "Kissing You" this year.

Zhang Li-yin, known by her Korean name Jang Ri-in, will add an international vibe to the line-up. The first and only Chinese solo singer to make it in the Korean music industry, this "Chinese BoA" cemented her status as a skilled vocalist with her 2006 single "Timeless."

To mix it up, bands and singers plan on holding joint performances and dance battles during the concert.

SMTOWN LIVE '08 kicks off in Seoul tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Olympic Main Stadium. Tickets cost 22,000 won to 66,000 won. To buy tickets call (02) 1566-1369 or go to ticket.auction.co.kr

The concert is scheduled to open in Shanghai on Sept. 13 and in Bangkok on Nov. 29. Dates for the Beijing performance have not been set.

By Jean Oh

Credits: koreanherald.co.kr + subduing_mara