EXO-Lâs who were lucky enough to attend the EXOâluXion in Los Angeles got to spend Valentineâs Day with one of the most well-loved groups in K-PopâEXO! Los Angeles was the third stop in EXOâs first North American tour, which included a total of five cities: Dallas (2/10), Vancouver (2/12), Los Angeles (2/14), Chicago (2/19), and New York (2/21). From fan support events to jamming along with EXO live, the EXOâluXion in LA was an unforgettable experience that united fans from all over to share their love of EXO and K-Pop. One of our staff members (and devoted EXO-L) attended the concert and brought back the highlights!
The LA Memorial Sports Arena was buzzing with EXO-L's. It was a day of long lines but well worth it! A sea of people surrounded the venue to get inside, displaying EXOâs immense popularity abroad.
Outside the venue, fans were passing out goodies like candy, stickers, fans, and banners to support the individual members. One of the most touching fan activities was a large banner dedicated to EXO member Lay, who was unable to partake in the tour due to his schedule. Lay supporters filled the banner with little messages and also wrote individual letters to be delivered overseas to Lay! Â
Attendees were decked out in EXO gear and displayed their creativity with handmade accessories and signs.
Filling up the arena. The extended stage was awesome!
The arena was filled with ear-splitting screams right from the beginning, as fans could not to wait to finally see EXO in person. Throughout the show, VCRs appeared on the stage to showcase the charms of each member and transition into different songs. Some were similar to epic sci-fi movie trailers, while others were cute to pull at the hearts of the fans. The concert began with "Overdose" and included many fan favorites, like the iconic "Growl." (See the setlist at the end.)
Image via SMTOWN. EXO introducing themselves.
All the members were charismatic onstage and received lots of love from fans, especially D.O. Loud screams followed whenever D.O. did something or when the cameras zoomed in on him. He looked extremely happy and dazed by the glittering lights of the fans. Suho, who the crowd also went wild for, engaged with fans the most in English during the talking segments. Suhoâs âYou have to attention meâ had all the fans paying attention and screaming. There was a marathon in LA that day, and Chanyeol expressed his interest to join. During the second talking segment, Chanyeol jogged back and forth a couple times around the stage before Suho finally stopped him. Chanyeolâs incredible stage presence always livened up the crowd (not that it needed it!) and made me realize how amazing it is to hear him rap live. Â
The main vocalists of EXO did not disappoint and sounded so much like they do in their albums that I had to remind myself that they were performing live. Baekhyunâs piano-playing skills in âMy Answer" made everyone in the audience swoon. Fans praised Chenâs clear, strong vocals in songs such as âMiracles in Decemberâ and âSing for Youâ with deafening screams. And anything that came out of D.O.âs mouth delighted the audience, because well, heâs D.O.
Image via SMTOWN.
Kai and Sehun shared the stage in a passionate dance solo during âBaby Donât Cryâ that mesmerized everyone. Fans showed their love by chanting their names. Xiumin was very energetic throughout the concert and shared a rap stage with Chanyeol that had bits of âDrop Thatâ and âMachine.â They tried to teach us a chant to call out during the rap, but it took a couple tries to finally get a chant that sounded somewhat coordinated. âLetâs be one,â as Chanyeol said when he decided to not give up on us. Â
If you're wondering about any aegyo that occurred, one of the highlghts was D.O. doing vibrating heart gestures after Chanyeol volunteered D.O. to do a special dance if the pit audience took a step back. (And no, he was not a happy tribute.) During "Peter Pan," the members froze and Chanyeol tried to make Baekhyun and D.O hug. Baeksoo didn't happen and Chanyeol ended up getting kicked by both members and Kai. Xiumin had the members falling over and the fans going crazy when he used the acronym LA to mean "lovely angels." It was undoubtedly the cheesiest line of the night, but his sweet words made the fans very happy!
Although Lay could not make it to the concert, fans made sure everyone would feel his presence. Thunderous cheers erupted from the audience whenever Lay appeared in the VCRs, showing how well-loved Lay is and the immense support fans gave to all the members.
The silver ocean was beautiful! It was like being surrounded by stars.
The energy from the crowd was unlike anything I had ever experienced and made this one of the most fun concerts I have ever been to! Fans fervently chanted âE-X-Oâ before the concert and before the âPromiseâ VCR encore. Fans even chanted âone step backâ with EXO to urge the pit audience to step back. It was incredible to be a speck of light in EXOâs gorgeous silver galaxy ocean. The arena filled up with the sounds of EXO-Lâs singing together in a massive choir for the emotional songs. With cool lighting effects and lasers, faster tracks like âDrop That,â âLet Out the Beast,â and âRunâ turned the concert into a gigantic rave party that had everyone dancing and jumping crazily. Â
Image via SMTOWN. EXO's "Sing for You" stage.
The concert came to an end with one of EXOâs newer hits âUnfair,â which was a lively performance that shot a blizzard of confetti over the stage. We were sad to see EXO go but were grateful that they tried to connect with us in English and of course, with their music. From the awesome LED graphics, special effects, and extended stage to the member interactions, vocals, and choreography, EXO sure knows how to put on a phenomenal performance. The EXOâluXion gathered diverse fans together to experience the excitement of K-Pop, and we hope EXOâs global popularity continues to rise. EXO has two shows left in their North American tour, but we hope they come back soon. Thank you EXO!!!
EXOâluXion in LA Setlist: Â
1. Overdose
2. History
3. Mama
4. Donât Go
5. Playboy
6. Baby, Donât Cry
7. My Answer
8. The Star
9. Exodus
10. Hurt
11. Peter Pan
12. XOXO
13. Lucky
14. 365
15. Christmas Day
16. First Snow
17. Miracles in December
18. Full Moon
19. Machine
20. Drop That
21. Let Out the Beast
22. Run
23. Call Me Baby
24. Dubstep
25. Growl
26. Love Me Right
27. Sing for You
28. Unfair
Are you guys and gals ready for Valentine's Day? Well if you're in South Korea, the guys are in luck because February 14th is when the women gift men with chocolates to show their affection. It's also the perfect time for the single ladies to confess their love!
Men who received chocolates return the favor on White Day, which falls on March 14. White Day is not limited to gifting chocolate, as the guys will present the ladies with gifts such as flowers, sweets, jewelry, or special outings. Sound familiar? White Day is quite similar to the Valentine's Day we experience here in the United States.
Jimin of BTS with the Valentine's chocolates they received last year!
Valentine's Day and White Day are only two of the many love-themed holidays celebrated in South Korea. The 14th of every month is actually a different holiday for couples to commemorate their love (with some dedicated to the singles out there as well!) This means that 13 days of the year, including Pepero Day on November 11th, are reserved for showing affection to loved ones! Interested in learning more? Hereâs the full list of romantic holidays on Koreaâs official tourism site.Â
To show our love for our viewers, we are hosting a VALENTINE'S GIVEAWAY! If you haven't done so already, enter by February 12 for a chance to win a spectacular prize package. (Hint hint: there will be chocolates, flowers, and more!) Click here now for all the details on how to enter. ^^
Events
Saturday February 13 - Miss Chinatown USA Pageant
Friday February 19 - Miss Chinatown USA Coronation Ball
Saturday February 20 - Chinese New Year Parade
Saturday & Sunday February 20-21 - Chinese New Year Community Street Fair
Sunday February 28 - CCHP/ Chinatown YMCA Chinese New Year Run
For more information check out the official website here!
On Friday, January 8th, Apink held their Pink Memory North American tour in San Francisco. The fans were so grateful to see their beloved girl group thanks to KpopMe who produced this event.
The fans were incredibly supportive, They showed lots of energy, cheering, singing along, and shouting the fan chants. Apink returned that energy to the crowd with their cute and entertaining personalities. They played with each other on stage and they interacted with the audience as much as they could, making cute gestures to the fans and jokes throughout the show.
Apink put impressive efforts into connecting with their San Francisco fans. They spoke in English to the fans as often as possible. Everyone was especially impressed at Naeunâs fluency.
Afterward, the girls continued their flawless performance, singing live and showing off how each individual member has solid vocal talent.
The fans also received a special performance about halfway through the show. The Apink cover contest winners introduced themselves to the crowd and then proceeded with their dance cover of âNoNoNoâ, âHushâ, and âLuvâ.
It was a great show all around. Be sure to catch our coverage of Apink on our weekly TV broadcast on Channel 32-6.
As 2015 has come to an end, we at KPOP-TV would like to share with you our personal favorite music videos from this past year. Are you ready? Music start!
Like OOH-AHH - Twice
What's not to like? A great video with exciting visuals and a great groove to the track. In a few months since their debut they've already been nominated for Artist of the Year at the Mnet Asian Music Awards.
I - Taeyeon (feat. Verbal Jint)
The music video and song are just absolutely beautiful in her solo debut. Taeyeonâs vocals are amazing and Sones have waited long enough for it.
Eat - Zion. T
The music video may be just normal, but this song is will be circling around in your head! As a relatively new hip hop artist, Zion. T is not your average K-pop idol, but his songs have given him respect in the music industry.Â
Closer - Â Oh My Girl
The cute fairytale-like music video makes it very pleasing to watch and the scenery is on point! Â Let's all come closer to K-pop!
Awesome - N.Flying
This is the first group to do a hip-hop concept with an instrumental band and the beat of the song gets you really hyped up. You're not sure if you want to rock out to the guitar solo or jam to the amazing rap.
Call Me Baby - EXO
Catchy song with great energy and synchronization between the members, especially when they weave in and out of the choreography. They seemed to have a lot fun shooting this and showcased their individual personalities more. Even though weâve seen the music video so many times, weâre always thinking about how smooth those camera transitions are!
4 Walls - f(x)
We love how the video messes with your mind. The girls came back strong after losing a member. They look amazing. And the song is immediately catchy but doesn't get old quickly. Plus, the sound is rare among K-pop songs. It suits f(x) perfectly.
So Dangerous - UP10TION
UP10TION shows us a powerful debut with an intense dance!
Paradise Lost - Gain
Filled with the foreboding sounds of a church organ and featuring Gain's snake-like dance, âParadise Lostâ is sure to lure in fans!
Heart Attack - AOA
It's a catchy, fun, and addictive song. It has such a refreshing sound to it and it screams summer. The lyrics are super cute and so is the dance. What more can you want?!
Bae Bae- Big Bang
Big Bang is back! Each member has their own time to shine in this artistic video that has been carefully thought out. An added plus is Big Bangâs goofy side that comes out while they dance around on the moon in this exaggerated universe.
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