BIGBANG’s Taeyang named honorary ambassador for PyeongChang 2018


SEOUL, June 21 (Yonhap) — Taeyang, a member of the popular K-pop boy band BIGBANG, was appointed as an honorary ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Wednesday.

Taeyang, 29, joins actors Lee Min-ho and Kim Woo-bin as “hallyu” stars tasked with extolling the virtues of South Korea’s first Winter Games.

PyeongChang 2018 will take place from Feb. 9 to 25 next year in PyeongChang, some 180 kilometers east of Seoul, and its neighboring sub-host cities in Gangwon Province.

Taeyang said he’s going to compose a promotional song on the Olympics.

“Since I am a recording artist, I’ll try to promote the PyeongChang Winter Olympics through music,” he said at a ceremony in Seoul introducing him as the honorary ambassador. “I’ll write a song about the PyeongChang Olympics before November and hopefully a lot of people will be able to enjoy it.”

Among winter sports, Taeyang said he’s a fan of figure skating and curling, and added he’d like to see teen figure skater, Cha Jun-hwan, do well in PyeongChang next year.

BIGBANG’s Taeyang (L) holds up a card showing him as an honorary ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, alongside Lee Hee-beom, head of PyeongChang’s organizing committee, at a ceremony in Seoul on June 21, 2017. (Yonhap) BIGBANG’s Taeyang (L) holds up a card showing him as an honorary ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, alongside Lee Hee-beom, head of PyeongChang’s organizing committee, at a ceremony in Seoul on June 21, 2017. (Yonhap)

Other honorary ambassadors for PyeongChang include former Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na, alpine skiing star Lindsay Vonn, Texas Rangers outfielder Choo Shin-soo and popular soprano Sumi Jo.

BIGBANG has been an iconic K-pop act since its debut in 2006. Taeyang, like other members, has carved out a successful solo career, and has also performed in the duo GD X Taeyang with fellow BIGBANG member G-Dragon.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Source: Yonhap

G-Dragon lays bare his heart in Macau


tnp.sg NP_20170620_KLDRAGON20_1575211

He sang, he shared, he did slow body waves… G-Dragon wooed the fans, leaving them teary-eyed and wanting more.

Fans were screaming out for Kwon Ji Yong throughout his solo concert in Macau.

Kwon, better known by his stage name, G-Dragon, posed a question to his 12,000-strong audience: “Who is Kwon Ji Yong to you?”

The 28-year-old’s latest solo album, titled after his non-stage name, wanted to reveal a more personal side, beyond the glamorous pop star that fans have grown to adore.

And judging by his two nights of his sold-out tour, G-Dragon 2017 World Tour Act III: MOTTE, fans are welcoming this side of him.

G-Dragon is one fifth of popular South Korean boy band, BigBang. He made his solo debut in 2009 and showed that he can manage a stage on his own just as well.

The idea behind the concert was simple, yet profound.

The first night of his Macau concert was held at Cotai Arena at The Venetian Macao, which was decked out in blood red, to represent his more private side.

He kicked off the 2½-hour concert with his first solo hit Heartbreaker before singing other songs from the album, Breathe and A Boy.

He has proven himself to be a multifaceted performer – one who is able to rap lighthearted, energetic songs, and sing emotional, power ballads while dancing.

During his performance of R.O.D, he performed gravity-defying and slick moves.

VIPs, the name for BIGBANG fans, who were all geared with yellow crown-shaped light sticks and headbands, screamed and went wild every time he did a slow body wave.

When he sang one of his slower songs, Black, VIPs started chanting and singing along, which would have given anyone listening a serious case of goosebumps.

At the halfway point of the 22-song set, a video of interviews with G-Dragon’s friends, family members and acquaintances started to play.

BigBang members Taeyang and Daesung appeared in the video and were asked about their thoughts of G-Dragon, which made VIPs go “aww”.

Towards the end of the concert, he started interacting with fans, showing his easygoing and fun personality.

Sharing more about his latest album, he said in English: “I was worried, but I’m not worried any more, that you guys might not get me – what I was thinking or what I was trying to say.

“Thank God you guys understood me, and I don’t know what to say, but I feel like this is a very, very special moment.”

He faked wiping away a tear before reassuring fans that he was not actually crying.

He said: “This year was kind of hard and tough, but I feel really, really happy. Thank you.”

When he started performing the chart-topping song, Crooked, everyone got on their feet and started dancing, from the men in cool streetwear to young girls who had “G-Dragon” temporarily tattooed on their cheeks.

But the mood took an emotional turn when he ended the concert with his latest album’s lead track, Untitled, 2014, which left fans teary-eyed and wanting more.

Hong Kong nurse Hui Wing Tung, 24, has attended all of G-Dragon’s solo concerts. She said: “He is not like any other K-pop idol. The concept behind this concert is particularly unique, even when compared to his previous solo concerts.”

Another VIP, Miss Wang Yue, 26, flew in from China to catch the concert. She said: “I was crying throughout the concert. It felt like he was being so honest with his fans and showing us the real him. I enjoyed the concert so much.”

She was not the only one who had crossed borders to see G-Dragon. Chinese student Sherry Liang, 25, attended the concert in Seoul and was in Macau for the second show.

She said: “The concert was great. G-Dragon did his best to put on a good show for everyone even though he looked a bit ill.”

The Singapore leg of G-Dragon’s concert will be no less spectacular, promised IME Productions, the promoter.

“It will be an amazing spectacle of special effects, concert choreography with a whole new LED visual experience coupled with G-Dragon’s standout stage presence,” said a spokesman.

“The concept is going to be different as it covers a flashback of his pop journey… He will be performing most of his new songs from his latest album.”


FYI

Source: www.tnp.sg/entertainment

 

More Updates:

Articles:

Social Media