Time for Big Bang
Oct 27 may be just another Saturday for the average Malaysian, but for more than 16,000 ‘VIPS’, it is the biggest day of the year.
For the 16,000 fans of K-pop group Big Bang, Oct 27 will be the biggest day.
HEY BigBang, welcome to Malaysia!!!” You might have read this on the side of a bus while stuck in the jam along Jalan Ampang and Jalan Hang Lekiu.
Advertisements on buses are ubiquitous in the crowded streets of Kuala Lumpur so what is the big deal, you say?
This ad was not bought by some music management or concert organiser company but by more than 16,000 young fans of the Korean pop supergroup BigBang who will be in town next Saturday for the Malaysian leg of their BigBang Alive Galaxy Tour 2012.
Yes, mums and dads, pop fandom has changed from our days. While fanaticism for sports, movie and music heroes is nothing new – we can still make fun of our parents with their teary hysteria for the Beatles, Elvis Presley and P. Ramlee, or hide our MJ white glove and lacy Madonna bustier from our children – we have to admit that the changing lifestyle and the social media explosion have transformed idol worshipping beyond our imaginations.
Take this bus ad as an example. The fans behind it or BigBang VIPs as they call themselves would not say how much their BigBang bus project cost them, but it is part of the RM10,000 budget allocated for their BigBang Cheering project in conjunction with the upcoming concert.
Says BigBang Malaysia Fan Club (BB1st) founder and president Migo Ho, 21, the money was raised through contributions from members nationwide and the sale of fan clubs’ merchandise. (The Internet means anyone can start a fan club – this cheering project brings together other local BigBang fansites and groups such as My-vip, Yg-Hype, @BigBang Malaysia and MYVIPs.)
The idea, meanwhile, came from the VIPs of South Korea.
“The Korean VIPs started the bus project in the second year of BigBang’s debut in 2006. Since then, whenever BigBang came out with a new album, the fans would fund a bus ad and you could see it roaming the roads in Seoul.
“This is the first time overseas fans are doing this,” shares another ardent fan, Zaty Aziz, 25.
As Migo reveals, they even got the seal of approval from BigBang’s management company YG Entertainment for the design of the ad!
The BigBang bus (No. 79 SJ BUS) began running on Oct 13 and will continue to grace the AmpangMasjid Jamek route for a month.
The route was specifically selected because it passes the Korean Village in Ampang and for its direct access to the KLCC Twin Towers.
“The bus is not only to greet BigBang to KL, but it is also for all their fans in Malaysia. We hope they will try and catch the bus and take lots of photos for their personal memento,” adds the Taylor’s University third year student.
If you think the bus idea is over the top, the Malaysian fans originally were also raring for another greeting for their favourite K-pop idols – a banner running all the way from KLIA to the KL city centre.
“Unfortunately, we could not get the permit from the authorities because it is dangerous, so we decided to do one that we can hang inside Stadium Merdeka during the concert,” says Migo, adding that the giant banner carrying the message: “We Malaysia VIPs (heart) You BigBang Until Whenever” was made as one of the activities at the Hallyu Festival at Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus, Selangor, last month.
This is not all that has been planned for the BigBang bash.
At the concert, the VIPs are going to give out 10,000 free hand banners bearing the name of each member of the group as well as 4,000 blue and red LED glow sticks for concertgoers to flash during the performances of BigBang’s latest hits Blue (blue light) and Fantastic Baby (red light).
Singalong
The latecomers will have to buy their own at RM1 each, but the proceeds from the sale will go to charity homes in the name of BigBang.
And as nothing is more fun than singing along, the fan club has prepared a BigBang songbook with the romanised Korean lyrics of 34 of their hit songs for downloading from their site.
The most important song that Migo hopes concertgoers can learn is Until Whenever.
“That is the song BigBang wrote especially for their fans. So instead of just shouting ‘Encore’, we plan to sing the chorus of Until Whenever to get them to come out for their encore performance, she says.
The non-fans might feel that this is all too much work for a concert but for the VIPs, this is a crucial part of the event.
This is because they have to show BigBang how much they love the group, so that they will come back for another concert in Malaysia, says Migo.
“We all want to stand out and be recognised as the best fans,” BigBang devotee A. Shareem, 16, quips in agreement.
It is indeed a phenomenon: while the social media has brought K-pop fans worldwide together – it is no exaggeration as BigBang, like many other K-pop acts, have fans in all corners of the world from Siberia, Russia to Lima, Peru – it has also bred intense rivalry among the fans as they vie for their idols’ “affections”.
Take the global VIP fansites – since the BigBang Alive Galaxy Tour 2012 launched, fans have been arguing about the number of songs the K-pop stars performed for their encore in the different countries. Some fans take this as an indication of how much the group love the fans of that particular country.
Then there are the messages that the well-connected stars tweet or post on their Facebook themselves when they are in different locations. A praise of their country will whip up a frenzy while a bad comment will invite ridicule.
“We really want Malaysia to be their favourite destination,” says another VIP, Mae Tan, 17.
But parents need not worry if all the fans are like J-pop-fan-turned-Kpop fan Nadiah Azli, 24.
“Fans in Jakarta were so rowdy last week that Taeyang (a BigBang member) had to plead to the crowd to get back. We hope Malaysian VIPs will behave during the concert. We need to show how good we are,” she urges.
Show of the year?
This is not the first time the BigBang members are performing in Malaysia. Last year, three members – group leader G-Dragon, TOP and Seungri – performed as a duo and solo respectively at the Korean Music Wave Malaysia 2011 at Stadium Merdeka. The other members, Daesung and Taeyang, were unable to participate due to other “commitments”.
Their concert next week, however, will be their first performance in the country as a group. It is of course the first ever-global tour for the K-pop group.
The tickets for their BigBang Alive Galaxy Tour 2012 in Malaysia, which are sponsored by Korea’s electronic giant Samsung electronics, sold out in a matter for hours.
True to its billing, the show has involved an array of creative production talents to the stars, including creative designer Laurieann Gibson (who has worked with Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Katy Perry) and lighting and stage designer Leroy Bennett (Madonna).
It is definitely huge, says Liz, cofounder of Malaysia’s seminal site on the Korean Wave, K-popped.com.
“That is because BigBang has a wide spectrum of fans – both guys and girls.”
Although she is not a die-hard fan, Liz says she appreciates their music.
“I’ve been following them before their debut, thanks to the group’s reality series on MTV. Their growth from their trainee days to what they are now – one of the most notable K-pop acts around – is amazing.”
Unfortunately, Liz was unable to get a ticket and might have to miss out on the concert.
“I really wanted to see Seungri because I like his solo work. I would also have loved to watch them perform my favourite song from their current album, Blue, and of course their breakout hit Lies. Do you have extra tickets?”
Someone with a ticket and who is all hyped up for the show is Shakila Rajendra, 29, one of the main movers behind KNUKEeast, a local K-pop extravaganza event organiser.
“The BigBang Alive Galaxy Tour 2012 in Malaysia is probably one of the biggest, if not the biggest ever, K-pop concerts to be held in Malaysia. The only other concert that I see on the same level would probably have been the Super Junior’s Super Show 3 – Super Junior The 3rd Asia Tour Live In Malaysia 2011,” Shakila raves.
She says that BigBang was the reason she started liking K-pop.
“My favourite member is TOP, followed closely by G-Dragon. TOP because of his voice, good looks and infectious personality, G-Dragon because of his endless talent, fash-
ion style and basically because he’s the whole package as an idol.”
KNUKEast organises K-pop club nights called Kandypop at the MILK Club, Bangsar, once a month but they have not held a BigBang specific event to welcome the group.
Shakila who has seen BigBang live before hopes to be surprised at the upcoming concert.
“But I’m pretty sure the boys will give it their all. The other thing I’m looking forward to are the solo performances especially by G-Dragon and Taeyang. Basically, I just want to see them have fun with it.”
By now, the Malaysian VIPs would have read all about BigBang’s grand entrance in the show – the super stars are to arrive in a “space capsule” – and probably memorised the whole set list of their concert repertoire.
What is special about the Malaysian leg is that it is the only show that BigBang will perform outdoors.
“My biggest worry is rain and how they are going to do the special effects. In the other concerts, Daesung flies off the stage when he performs his solo song Wings. How is he going to do that here?” wonders Zaty, before quickly adding that she is resolved to enjoy the show no matter what.
Migo agrees, as at first they did not expect BigBang to come to Malaysia at all.
“Everyone was ecstatic when Malaysia was one of the first few countries announced for the tour,” says Migo who actually attended the first BigBang Alive Galaxy Tour 2012 concert in Seoul early this year.
Ultimately, says Zaty who also went to Seoul for the BigBang opening concert, it is all about enjoying the music and sharing the love for the group with the other fans.
Good news for fans who could not get tickets for the BigBang Alive Galaxy Tour 2012 in Malaysia earlier. Limited tickets are still available via Redtix and Ticketcharge: Premier Rockpit (RM588), Rockpit (RM488) and Free Standing (RM188).