Big Bang breaks records with Japan tour

Boy group Big Bang completed its two-month-long tour of Japan earlier this week after having performed for around 771,000 fans at six major domes.

The last concert in the city of Osaka on Monday made the group become the first foreign artist to have performed at six domes in Japan, according to the group’s agency, YG Entertainment.

The tour, titled “Big Bang Japan Dome Tour 2013-14,” kicked off in mid-November in Saitama and continued to Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Sapporo.

“With some grandiose performances on stage, the group mesmerized fans,” said the agency.

“Fans also reciprocated by giving out shouts and cheers.”

In the finale performance in Osaka, the five members performed 26 songs including “My Heaven,” “GaraGara Go,” “Fantastic Baby” and “Bad Boy.”

Besides performing simultaneously, each member of the group also took time to take to the stage alone.

Tae-yang presented his solo song “Ringa Linga,” along with other songs of his that have been introduced in Korea, in an attempt to gather more attention for his upcoming solo album in Japan. His album, which is released March 12, will mark his debut as a solo artist in Japan.

Another Big Bang member, G-Dragon, also performed many of his solo songs including “Crooked” and “Crayon,” and Top and Seungri followed suit.

Meanwhile, for the fans in their home country, the group is now gearing up to present its first concert of the year in Korea. The upcoming concert “2014 Big Bang +α in Seoul” will be at Olympic Park, southeastern Seoul, for three days starting Jan. 24.

By Jin Eun-soo [estyle@joongang.co.kr]