SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – JANUARY 23: Members of girl group TWICE attend the 8th Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards … [+]
The live music industry is only just getting back on its feet after a catastrophic year or two, as the Covid-19 pandemic made it impossible for fans to attend concerts the world over. Now that the situation has changed somewhat, millions of music lovers are snapping up tickets to see their favorite artists, who are incredibly eager to get back on the road and meet their listeners face-to-face.
Now that K-pop is more popular than ever in Western markets, it makes sense that some of the biggest names in the field would travel to the U.S. to perform live, as there is clearly a demand for them and their music. Already in 2022, a handful of acts have embarked on short treks, while others are gearing up to do so. The first half of 2022 looks to be one of the busier periods regarding South Korean musicians setting up concerts across America, and there will likely be more acts heading to the States soon.
Monsta X
Originally scheduled for January, Monsta X’s No Limit Tour has been pushed to May and June, which gives fans more time to enjoy their latest release No Limit, which will clearly be the focus of the trek. The run includes nine shows in nine cities, with the band visiting some areas that K-pop acts don’t typically turn up in when they make their way to America.
While touring the United States, Monsta X will perform in New York City, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, Fort Worth, Phoenix, Los Angeles and markets in Virginia and Florida. The band is gearing up for one of the more impressive runs of the year by a South Korean act, at least so far, and it will likely be a commercial success once the grosses are counted.
Twice
Perhaps the biggest tour by a K-pop girl group in 2022, Twice’s latest venture will see them perform half a dozen shows in five major cities. The band is doing two nights in Los Angeles in back-to-back showings, and they’re also headed to Oakland, Dallas, Atlanta and the NYC area, where they will likewise give fans two evenings to see them live. After they travel across the U.S., the all-female vocal act will head to Tokyo for two concerts. The group started the exciting endeavor in their home country of South Korea right before 2021 ended.
Oneus
South Korean boy band Oneus is about to begin their 2022 tour across America, and with 14 shows originally scheduled, it looks like it will be a huge undertaking for them. The group is hitting up the usual major cities, like New York City, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles, but they are also going out of their way to visit some smaller locales, ones which probably aren’t used to seeing K-pop stars show up. The band’s itinerary includes places such as Wilkes-Barre, PA, Cleveland and even Lawrence, KS, which claims a population of less than 100,000 people.
Look Out For
Monsta X, Twice and Oneus may be leading some of the most highly-anticipated and exciting K-pop tours in the U.S. in 2022, but they aren’t the only South Korean stars coming to perform for their American fans. Treks are expected, or have already started, with names like Blitzers, P1Harmony, Eric Nam, Epik High and members of the band VIXX fronting the bill.
Already Happened
2022 is still new, but already two major stars in the South Korean music industry have come and gone, wrapping their U.S. tours. Ateez traveled to the States to see their American fans, playing a few shows in only the biggest markets throughout the month of January. Ghost9 embarked on a similarly-short venture, scheduling performances in just four towns, with the entire trip lasting less than two weeks.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2022/02/05/twice-monsta-x-and-oneus-the-most-exciting-k-pop-tours-coming-to-america-in-2022/