After stealing the show at KCON LA last year, K-pop boy band SHINee announced Thursday (Jan. 26) that they’ll bring their awe-inspiring vocals and slick moves to two U.S. cities as part of their SHINee World V tour.
The U.S. leg of their concert series will kick off in Dallas on March 24, then head to Los Angeles for a show on March 26. The two shows will be SHINee’s first-ever full-length concerts in the U.S., where the band’s previously only appeared at music festivals and held fan meetings -- mini-concerts favored by K-pop stars that intersperse performances with a variety of activities.
The March concerts mark the first time the group will bring their SHINee World semiannual concert series to the United States. In the past, SHINee World tours have visited numerous Asian countries and, in 2014, SHINee World III was held in Mexico, Argentina and Chile in a nod to Latin America’s burgeoning love for K-pop.
Since debuting in 2008, SHINee’s five members impressed with their experimental music and meticulous choreography, with each album incorporating new genres and influences into their polished musical productions. Last year's "1 of 1" went retro and drew on the music of the '90s, and their follow-up electro-pop single “Tell Me What To Do” was one of the best K-pop songs of the year. Members Jonghyun and Taemin have also drawn attention for their solo endeavors.
With the news, SHINee joins the crush of K-pop artists descending on the United States in March: Trending boy band BTS will hold their first U.S. stadium tour that month, while K-pop rapper HyunA will bring her first solo shows to a few cities. SXSW will also see some Korean acts at its annual K-pop Night Out event, which will feature Korean girl group Red Velvet, soloist Hyolyn, hip-hop crew Drunken Tiger and Yoonmirae, indie singer-songwriter Big Phony, punk band No Brain and alt-rock band Galaxy Express.