Krystal Chen
Staff Writer
On Oct. 5, SuperM, a brand-new K-pop super-group under entertainment company SM Entertainment, dropped their first single “Jopping” and made their debut performance in front of the iconic Capitol Records Tower in Los Angeles.
Showcasing their talent through a mini-concert for American fans, SuperM took over Hollywood at their first-ever live show and American debut. The debut showcase, streamed live on YouTube, provided a first glimpse of their marvelous album with flashy lights and dreamy stage settings.
Attempting to redefine Korean pop culture, SuperM, which dubs itself the “Avengers of K-pop,” is an innovative and attractive boy group composed of members from some of SM’s most popular groups: SHINee’s Taemin, EXO’s Baekhyun and Kai, NCT 127’s Taeyong and Mark, and NCT’s China-based unit WayV’s Ten and Lucas.
Before the performance, a “K-Pop Village” opened in front of the iconic Capitol Records Tower for fans who were interested in purchasing merchandise, albums, and food. The village was designed for all ages and no tickets were required for entrance. It helped construct a diverse community where fans around the world gathered in one place to dance and chat while waiting for SuperM’s performance.
The show began around 7 p.m. with a sudden blackout and video panels flashing their names. As the spotlight shone on the stage, members made their appearance as a group with designated poses, ready for the performance. The energetic vibe within the venue stimulated everyone’s nerves and left them excited for more new music.
The dynamic stage with its entire spectacle of high-intensity performance combined with the dancing of the members on the stage left the audience jumping and singing wildly. At the middle of the stage, blending with mellow purple lights, rising video panels with transforming graphics matching the concept of each performance set up a futuristic theme throughout the show.
The event lasted around 40 minutes with the group revealing three songs from their new album, SuperM – The 1st Mini Album: “Jopping,” “I Can’t Stand The Rain,” and “Super Car.” As Mark exclaimed during the show, the show was an “adventurous trip” and the audience was invited to ride on the Super Car to “explore the world of the unknown.”
As an experimental group project, SuperM is one of the most controversial and anticipated bands in Korean pop music and faced many angry and skeptical fans when their project was announced. Immediately after Chris Lee — A&R executive and CEO of Culture Technology Group Asia Europe at SM Entertainment — announced SuperM’s debut in August, the hashtag #SuperMDisbandParty was created, pressuring SM and Capitol to cancel the project.
While some may blame SM Entertainment for aiming for Western validation, the majority of the trepidation comes from the concern for the original group members. Fans fear that the existence of SuperM might rob the opportunities from their existing original groups. However, the critics have never hindered or fazed SuperM, which continue to explore their musicality and search for opportunities to promote their music in America.
On Nov. 11, SuperM will kick off their first 10-city North American “We Are the Future” tour in Texas at Dickies Arena and come back to L.A. on Feb. 1. Fans are looking forward to their future performances in America and for them to release new music during their stay here.
Author’s Recommended Songs: “Jopping,” “I Can’t Stand the Rain,” and “2 Fast”