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Kpop group B.I.G visit Jordan
By Amina Al-Khalayleh, Jordan News
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Kpop, which stands for Korean pop music, has been the talk of
the entertainment industry in recent years. With an ever-growing number of Kpop
groups and a vast multitude of fans worldwide, the genre has skyrocketed to new
heights.اضافة اعلان
Among so many competitors, Kpop groups need to stand out from the rest. Those that succeed then pave the way for others in the industry. B.I.G, or “Boys in Groove”, has managed to do that. The group, then comprised of six members, debuted its first digital single “Hello” in 2014 under GH Entertainment. Their music featured lyrics highlighting and promoting South Korean culture, something not seen before in a Kpop debut. The group, whose current members are Heedo, Gunmin, J-Hoon, and Jinseok, has since released eight albums, the latest of which was “Illusion” in 2019.
B.I.G received praise and acclaim from the Arabic-speaking world when they released their first Arabic-language cover of “3 Daqat”, which has received roughly 14.8 million views on YouTube. Being the first Kpop group to release an Arabic cover was not enough for B.I.G, who then worked to learn the language to sound as natural as possible. Eight months later, the group released an Arabic version of their single “Illusion” — the first Kpop group to do so — which expanded their Arab fanbase even further. Fans in the Middle East for the first time felt not just recognized but appreciated by their Kpop idols.
Following the group’s first opportunity to perform in the Middle East in Tunisia, B.I.G next traveled to Jordan. The group performed in the Kingdom twice: once at the Jerash Festival of Arts and Culture on August 5 and again at the Cultural Palace on August 6. The turnout for both concerts was significant, with fans getting the opportunity to meet and interact with their idols.
B.I.G have worked to become a connecting line between the cultures of South Korea and the Arab world. The group told Jordan News that “We are a group who wishes to receive love from the Arab world and that is why we are studying hard to give back and appreciate the support we are receiving.”
The group’s interest in Arabic culture and music started when they were invited to KBS World Radio Arabic in South Korea, B.I.G member Jinseok said.
“Upon listening to Arabic songs for the first time, we were surprised at how trendy Arabic music was. ... (It) was different from what we expected,” Heedo said, adding that they started looking up the lyrics, which started them down the road to learning Arabic.
“When we dropped our first Arabic cover, we did not expect to get this much love and it all took off from there.”
Fans of the group call themselves “Bigginings”, which B.I.G explained comes from the group’s desire to forge a new path with their fans and to start following their dreams.
“It was a true honor to be the first Kpop group to perform in Jordan, and since there are a lot of popular Kpop groups in South Korea, for us to be the first group to visit Jordan and receive all this love makes us so proud,” Heedo said.
“Jordan ... surpassed our expectations, and because of our fans we were able to make a lot of unforgettable memories.”
B.I.G still has more to give its Arabic fans, the group said. They are planning to “visit other Arab countries and perform”, as well as planning a visit to Japan. “We are looking forward to meet our fans all over the world.”
(Photo: Jordan Kpop Lovers)
While the group has no plans for a new album just yet, the members encouraged those who wanted to get to know their music to listen to “Hello”, in which they greet the world in several languages.
The group’s inspiration for its latest song, “Flashback”, was to help rekindle hope and positivity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic upheaval that disrupted everyone’s lives, Heedo said, adding “Let’s all get over the hard times together and move forward.”
The group thanked their Jordanian “Bigginings” and expressed their appreciation for the fans that showed up to their performances, voicing their hope that the experience was as unforgettable for their fans as it was for them.
Read more Music
Jordan News
Among so many competitors, Kpop groups need to stand out from the rest. Those that succeed then pave the way for others in the industry. B.I.G, or “Boys in Groove”, has managed to do that. The group, then comprised of six members, debuted its first digital single “Hello” in 2014 under GH Entertainment. Their music featured lyrics highlighting and promoting South Korean culture, something not seen before in a Kpop debut. The group, whose current members are Heedo, Gunmin, J-Hoon, and Jinseok, has since released eight albums, the latest of which was “Illusion” in 2019.
B.I.G received praise and acclaim from the Arabic-speaking world when they released their first Arabic-language cover of “3 Daqat”, which has received roughly 14.8 million views on YouTube. Being the first Kpop group to release an Arabic cover was not enough for B.I.G, who then worked to learn the language to sound as natural as possible. Eight months later, the group released an Arabic version of their single “Illusion” — the first Kpop group to do so — which expanded their Arab fanbase even further. Fans in the Middle East for the first time felt not just recognized but appreciated by their Kpop idols.
Following the group’s first opportunity to perform in the Middle East in Tunisia, B.I.G next traveled to Jordan. The group performed in the Kingdom twice: once at the Jerash Festival of Arts and Culture on August 5 and again at the Cultural Palace on August 6. The turnout for both concerts was significant, with fans getting the opportunity to meet and interact with their idols.
B.I.G have worked to become a connecting line between the cultures of South Korea and the Arab world. The group told Jordan News that “We are a group who wishes to receive love from the Arab world and that is why we are studying hard to give back and appreciate the support we are receiving.”
The group’s interest in Arabic culture and music started when they were invited to KBS World Radio Arabic in South Korea, B.I.G member Jinseok said.
“Upon listening to Arabic songs for the first time, we were surprised at how trendy Arabic music was. ... (It) was different from what we expected,” Heedo said, adding that they started looking up the lyrics, which started them down the road to learning Arabic.
“When we dropped our first Arabic cover, we did not expect to get this much love and it all took off from there.”
Fans of the group call themselves “Bigginings”, which B.I.G explained comes from the group’s desire to forge a new path with their fans and to start following their dreams.
“It was a true honor to be the first Kpop group to perform in Jordan, and since there are a lot of popular Kpop groups in South Korea, for us to be the first group to visit Jordan and receive all this love makes us so proud,” Heedo said.
“Jordan ... surpassed our expectations, and because of our fans we were able to make a lot of unforgettable memories.”
B.I.G still has more to give its Arabic fans, the group said. They are planning to “visit other Arab countries and perform”, as well as planning a visit to Japan. “We are looking forward to meet our fans all over the world.”
(Photo: Jordan Kpop Lovers)
While the group has no plans for a new album just yet, the members encouraged those who wanted to get to know their music to listen to “Hello”, in which they greet the world in several languages.
The group’s inspiration for its latest song, “Flashback”, was to help rekindle hope and positivity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic upheaval that disrupted everyone’s lives, Heedo said, adding “Let’s all get over the hard times together and move forward.”
The group thanked their Jordanian “Bigginings” and expressed their appreciation for the fans that showed up to their performances, voicing their hope that the experience was as unforgettable for their fans as it was for them.
Read more Music
Jordan News
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