Review: 2NE1 bigger than Psy?

Korean group’s New Evolution 2012 Global Tour closes in Singapore

SINGAPORE — “Bigger than Psy.” At the height of the “Gangnam Style” craze, Forbes made this daring pronouncement in October, after K-Pop idol 2NE1 staged sold-out concerts in both the US East and West coasts as part of their 2012 New Evolution Global Tour — a groundbreaking endeavor that made them the first Korean girl group to embark on a world tour.

‘While the comparison may be a tad awkward, the contention is probably based on the difference between who’s watching and who’s buying.

While Psy’s ubiquitous single gallops to nearly one billion views on YouTube, unofficial tallies show sales at between five to six million downloads worldwide; it is his biggest hit since entering the music industry 12 years ago.

On the other hand, 2NE1 has sold over 27 million digital downloads since their 2009 debut, including “I Am The Best,” which moved 4.5 million units and propelled them to a “perfect all-kill” sweep on Korean and other Asian music charts. It was only one of several songs that hit No. 1 for the group that was named MTV Iggy’s “Best New Band in the World,” describing the girls as “an unparalleled presence in today’s K-Pop scene.”

Singapore showdown

If their unexpected showdown in Singapore last December 1 was any indication, then Forbes might not be all that audacious in their forecast. Their shows clashed head-on that Saturday evening, filling the harbor skies with exciting K-Pop fireworks.

Psy pranced and regaled an audience of 4,000 who flocked to see his free concert at the Marina Bay Sands, while 2NE1 rocked the Singapore Indoor Stadium with a full house of more than 8,000 screaming fans who shelled out over S$200 for tickets.

At the end of the day, however, there is really no competition between the two acts since everything is kept all in the family — the YG Family to be exact. Both Psy and 2E1 (as well as recent Manila visitor Big Bang) belong to the same management group, YG Entertainment, whose chairman Yang Hyun-suk has been officially named the richest man in South Korea’s entertainment industry today.

Read the rest of this entry »