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Korean stars 2NE1 sparkle in Jakarta
A night to remember: Korean girl band 2NE1 performs at their Jakarta tour on Sunday night
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A night to remember: Korean girl band 2NE1 performs at their Jakarta tour on Sunday night. The group consists of (from left to right) Dara, CL, Bom and Minzy. (JP/DON) (from left to right) Dara, CL, Bom and Minzy. (JP/DON)
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span class="inline inline-none">A night to remember: Korean girl band 2NE1 performs at their Jakarta tour on Sunday night. The group consists of (from left to right) Dara, CL, Bom and Minzy. (JP/DON)
Korean hip-hop/RnB girl group 2NE1 lived up to the expectations of a world-class performance in its
Jakarta concert.
The spectacular stage and live performance on Sunday at the Mata Elang International Stadium in Ancol, North Jakarta, was more of a surprise to the four-piece group witnessing the high enthusiasm of the Indonesian Blackjacks ' the name given to the group's fans.
Girls and boys ' of various ages ' sang along to each of the 21 songs belted out in the concert even to the kick-off 'Crush', the title track of their newest album, and gave loud cheers every time the group shouted 'nolza'. Nolza is 2NE1's catchphrase, it means 'let's play'.
'You are the best. How come we didn't come here sooner?' said Lee Chae-rin or CL, the leader of the group.
2NE1 (read as 'to anyone') are CL, 23, Sandara Park, 29, Park Bom, 30, and 20-year-old Gong Minji (Minzy). The group are currently on a world tour titled 'All or Nothing' to promote their latest album Crush.
The album is currently the highest-charting Korean pop album on the Billboard 200.
There had been a plan to hold a concert in Jakarta in 2012 but it was canceled without further explanation from the promoter at that time.
For the concert tour, the group ' under the auspices of YG Entertainment, which also manages Big Bang ' worked together with Travis Payne and Stacy Walker who directed the choreography on Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' tour.
Their fierce style and music are not the only factors that have distanced the band from people's usual perceptions of Korean pop music or K-pop.
The girls have powerful vocals and unique singing and rapping styles that have been an influence for younger girl groups since they launched their maiden album To Anyone in 2010. They entered the US and European markets with their single 'Ugly', which has landed them collaboration with world musicians.
CL and colleague G-Dragon recently worked together with Skrillex on the latter's 'Dirty Vibe'.
Indonesia was the third country in the group's Southeast Asia concert leg after the Philippines and Malaysia.
'We want to stay longer. We haven't visited Bali. Should we go together?' asked Sandara, or Dara, who was raised in the Philippines and was known as a model and actress in that country before moving back to Korea.
Unlike other concerts at the venue that often force the fans to queue outdoors on Ancol Beach, Synergism Entertainment as the promoter and organizer of the concert allowed ticket buyers to line up outside the concert hall.
Tickets had been on sale since April and lucky fans were invited to watch the group performing during sound checks on Sunday.
The Ancol stadium was nearly filled to capacity with the fans who had prepared surprises and gifts for their idols and the Hi-Tech YG dancers, including a three-tier cake to celebrate the group's fifth anniversary.
For the encore, the four girls gave their fans a memorable closing by walking through the crowd in the standing area.
'We'll come back soon,' said CL, saying that they were still working on their third album.
