Rising from the east

Published on December 22, 2007

boy band

 South Korea's hottest boy band Dong Bang Shin Ki closed out their back-to-back concerts in Bangkok last weekend, the penultimate stop on their second Asian tour, leaving behind thousands of satisfied fans not just from Thailand but also from Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea.

The auditorium of Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani, which was filled to capacity on both nights, was entirely dark save for red devil-like horns that shimmered above the heads of the expectant audience, mostly teenyboppers, many of whom also clutched light sticks. The air was filled with ominous chords, an appropriate soundtrack to the scenes of battle interspersed with images of each "Rising God of the East" on cross-shaped screens.

Suddenly the lights were switched on and screams rose to crescendo pitch as the curtains parted to reveal Dong Bang Shin Ki. They opened with "Phantom" then segued into their earlier hit "Rising Sun", a strong number whose impact was enhanced by stage bombs and fireworks. The audience was delighted with the innovative layout that had the stage extending far into the auditorium and four pockets filled with excited fans.

The giant screens then showed a girl falling into the sea. A falling curtain was used to give the impression of the girl floating haplessly on her back and the five South Korean heroes bravely rescuing her from a watery fate, a clever special effect that delighted fans and offered an ingenious lead-in to the ballad "One". That was followed by their sing-along hit "I Believe".

The Korean boys then put their larger-than-life stage to use by walking towards its centre as they sang "You Are My Miracle".

Later, they took turns to perform brief solo shows. First up was Xiah who showcased his hip-hop-style dancing and closed out his segment with watery special effects reminiscent of Rain's show.

Mickey put his vocal chords to good use with a powerful ballad while U-Know came up with an industrial metal sound that reminded me of Nine Inch Nails. The boy band's youngest member, Max, sang a jazzy tune and leader Hero impressed the screaming audience with his powerful voice.

They returned to the stage with a small car for "Drive" and five mini planes in "Balloon", standing up in the small craft and piloting them around the stage while singing the song.

They then went a cappella for "You Only Love" before rocking on "Dangerous Mind" and "O".

The centre of the stage lifted them high into the air as they crooned the ballad "Remember", and Xiah duetted with guest Jang Ra-in on "Timeless".

Dong Bang Shin Ki brought the concert to an end in style, finishing with "Unforgettable" and their debut hit, the bubble-gum pop number "Hug".

All in all, the concert was grander than their last visit to Bangkok with a bigger stage and more fireworks, props and visual effects to spice things up. The boys themselves are incredibly professional in the way they sing and dance, but, sadly, they lacked the language skills to communicate with their adoring Thai fans.

Kitchana Lersakvanitchakul

The Nation