Who don’t know this name? Morning Musume and L’Arc en Ciel?
Morning Musume and L`Arc en Ciel, two of Japan`s hottest pop groups, will soon be in Seoul to perform.
L`Arc en Ciel, one of the most-loved Japanese rock bands in the world, will play at the Seoul Olympic Gymnastic Stadium in southeastern Seoul on May 17. Formed in 1991, the quartet of Tetsu (bass guitar), Hyde (vocal), Ken (guitar) and Yukihiro (drum) has been at the heart of J-pop`s popularity overseas from the beginning, selling more than 25 million albums worldwide.
The group, whose name means rainbow in French, made its breakthrough in 1996 when they sold a million copies of their fourth album “True.” Their popularity in Asia grew when they simultaneously released two albums, “Ark” and “Ray,” in seven Asian countries in 1999.
Including the most recent “Jojoushi,” 16 of their singles have topped the Japanese Oricon chart.
The group made their U.S. concert debut when they performed during the Otakon anime convention in Baltimore, Maryland in 2004. Since then, they have accumulated a following in the States, especially among anime fans, as their music has been used as theme songs for Japanese animation films.
The band members have also worked on solo projects. Hyde has released several solo albums, starred in films, and gave a concert in San Francisco in 2006, while Tetsu recorded with a band called Creature. Ken released a solo album called “Speed” in 2006.
Morning Musume, the bestselling girl group in J-pop history, will celebrate their 10th anniversary with a concert at the Olympic Hall in the Seoul Olympic Park, southeastern Seoul, on June 1.
Also referred to as “Momusu,” the group started in 1997 and is well-known for its ever-changing line-up, with “graduations” and auditions occurring nearly every year. Currently, the group consists of nine girls, of which none is an original member.
Starting off with five members, the group made its first appearance on a talent-search TV program called “Asayan” in 1997. Since their first official single, “Morning Coffee,” hit No. 6 on the Oricon charts, the group has taken the J-pop world by storm, with almost anything associated with them becoming an instant hit, including television commercials, TV shows, films and musical dramas.
Earlier this month, their 36th single, “Resonant Blue,” was released. The album contains a DVD collection of their videos, as well as two new songs which will be performed during the upcoming Seoul concert. “I still remember the excitement and thrill when I first met Korean fans. I`m so glad to come back to Korea with other members,” Ai Takahashi, the current leader of the group who visited Seoul to promote their best-of album, “All Singles Complete,” told Mnet Media, the main promoter of the concert.
