The members of the leading k-pop trio JYJ worked hard during the last year to develop successful careers of their own. And that hard work helped them succeed independently and around the world. But the singers are especially popular in Japan, where their concert performances sell out and their music and dramas quickly climb to the top of the charts.
When the trio released "Just Us," in July 2014, it had been three years since they made an album together. That album now ranks #1 on Tower Records' music charts in Japan. The same album also reached the second place in the Japanese music chart Oricon.
When the album was released in Korea, it sold 17,000 copies in the first week. But its success in Japan may be considered a more remarkable accomplishment since JYJ's record label, C-JeS, did not even promote the album there.
Ilgan Sports recently reported that JYJ's agency is inundated with calls about the band's current Asian tour, titled The Return of the Kings.
"We receive a lot of requests from the Japanese fans to perform in their cities and we will try to do our best to confirm these performances," a C-JeS representative recently told Soompi.
The Return of the Kings tour, which visits Thailand, China and Vietnam, runs through Sept. 27.
Each of the band's members has a devoted following.
This year Kim Jaejoong is especially popular in Japan impressed critics with his performance as Heo Young Dal, the foolish gambler turned confident gambling executive in "Triangle." Not only did 2,000 fans turn up for his recent Japanese fan meet to promote "Triangle," but his face also appears on a special commemorative stamp in Japan.
Park Yoochun added another top-notch performance to his acting resume this year when he played a special agent in the political action thriller "Three Days." When Park Yoochun traveled to Japan a few months ago to promote his previous drama "Missing You," 1,000 fans waited for him at the airport. That drama ranked No. 1 in the pre-order chart. His film "Sea Fog," will also be shown in Japan.
When Kim Junsu had solo concerts in Tokyo and Osaka, 63,000 fans attended. He started his solo career in 2010 by releasing the single "Xiah" in Japan. It reached the #2 spot on the Oricon singles chart. In 2013 he released the solo album "Incredible." Which also reached #1 in the Oricon charts. In the last two years Junsu appeared in the musicals "Elizabeth," "December" and "Dracula." Junsu is so popular in Japan that his Japanese fans travel to Korea to see his musicals.
