Artists of SM Entertainment pose during a photocall of a press conference in Tokyo, Japan on September 4, 2011. [SM Entertainment]

Japan's Tokyo Dome is the performing venue of every artist's dreams. You need enough fans to fill up all 50,000 seats and need to be of a status which befits such a number. Hence if all three days of a concert at that venue have sold out, it probably means that musician has reached the peak of one's dreams in Japan.

SM Entertainment's "SMTOWN Live World Tour in Tokyo Special Edition" was that very concert. It was a joint concert but the fact that the recently popular artists of SM including BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, SHINee and f(x) was able to hold three days worth of shows at the Tokyo Dome proves their current status in Japan. Below are excerpts from the press conference in Tokyo on September 4.


<#10_QMARK#> What does it feel like to hold your SMTOWN concert at the Tokyo Dome? Kangta, I think that getting to perform at such a venue with your juniors must be more meaningful to you in particular.
Kangta: I'm happy to get to perform with the artists of our agency for the first time in a while. It's also been a while since I had performed in Japan. And it personally means a lot to me for us to get to hold three series of shows with about 50,000 audiences. I also envy my juniors who get to stand on the stage of such a venue. I think it would have been great to get to perform at such an honorable place when I was a member of an idol group. Yet it stimulated me to work even harder. This is a significant concert to me in so many ways.

“The SMTOWN concerts are for everyone -- men and women, regardless of nationality."

Super Junior performs at the SMTOWN concert held at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan from September 2 to 4, 2011. [SM Entertainment]

<#10_QMARK#> Where do you think your power lies in being able to attract 150,000 in three days?
Kangta: I think our strategy of localizing ourselves worked out for us. And I think that's why we attract more people to our shows.
Lee Teuk: Mr. Lee Soo-man told us we'd become No. 1 in all of Asia which I think will happen soon.

<#10_QMARK#> BoA, I'm sure this is meaningful to you too with it being the tenth year since your debut.
BoA: It definitely isn't easy to get to hold these sort of concerts. I think it's amazing that we get to stand on the stage of a venue everyone dreams of and for me to have gotten to be with these people for ten years. I'd like to ask for your continued interest in us artists at SM Entertainment even after this concert ends. (laugh)

<#10_QMARK#> In what way do you think your juniors and the response of the Japanese fans are different compared to ten years ago?
BoA: There was no 'hallyu' or Korean Wave when I first debuted and Korean singers were an unfamiliar presence to Japanese people. I was lonely as well. Hence I was in a disadvantageous position to advance into the Japanese music market but I told myself it'll help me learn more. I do envy my juniors in that nowadays, it seems like they have more freedom to do the music they want to do... That they can do a larger variety of music.

<#10_QMARK#> How has it felt to perform at the Tokyo Dome?
BoA: I've been singing in Japan for ten years but I wasn't lonely at today's concert. I had always felt lonely before but I was happy and proud to get to fill up the Tokyo Dome while having so much fun.
U-Know Yunho: The Tokyo Dome is a meaningful place to TVXQ as well but it was even more meaningful to get perform at the venue with our seniors and juniors. We'll keep working harder.

TVXQ performs at the SMTOWN concert held at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan from September 2 to 4, 2011. [SM Entertainment]

<#10_QMARK#> What do you think is the difference between the concert of a single group versus SMTOWN?
U-Know Yunho: More than anything, I think our SMTOWN concert is a concert where we can have fun with everyone. We also revealed a new song of ours through this concert which we're happy about because people said a lot more good things about it than we expected. We're going to keep working harder.
Lee Teuk: I'd like to start by telling Kangta thank you. He said that we're good and that he envies us but we're able to do what we do because of our seniors. That's why I felt great when we were singing his song "Light." It was my dream to perform at the Tokyo Venue and I achieved it before going to the military. And our own concerts are about just the members of our group having fun and leading the show but our joint concert features many teams so I think it's for everyone -- men and women, regardless of nationality."

<#10_QMARK#> Lee Teuk, when will you go to the military?
Lee Teuk: Next year. Also, Super Junior will hold our "SUPER SHOW" starting November 19 in Seoul. We also plan to hold it in Japan on December 10 and 11 and ELF Japan will be established officially as well so we ask for your support so that we may fill up our concert venue. (laugh)

“When we're on stage, I always think of our seniors first.”

BoA performs at the SMTOWN concert held at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan from September 2 to 4, 2011. [SM Entertainment]

<#10_QMARK#> U-Know Yunho, you flew in the air during the concerts. How did that feel?
U-Know Yunho: I rode a wire for the first time and it was actually scary at first. (laugh) But it turned out to be fun once the crowd started responding to it. I was happy to see that a lot of people enjoyed seeing us despite our long break. We'll continue to keep moving forward with the mindset that we're putting ourselves up to new challenges. Our juniors are starting to push forward (laugh) so I'd like to serve as a good example as a senior to them.

<#10_QMARK#> Girls' Generation, you're in the midst of gaining popularity in Japan these days. How has it felt to perform at the Tokyo Dome?
Seohyun: K-pop is receiving attention globally these days so we're happy and amazed to see that we at SM are amongst those whose music is being loved. It makes me feel that we should work even harder.
Tiffany: When we're on stage, I always think of our seniors first. I'm always so grateful to them and want to prepare every performance with a strong sense of responsibility. It's just sad that we didn't get to be here with Sooyoung today because of her accident. We'd like her to be with us the next time we stand on a stage.

<#10_QMARK#> f(x) and SHINee, you've just started to pursue your singing careers in Japan so I'm sure you feel different from them.
Victoria: It's an honor to get to perform at such a prestigious venue and we feel more reassured while having fun since we get to perform with the seniors at our agency. There's a lot for us to learn from their performances.
Key: The Tokyo Dome is a venue we'd dreamt of performing at. So it's a great honor that we've gotten to stand on its stage with our seniors and juniors. I think a lot everyone else must've looked forward to this concert as well. This concert is more meaningful because we all get to collaborate with each other on a single stage.
Victoria: We get to work with our seniors for the SMTOWN concerts and there's a lot that we learn from working with them. We're planning to debut in Japan early next year so we'd like to use this opportunity to make ourselves get known better in Japan.
Onew: There were many performances in which seniors and juniors collaborated and those definitely stood out more.

Girls' Generation performs at the SMTOWN concert held at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan from September 2 to 4, 2011. [SM Entertainment]

<#10_QMARK#> The Grace, you performed in Japan for the first time in a while.
The Grace: It had been a really long time since we performed in Japan. And we're extremely happy to get to perform at the venue of everyone's dreams. Please let us come here again. (laugh)

<#10_QMARK#> Lastly, are there any wishes you'd like to see come true in time with Korea's Chuseok Thanksgiving holidays? (laugh)
Onew: We'd like to hold concerts where if possible, we can be close to our fans and I wish good health for everyone.
Victoria: I wish good health for everyone who helps and loves us. Tomorrow will be the second year since f(x)'s debut but we'll try to show an even more improved side to us on the third year.
BoA: This is a personal wish but the movie I shot this year is in post-production stages. I'm hoping it'll be a good movie.
U-Know Yunho: More than anything, I think I just really enjoyed myself at today's concert. It doesn't happen often so I'm hoping I'll feel this joy forever.
Kangta: I hadn't been in korea much because I shot a TV series in China as soon as I was discharged from the military. And I had actually been telling myself I'd like to date someone as soon as I'm discharged. Hence, my wish is to get married within the next two years. (laugh)
BoA: Please go! (laugh)
Lee Teuk: Three years ago, SHINee's wish was that they grow old quickly. (laugh) But for me, I'd like time to stop. I think I've always been happy but I'm happy each and everyday these days. I'm also hoping that our upcoming "SUPER SHOW" will be a sellout. And I hope that everybody becomes rich. (laugh)

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