K-pop stars to open Aguilera's Seoul concerts

Ivy, one of the country's hottest sexy divas, and Lee Min-woo (also known as M), a member of the idol band Shinhwa, will play opening sets for two concerts featuring Christina Aguilera.

According to B4H Entertainment, a local PR agency behind the first-ever solo concert of the American pop idol, two K-pop stars best known for their dynamic stage performances have been selected out of many K-pop stars through a round of music video screening done under the supervision of Aguilera's concert producers and tour managers.

Apparently Aguilera herself checked their audio-visual material for final confirmation. "Before my debut, I used to practice dancing to her music video. It's simply an honor to share the stage with such an inspiring star", Ivy, 24, whose real name is Park Eun-hye, said in an interview.

Debuting in 2005 with the album "Vol. 1 - My Sweet and Free Day", Ivy, a great dancer with an attractive lean physique, has been in limelight ever since, appealing to a wide range of audiences.

"Seductive Sonata", the title song of her second album released earlier this year, topped the music chart at the leading internet music website Bugs Music for streamline listening, making her the first female artist to achieve such a feat since Baek Ji-young, last year. Lee Min-woo, on the other hand, has been invited to the American superstar's concert in Osaka, Japan, as a guest performer. "Recently, I have been in touch with singer Jay-Z and Britney Spears' producer who are also close to Aguilera", Lee, a big star in both Korea and Japan, provided some background in an interview.

With or without the rest of Shinhwa members, the 26-year-old singer/dancer of the six-man band has been a star. His two solo albums -- the mellow first album, "Freestyle" and powerful follow-up "2nd Winds" -- have been well-received in the local pop music market. He also became a guest on Craig David's show case stage here two years ago.

Just like Eric Moon and Kim Dong-wan, two other popular Shinhwa members, Lee also finds acting as exciting and rewarding as singing. "By acting, I think I learn how to control my emotions better, which is helpful for my singing career as well", Lee told The Korea Herald in a previous interview.

Aguilera has achieved four number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart so far and released her third album, "Back to Basics", last August, which gave the upcoming Seoul concert its name: "Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics Concert in Seoul". After her European tour to celebrate the album's release last year, she embarked on a current tour of 41 U.S. cities, which began in Houston, Texas, on Feb. 20.

"This is a concept album that follows a bold, set vision", Aguilera said in an interview. The upcoming two concerts in Seoul will not be far off of her U.S. tour in terms of scale. More than 80 musicians, dancers, and various production specialists have been collaborating to create Aguilera's concerts.

Tickets for the concerts range from 80,000 won to 160,000 won. For more information, call (02) 1544-1555.

By Lee Yong-sung