CJ Entertianment Proudly Presents "I AM: SMTOWN Live World Tour in Madison Square Garden"

Featuring Performances by K-Pop SuperstarsKang Ta,BoA, TVXQ!, Super Junior,Girls' Generation, SHINee & f(x)

Plus an Intimate, Behind-the-Scenes Look at 32 of K-Pop's Biggest Stars

Worldwide Sensation Explodes on DVD & Blu-ray in U.S.A. on Nov. 6th

Includes Full-Length Concert (2 ¾ Hours); Feature-Length Documentary (2-Hours) With Never-Before-Seen Footage on Stage and Off; and Special Features (45 Minutes)

Check Out the I AM: SMTOWN Sweepstakes at:www.iamk-pop.com

"If the massive roars of the sold-out show were any indication, everyone had a great time... "

-Billboard

"The secret's out … K-pop moves beyond Korean culture … Bonkers good fun".

-Los Angeles Timesin an article about K-pop (includingGirls' Generation)

Off-shore music hasn't created this much of a frenzy in this country since The Beatles invasion! Now experience the best of K-pop in

I AM: SMTOWN Live World Tour in Madison Square Garden, exploding on DVD (4 discs) and Blu-ray (1 disc) Nov. 6fromCJ Entertainment America.

Once outside the mainstream American music spotlight, K-pop (or Korean pop) is now a sensation not only on the U.S. scene but globally, led by such enormously popular acts asSMTOWNsuperstarsKang Ta,BoA, TVXQ!, Super Junior,Girls' Generation, SHINeeandf(x).

Included in"I AM."I AM: SMTOWN Live World Tourin Madison Square Gardenis the full-length, sold-out 2011 U.S. concert (approx. 2 ¾ hours) at one of the world's most-hallowed music arenas and a feature-length documentary (approx. 2 hours) highlighted by exclusive, backstage footage. Plus special features (approx. 45 minutes).

"I AM."ventures behind the scenes, providing intimate and unprecedented access to these mega-hit acts – doe-eyed girl groups, high-octane boy bands, provocative solo artists and swaggering duos – sharing their personal memories and backstage antics, as well as never-before-seen peeks at youthful audition tapes.

Pulling influences from techno, hip-hop, rap, R&B and top-40, theI AM: SMTOWNU.S. tour is highlighted by effervescent music; high-energy performances with a dance pop sensibility; teasing choreography; trend-setting high fashion; and elaborate, futuristic staging.

A must for any fan! And if you haven't already been hit byhallyu (Korean wave, a term coined to describe the rapidly expanding, international popularity of South Korean culture and food), you will be after experiencing the no-boundaries music ofSMTOWN.

"I AM."(Korean with English subtitles)is presented in widescreen 16x9 (aspect ratio: 2:35.1) and 5.1 Dolby Digital. Special features include "SMTOWN in New York" featurette; "What's Your Color?" featurette (SMTOWN artists reveal their favorite colors); "D-day With TVXQ!" (interview with the band); "Dear Family" music video; "Making Of" music video; and trailers.

I AM: SMTOWNSweepstakes:www.iamk-pop.com

Consumers can enter online atwww.iamk-pop.comand prizes will be awarded to 70 lucky winners: Blu-rays, DVDs and limited-edition collectibles, including such I AM: SMTOWN merchandise as: iPhone cases (a special case the SMTOWN performers use … not for sale on a retail basis), fabric posters autographed by a K-pop artist, t-shirts, pop-ups, photo notebooks and buttons.
 

The sweepstakes will be heavily promoted online, includingTwitter(@iamk_pop),Facebook (www.facebook.com/iam-kpop) and Tumblr (www.iamk-pop.tumblr.com). Consumers will automatically receive multiple entries into the sweepstakes by liking I AM on Facebook or by following and/or re-tweeting on Twitter. In addition, the release and sweepstakes is being promoted by a national advertising and public relations program.
 

The sweepstakes begins Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 12:01 a.m. and ends Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 11:59 p.m. Consumers must be 13 years of age or older to enter (Full rules and regulations online).

"I AM.": SMTOWN Live World Tour in Madison Square Garden

CJ Entertainment America

DVD(4 Discs) /Blu-ray(1 Disc)

Genre:Music/Documentary

Language:Korean With English Subtitles

Not Rated(Recommended for Ages 13+)

Formats:DVD & Blu-ray

Running Time:Approx. 4 ¾ Hours (Plus Approx. 45 Minutes Special Features)

Suggested Retail Price: DVD –$24.98 /Blu-ray –$29.98

Pre-Order Date:October 2, 2012

Street Date:November 6, 2012

Catalog #: DVD –406CJ /Blu-ray –405CJ

UPC Code: DVD – #851339004067 /Blu-ray – #851339004050

Not familiar with K-pop … Where ya been?!?

韓流 / hallyu
Translation: Korean wave (The term coined by the media to describe the rapidly expanding,
 international popularity of South Korean culture and food).
 
"It's no wonder so many people around the world have caught the Korean wave-hallyu".
- President Barack Obama during a diplomatic visit to South Korea (March 2012)

"In 2009, one single instantly transformed [Korea's] role in the Asian pop landscape.
Girls' Generation's "Gee" was the K-pop equivalent of Elvis walking into Sun Studios …"
- Los Angeles Times (April 2012)

"When bands like2NE1, Super Junior and SHINee hold concerts in Europe and the United States,
tickets sell out within minutes and fans have used Facebook and Twitter to organize flash mobs
demanding more shows, as they did in Paris in May".
- New York Times (March 2012)
 
 "After its performance on Oct. 23 at Madison Square Garden in New York City,Girls' Generationhas
continued to receive rave reviews from both critics and press worldwide. Due to its outstanding showing at this American concert, the girl group can now rightfully be named one of the international representatives of K-Pop …
The sky's the limit for the young ladies ofGirls' Generation!"
- Billboard (November 2011)

"[Korea's] native popular music, universally known as K-pop, is also finding a growing international audience in places such as the United States, Europe, the Middle East and South America … in Los Angeles, the Korean Music Festival has been a part of the concert season at the 17,000-plus capacity Hollywood Bowl for the past 10 years … The Korea Times … says the [sold-out] festival now attracts approximately 30 percent non-Koreans".
Grammy.com(May 2012)

"When we performed in Los Angeles, New York and Paris, we were shocked and surprised to see that the majority of our fans were non-Asian. That is when we realized how big and influential K-pop was [becoming] around the world".
- Sunny,Girls' Generation

More factoids about K-pop …

In 2011, Korean cultural exports – including films, music, television, comics and computer games – hit a record $4.2 billion.

In August 2011, in response to K-pop's expanding influence on the music industry, Billboard magazine launched the K-Pop Hot 100 chart.

In December 2011, YouTube launched a dedicated K-pop music channel, reflecting its growing presence on the global music scene. This is the first YouTube music channel entirely dedicated to a single country's music (Other channels are based on genres, such as alternative, electronic, R&B or jazz).Girls' Generation's "Gee" video has surpassed 86 million views; Super Junior's "Sorry, Sorry" video has passed 40 million views; and the "Electric Shock" video, posted in June 2012 by f(x), surpassed 6 million plays in two days (now nearing 30 million hits). SHINee has almost 36.5 hits on their "Lucifer" video and nearly as many on "Ring, Ding, Dong".

Check them out at:

Girls Generation

Super Junior

f(x)

SHINee

In 2011, K-pop groups became opening acts for top American groups like the Jonas Brothers and Linkin Park and are currently in talks for an upcoming tour with Justin Bieber.

In January 2012,Girls' Generationbroke further barriers with performances on network TV on Late Night With David Lettermen and Live With Kelly!

Flash mobs are springing up to K-pop hits across the country … like this one August 18th in Pasadena, Calif:

In Sept. 2012, Korean rapper PSY's "Gangnam Style" surpassed 100 million views on YouTube faster than any video in the website's history (now nearing 222 million hits), becoming a national phenomenon and further engraining Korean pop culture in the U.S. psyche.

Some of the biggest names in K-pop were born and/or raised in the U.S., including Tiffany andJessicafromGirls' Generation; Krystal and Amber from f(x); andChoi Si-wonfrom Super Junior.