On an early Sunday morning, avid fans of Taeyang waited in line, sitting on blankets with food to last them the entire day. Fans anxiously shared their excitement about being able to see their favorite artist perform live. Among these fans was junior Juhee Yang. Yang arrived at the concert venue at 8 a.m. and waited around twelve hours in order to ensure a spot in which she could get the best view.  
“His voice is a blessing,” Yang said. “I’ve been following Taeyang and Big Bang since my childhood.”

Taeyang, a singer, songwriter and dancer, is a member of the South Korean boy band, Big Bang. Big Bang is one of the most popular K-Pop bands worldwide. The group has sold over 140 million records and became the first Korean artists to be featured in Forbes’s Celebrity 100 issue and 30 under 30 list.

Because of the popularity of the concert among K-Pop fans in the Bay Area, many people were unable to attend Taeyang’s concert as tickets quickly sold out. In less than an hour, all of the reserved seating tickets were gone, leaving only the general admission and platinum tickets which were priced at $189 and $319, respectively. Sophomore Catherine Choi and sophomore Elvis Lang were some of the unlucky people who missed the opportunity to see Taeyang.

“I was so disappointed because I really wanted to go. I’ve been listening to Taeyang for so long,” Choi said. “I refreshed the ticketing website over and over, but tickets sold out so quick, so I couldn’t really do anything about the situation.”

Other students were unable to attend the concert for different reasons. Lang explained how he learned of the concert too late to purchase tickets.

“I couldn’t go to the concert because by the time I found out that there was a concert, I was too late and couldn’t get tickets,” Lang said. “I wanted to go and would have gone [if there were still tickets available].”

On Aug. 16, Taeyang released his first solo album in three years, “WHITE NIGHT.” His album was a success, ranking number one on the Billboard Chart for World Digital Albums and the iTunes chart in 24 different countries. Following his new album’s release, he kicked off the North American leg of his WHITE NIGHT World Tour, with San Jose being his sixth stop.

“I waited [in line for] 12 hours before the concert,” Yang said. “I especially wanted to go because it’s not often that K-Pop artists come to San Jose.”

At 7:30 p.m., the long wait was finally over and fans were able to see Taeyang perform onstage. He performed all eight songs from his new album as well as some of his hit songs from his old albums. He also sang popular songs released by his group Big Bang, causing fans to go wild.

“I can’t really pinpoint my favorite moment because there were so many,” Yang said. “I really liked when he sang Big Bang songs and ‘Eyes, Nose, Lips.’”

Despite getting a minor injury and bloody nose during the concert, Taeyang maintained a professional demeanor as he reassured fans that he was completely okay and proceeded with the concert. As the concert neared an end, Taeyang played the piano while singing along to Big Bang’s “Last Dance.”

“Every time I sing this song I miss [the] Big Bang members a lot. We were able to make music and spend the last ten years together because of [your support],” Taeyang said at the concert. “You have always been by our side and showed us the world even though we’re on the opposite side [of the world in] Korea. I will never forget the support from all of you in San Jose.”

Regardless of whether they were able to attend the concert or not, students continue to support Taeyang and enjoy listening to his music.

“What’s not to like about him?” Choi said. “He’s good looking and good at singing. Win-win.”