BTS' SUGA just wrapped his North American tour and is making his way to Asia for the first time as a solo artist.
SUGA | Agust D TOUR ‘D-DAY’ in the U.S. included 11 sold-out shows across 5 cities, garnering over 155,000 fans. The multihyphenate showcased his rich solo discography – from past solo mixtapes Agust D (2016) and D-2 (2020) to the new album D-DAY, as well as his solo tracks for BTS. SUGA also gave fans a live music experience he has never showed onstage before.
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While SUGA held the stage on his own, the 'Haegum' rapper was joined by surprise guests MAX and Halsey for 'Burn It' and 'SUGA's Interlude' respectively for his LA shows.
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SUGA's live concert was one for the books as he and his team pulled out all the stops to make sure fans got the best concert experience – from the moving panels to the live band, the stellar dancers to the stylish fits.
To get ready for The King's arrival in Asia, let's get to know some of the members of the SUGA crew behind the D-DAY TOUR.
Taking his shows to another level, SUGA has enlisted a four-piece as his live band for this world tour. Bassist Yeonjun Lee, guitarist Shinwon, drummer Jinhun Kim, and keyboardist Kim Changhyun make up the band roster, alongside producer EL CAPITXN, who was also reportedly behind the boards for the live shows.
BTS' SUGA to screen Agust D's 'D-DAY Live in Japan' concert in cinemas worldwide
Yeonjun Lee (Bass)
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Yeonjun Lee is no stranger to the live stage. Before heading on tour with the SUGA crew, the bassist has performed with TOMORROW X TOGETHER at Summer Sonic in Japan, ZICO's concerts and fanmeets, SHINee members' fanmeetings, EPIK HIGH shows, CHEEZE's 'Mood Film' concert, and more. Aside from his live session work, Lee has also contributed to Eric Nam's reimagined version of There and Back Again, EXO SUHO's 'Decanting,' as well as arranged Whee In's 'The Girl In My Memories'.
The bassist was a hot topic on Twitter after he was spotted playing the bass with a "BAND LOVES YOONGI" sign, and later on posting an Instagram story saying "SUGA CREW LOVES YOONGI."
Yoongi’s bassist had a sign that says “BAND LOVES YOONGI 💜”#AgustD_SUGA_Tour_in_LA #AgustD_SUGA_Tour #AgustD_DDAY #SUGA_AgustD_Tour pic.twitter.com/bETnuccuD6
— aish⁷ // #SUGA_AgustD_Tour 🔥 (@minyo0n9i) May 11, 2023
Shinwon (Guitar)
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Video clips of Shin-won Park made the rounds on Twitter showing the guitarist holding up a phone that said the now iconic "YOONGI MARRY ME" sign. After the show, the musician responded to fans on Instagram, posting a photo captioned "I'm married btw. Don't be worried." Aside from surprise proposals onstage, the guitarist has been busy playing with the rest of the band on SUGA's world tour, as well as performances for the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He also appears on the live sessions for the Disney+ documentary, SUGA: Road to D-DAY.
Park has also played live guitar for the concerts of Korean singer-songwriters Roy Kim and Isaac Hong, vocal group LA POEM, Korean superstar IU, and more. Throughout the years, the guitarist has contributed to releases by K-pop acts such as BTS Jungkook and SUGA's 'Stay Alive,' WayV's 'Broken Love,' DAY6 Wonpil's Pilmography, Red Velvet Joy's special album, HELLO, and EXO SUHO's EP, Self-Portrait.
Starting his music career with 'One More Time' for the Boys Over Flowers soundtrack, the six-string wizard was initially a member of acoustic folk group, Tree Bicycle. Together with his sister, actress Park Shin-hye, the siblings worked on 'Love Like Snow' for the soundtrack of K-drama, Pinocchio. In 2017, he released his first album, Today Is Swednesday.
5 lessons to take away from BTS' SUGA's 'Road To D-DAY' documentary
Jinhun Kim (Drums)
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A BTS OG, drummer Jinhun Kim has performed with BTS since their earlier days. This time, the beatmaker reunites with SUGA for his world tour, alongside performances for TV shows and a Disney+ documentary. In demand among K-pop and K-indie acts, Kim has played with artists such as Roy Kim, former I*ZONE member Kwon Eunbi, WOODZ, Lee Seung Yoon, DEAN, and more.
His work can also be heard in recorded music like Taeyang's 'SEED,' LETTEAMOR's first mini-album, Wish, LEE MIN HYUK's PLAY, and Melomance's 'Festival'.
Kim Changhyun (Keys)
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Armed with his keytar and multiple keyboards, Kim Changhyun has delivered night after night at SUGA's world tour. A member of Korean rock band D82, the keyboardist is also a performer on his own right. In 2022, the four-piece debuted on survival TV show, Great Seoul Invasion, and as part of the show, the band performed with SURAN for 'Dangerous Night'.
When not onstage with his band or playing keys for concerts, the keyboardist can be heard playing the piano in numerous songs as part of music production group, 3LDK – from Suh ro's 'Will You Go Away' to Kim Yuna's 'Sugar Shower'.
EL CAPITXN
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Producer EL CAPITXN has been instrumental (literally) in SUGA | Agust D's music. He has production and songwriting credits in all of Agust D's mixtapes and first album, D-DAY, as well as several BTS tracks like 'Telepathy,' 'Interlude: Shadow' and 'Respect'.
Always alongside SUGA, the producer has also helped out with various projects from 'That That' with PSY to SUGA's remix of Coldplay and BTS' 'My Universe,' plus 'eight' with IU and Heize's 'We don't talk together' featuring Giriboy.
Born Jang Yi-jeong, he initially debuted with a group called History, before striking out on his own under his moniker J. Pearl, and eventually establishing himself as EL CAPITXN. Throughout the years, the BIGHIT MUSIC producer has also worked with other HYBE acts TOMORROW X TOGETHER and ENHYPEN. Some of his most recent work outside the HYBE roster includes SUNMI and BE'O's 'Lights Out' and Acid Angel from Asia's 'Generation'.
While his role for the tour has not been officially confirmed, fans have reportedly spotted the talented producer behind the soundboard at SUGA's concerts.
GRV (Dance Team - US Tour)
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Supported by HYBE performance directors Kim Min Seong, Noah Nakta (the performance director also showed up onstage to replace a sick dancer in one of the shows), and Lee Byung Eun, dance group GRV turned up with their A-game for the North American leg of the D-DAY tour. With SUGA taking the stage by himself for the first time, the GRV dance crew was there from the rapper's dramatic entrance down to his theatrical exit.
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Founded in 2007, the California-based dance crew's teams participate in various competitions such as VIBE and and BRDG Dance Competition. Its dancers and choreographers have also taken part in historic moments such as BLACKPINK's headlining peformance at Coachella headlining stint and SUGA's first solo performance at the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
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GRV member and choreographer of 'Butter (feat. Megan Thee Stallion) remix' choreographer Nick Joseph reunites with the HYBE crew for this tour. In an Instagram post, he shares how grateful he is to have been part of such a unique experience and regards SUGA as "an insanely amazing artist with a vision like no other". Aside from BTS, he has also previously worked with ENHYPEN for 'Pass The Mic,' TOMORROW X TOGETHER for 'Frost,' and SuperM for '100',
TEN AGENCY (Dance Team - Asia Tour)
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No strangers to the BTS stage, the TEN AGENCY dance team is accompanying SUGA for the Asia leg of his D-DAY TOUR. In the past the dance group has appeared with BTS in music videos for 'Permission To Dance' and Jimin's 'Set Me Free Pt.2'. They also accompanied j-hope for his 'MORE' performance at the 2022 MAMA Awards, as well as BTS in their Permission To Dance On Stage - Seoul concerts and 'Yet To Come' in Busan concert.
Woong Kim (Artist Conditioning Team)
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Staying fit is one of the most important things for artists, especially when they're on tour. To make sure SUGA remains in tiptop shape, HYBE conditioning team member and physio therapist Woong Kim travels with the touring party. Specialising in pilates, Kim's Pilates with Physio offers physical classes at their recently opened branch in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do.
Stoney Blue (Tour Dog - US Tour)
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Sporting a similar vibe to SUGA's very own Holly, Stoney Blue accompanied the D-DAY crew for the US leg of the tour. Not a stranger to BTS members, the famous doodle first attended BTS' PERMISSION TO DANCE concerts at the Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles in 2021. Last year, Stoney Blue joined j-hope backstage at HOBIPALOOZA – he even makes a cameo in a BTS episode on BangtanTV – dancing with another BTS member, Jimin.
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A tour veteran, Stoney Blue has been on the road with Post Malone, and backstage at Governor's Ball in New York.
SUGA | Agust D TOUR ‘D-DAY’ continues in Asia starting this week: Jakarta, Indonesia (26 - 28 May); Kanagawa, Japan (2 - 4 June); Bangkok, Thailand (9 - 11 June); Singapore (16 - 18 June); and Seoul, South Korea (24-25 June).
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