K-pop group's fans GOT lucky

GOT7 got style.

The seven members of the rookie K-pop boy band put up a highly energetic performance at their first fan meet in Singapore.

They also interacted with their 1,600 fans, who paid between $99 and $249 for a seat at Kallang Theatre on Saturday evening.

GOT7, who debuted in January last year, consists of Mark, 21, JB, 21, Jackson, 21, Jr, 20, Youngjae, 19, Bambam, 17, and Yugyeom, 17.

In one segment, seven female fans were chosen to go on stage to pair up with the group's seven members.

The pairs took turns to strut across the stage while posing for the camera, to the envy of the many screaming fans in the audience.

Undergraduate Aishah Sudinshah, 22, was one of the fans who got to go on stage.

The group had asked for girls with long hair, wearing skirts and so on.

Aishah, who was paired up with Youngjae to do the catwalk, told The New Paper: "It's surreal. I cannot believe that I am this lucky. I have been to quite a few K-pop gigs and this is the first time I was chosen to go on stage.

"My favourite members are JB and Jackson as their personalities stand out.

"And GOT7's songs are very catchy and nice," she added.

GOT7 kicked off their 7pm gig with their infectious uptempo hit Stop Stop It, complete with sexy synchronised dance moves.

That was followed by another popular track, Gimme, which had fans screaming along to every word.

Some of the fans had even made a video greeting and bought a cake to celebrate Bambam's birthday, which is on May 2.

Bambam, who was visibly touched, said in English: "This is my first time celebrating my birthday with my fans. I am so happy and I just want to give everyone a big hug."

ACROBATIC MOVES

The group is well known for its members' martial arts tricking - a combination of martial arts kicks with flips and twists from gymnastics, as well as breakdancing styles - and they proudly showed off their skills on stage by performing difficult acrobatic manoeuvres during their song Girls Girls Girls.

Undergraduate Priscilla Peck, 23, said: "GOT7 is different from other boy bands as they are good at martial arts tricking and that makes them very unique. It's very fresh and the whole fan meet was so fun."

Student Vivien Sim, 14, added: "The fan meet is interactive and fans got to go on stage to play these fun games with them. "My favourite member is Mark. He can speak English and Mandarin and can perform the flips very well."

TV show raised member's profile

GOT7 member Jackson saw his popularity soar after he joined the second season of Korean reality TV series Roommate last September.

The hyperactive heart-throb is known for his outspoken, chatty persona on the show, which features 11 celebrities living together in a house and interacting with each other.

Other famous names in the second season include female K-pop idol Youngji, 20, actor Lee Dong Wook, 33, comedian Jo Se Ho, 32.

The boost the show gave to Jackson's profile has made his fellow GOT7 members want to join such variety programmes, too.

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, group leader JB said in Korean, speaking through a translator: "I want to thank Jackson for letting more people know about GOT7 through Roommate.

"I myself hope to join a reality or variety show if there is a chance. I want to be able to show my true self on screen."

Member Bambam added: "I am very sporty so I would like to join a programme with sports activities, one that allows me to move around a lot."

Off-screen, Jackson could not sit still during the media session and chimed in from time to time while the rest of the guys were talking. Having visited here seven times in the past, he has fond memories of Singapore.

Speaking in perfect English, Jackson, who was born and brought up in Hong Kong, said: "I love it here, the food is great. I remember going to Sentosa and the Night Safari, they are so pretty."