TVXQ rewrites Oricon history with new Japanese album

TVXQ [SM Entertainment]

Korean duo TVXQ's new Japanese album has topped Japan's prestigious Oricon weekly chart, according to their agency SM Entertainment.

On Tuesday, SM announced in a press release that TVXQ's album "TONE" has sold about 205,000 copies during the first week since its release on September 28, making it the first time in over 11 years that an international male artist has sold over 200,000 editions of their album in the first week.

The record was previously set by American rock group Bon Jovi who sold over 200,000 copies of their album "Crash" on its debut week in May 2000.

"This is the first time in one year and seven months, after the release of best album 'BEST SELECTION 2010,' that an album by TVXQ has returned to Oricon's weekly album chart " an official with Oricon was quoted as saying.

TVXQ had previously topped Oricon's weekly singles chart nine times though “TONE” is the first full-length album to place atop the weekly albums chart aside from their special record.

"TONE," their first Japanese release as a duo, is produced in three editions and includes such as songs as "Why? (Keep Your Head Down)," "Superstar," "B.U.T (BE-AU-TY)" and "MAXIMUM" while it had also ranked first on Oricon's daily albums chart.

TVXQ will also visit Japan to take part in fan events to promote "TONE" starting at the Grand Cube Osaka in Osaka on November 1 and the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo two days later.

The boys will then hold their nationwide tour titled "TVXQ LIVE TOUR 2012~ TONE~" for three months starting January 2012 where they will hold a total of 14 shows in nine cities.

They will perform for a series of shows in Yokohama, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Niigata, Sapporo, Fukui, Osaka and Tokyo till March 2012.

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10 아시아 Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@
10 아시아 Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@