This year marked the second year for KPOP MINNECON at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. Produced by local K-pop event organizer, MNKPOPCONNECT, the convention brought many fans to Minnesota. KPOP MINNECON celebrates everything K-pop. From performances to KPOP Random Play dances to vendors selling kpop albums, gifts, etc., there was something for everyone to enjoy.
With popular snack brand Calbee was the sponsor for this year, the festival was bigger and longer! The event was expanded to two-days and offered a star-studded lineup. This year’s performers are JTR, AIDEN, and Hohyun. Justin Park headlined for day one and ICHILLIN’ headlined Day 2. Alan Lee (voice of Mystery Saja) and Samuil Lee (voice of Romance Saja) from KPOP Demon Hunters attended the event as panelists and hosted a fun panel together. Fans were able to hear behind stories and ask questions. Calbee also provided free snacks for attendees! Attendees were able to try some of their new gummy snacks that they had just released.
Let’s get to know the artists!
JRT is a three-member group that came together because of their love of music. The group consists of Ramiro Brave, TOSHI, and Chang Hee Kim (also known as JJANG.E). They performed for Day 1 of KPOP MINNECON. Ramiro is a Texas-based R&B indie artist. He performed last year at KPOP MINNECON 2025. He got candid with the crowd as he discussed how last year’s performance he was at one of the lowest stages of his life. He learned the day of his KPOP MINNECON performance that he was getting a divorce. He thanked the crowd for helping him get through a dark time of his life. Ramiro has been steadily growing his following and foot in the music industry since his first tour last year and has been able to perform in many states, events, and venues. JJANG.E is a short-form content creator and fashion influencer. He was born in South Korea and lived there for a few years before moving to the states. During his performance, he performed an upbeat trot song that the audience loved and a ballad song in dedication to his family member who recently passed away. TOSHI is the leader of JTR. He is an independent artist that has more rock-influence in his music. Although all three had uniquely different personalities and music genres, they came together to share their love for music and their friendship. They ended their performance by doing a performance together. The crowd cheered as Ramiro ripped open JJANG.E’s shirt.
AIDEN is a solo artist based in Seoul, South Korea. He was a previous member of K-pop band ATEEN and pre-debut group B.I.T. He is currently signed with DIPBLU. AIDEN made his solo debut in 2023. Since his debut, he has been working hard on producing his own music and finding his sound. KPOP MINNECON was the last stop of his US tour and he performed on both days. He also performed at the Panda Festival and K-PLAY! FEST in Orange County. During this performance, he mentioned that he had briefly stayed in the US and it was nice to be back. He also included a short Q&A session with the fans on both days of the convention allowing fans to get to know him better.
HOHYUN is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter who has been steadily making a name for himself. He performed on both days of KPOP MINNECON, treating audiences to the calm, introspective sound he’s known for. HOHYUN has worked hard to promote his music on social media, and his song “SUNSET BOULEVARD” has already earned thousands of streams on YouTube. Originally passionate about filmmaking, he doesn’t stop at writing and producing his own songs. He also directs his own music videos. Drawing on his personal experiences, HOHYUN writes lyrics that are honest and emotionally deep. During his set, he opened up about his own experience with depression and spoke about the importance of talking openly about mental health. On and off stage, he was just as dedicated to connecting with fans. He went down into the crowd, tossed free snacks to the audience, signed merch, and even filmed TikTok videos with fans. Check out his hit song “SUNSET BOULEVARD” below!
Justin Park headlined Day 1 of KPOP MINNECON, capping off a remarkable rise that began when BTS member Jungkook shared Park’s song “On the Low” on social media and sang it during a livestream. The exposure transformed Park’s career almost overnight. The song climbed the charts, and he quickly gained a wave of new listeners, views, and followers. At KPOP MINNECON, he brought along a few special guests to make the night even more memorable. Popular dancers Jonny Tran and Mark Tullen made surprise appearances, joining Park on stage for high-energy choreography, and artist LETEVEON also took the stage to perform a few songs with Park. The collaborations showed off Park’s range as a performer and gave the crowd a set they won’t soon forget. For an artist whose big break came from a single viral moment, his headlining performance proved that he has the talent and stage presence to keep his momentum going long after the spotlight first found him. Justin ended his night with an after party at Unison Restaurant and Banquet.
ICHILLIN’ is a seven-member girl group that debuted under KMEntertainment in 2021. They previously visited the US as part of the US KPOP BREAKOUT Tour in 2024. Though they are based in South Korea, members Joonie and Jackie grew up in California and are fluent in English. The other members are E.JI, Jiyoon, Chaerin, Yeju, and Chowon. A translator was provided for artists who did not speak English and everyone was able to communicate with fans. ICHILLIN’ held a special meet and greet stage on Day 1. Fans and the organizers celebrated Yeju’s birthday by preparing a surprise gift for her. Fans also brought flyers to celebrate the special day. After their meet and greet stage ended, fans were able to head downstairs to do fan events with the ICHILLIN’ members. On Day 2, ICHILLIN’ headlined the evening concert and held fan events throughout the day. They did fansigns, took selfies with fans, and did a short preview for their upcoming performance for the night. They performed many songs like “XL (Extra Love)” and “La Luna”.
Fans Got Closer to Artists Through Fan Events
Many of the artists and panelists also held fan events throughout the day. Fans were able to buy artist merchandise, participate in artist fansign, and take photos with the artists. These fan events were held during the convention as well as after the evening concert.
Dance the Night Away
One highlight attendees always look forward to is the KPOP Random Play Dance (RPD), hosted by MNKPOPCONNECT. Many fans love it so much that they attend nearly every event MNKPOPCONNECT puts on. At an RPD, the community comes together to dance to short snippets of K-POP songs, usually the chorus or the most iconic part. Fans stand in a U-shape, wait for a song to start, and jump in if they know the choreography. It’s a chance to show off their dance style, perform to their favorite songs, and hang out with friends. Occasionally, a song calls for an impromptu duet, and dancers pair up with random partners on the spot. That unpredictability is what makes RPDs so much fun.
This year, Elite Family Dance also hosted dance workshops, and dancers and non-dancers alike joined in to learn new routines. Elite Family Dance is a local Minnesota-based dance company that offers lessons in hip-hop and breaking. As the official partner of MNKPOPCONNECT, they also served as judges for this year’s dance competitions, and a team from the company opened the competition on both days.
Between the spontaneous energy of the RPD and the hands-on learning of the workshops, dance was at the heart of the convention. Whether attendees were seasoned performers or simply there to try something new, they had plenty of chances to move, connect, and celebrate their love of K-POP together. These moments showed what makes the MNKPOPCONNECT community so special: a welcoming space where everyone is invited to join the circle.
Outside of the random play dances, the event also holds dance competitions. Talented dancers compete to win the grand prizes. This year, the event held two competitions: Group performances for Day 1 and solo performances for Day 2. The community and many of the performer’s friends and family came to show support.
Something for Everyone
Even if you were not a dancer, you could still explore the convention and have fun. This year, there were many different kinds of vendors. Some were selling K-POP albums, keychains, or photo cards. Others were selling things like press on nails, candles, and fun trading cards and nicknacks. There was also a karaoke area set up where fans could showcase their talents and have fun with their fans. We got to see some really talented singers in this area. Fans could watch and participate in the panels or watch the RPD’s. Fans and attendees also had the opportunity to attend the meet and greet with ICHILLIN’ and get to know them more through their Q&A session. Due to construction in the area, there were no food trucks this year and attendees could eat the concession food that the venue offered or step outside to get food and come back.
It was great seeing all the K-POP fans gather and celebrate together! We are excited to see how KPOP MINNECON continues to grow. It’s awesome that Minnesota is finally getting events and opportunities to celebrate their love for Korean music, culture, etc. together. Thank you to MNKPOPCONNECT, the artists, volunteers, dancers, judges, fans, etc. for all of their hard work to make this year’s convention come to life.
Canada’s largest Korean cultural celebration just got bigger — and rainier. The Toronto Korean Festival 2026 took over Mel Lastman Square from August 21st to 23rd, drawing hundreds of fans from across Canada and around the world for three days of K-pop performances, Korean street food, and traditional culture. This year’s festival didn’t just meet expectations — it shattered them, upgrading from a single headliner to a four-act lineup that included rising boy groups, a rock band, and a genre-bending “Guk Pop” act.
Here’s your complete recap of Toronto’s biggest K-pop festival, including who performed, what went down, and why 2026 was the festival’s most ambitious year yet.
What Is the Toronto Korean Festival?
Held annually at Mel Lastman Square, the Toronto Korean Festival is a free, three-day Korean culture festival featuring K-pop performances, dance and singing competitions, Korean food vendors, and a traditional Hanbok fashion show. It’s widely recognized as the largest Korean festival in Canada, pulling attendees from across the country and internationally.
In previous years, the festival typically booked just one K-pop act. In 2026, organizers went all in, bringing four Korean acts to perform across all three days: NouerA, ASC2NT, CATCH THE YOUNG, and GRANADA.
GRANADA (그라나다) is a unique band that blends traditional instruments with pop. They’ve coined their music genre as “Guk Pop”. The band incorporates dancing, traditional and pop music, and traditional instruments into their songs. Although the lineup has changed a few times since debut, the current members include Seo Jeni as the main vocalist, Lee Dayeong and Kim Hyogyeong on the Korean traditional instrument called Haegeum, Lee Subin on the Gayageum, and Lim Jaehee on the Daegeum (traditional flute-like instrument). Plus, they even brought one of their dancers from Korea to perform on stage with them!
Their Toronto set spanned genres and moods, delighting the crowd with everything from an upbeat cover of ‘Uptown Funk’ to the slow ballad ‘아로새기다’ to a fan-favorite rendition of “IDOL” from K-pop Demon Hunters. Jeni expertly hosted their stage by introducing her members and letting them showcase their talents. She talked about how much they loved Toronto. They ended their set each day with a fun DJ set.
CATCH THE YOUNG: Korea’s Up and Coming Rock Band
Debuting in 2023 under Evermore Entertainment, CATCH THE YOUNG (캐치더영)is a up and coming band that consists of vocalist Namhyun, drummer Jungmo, pianist and vocalist Junyong, guitarist Kihoon, and bassist and sub vocalist Sani. They are steadily growing and becoming more well-known in Korea and abroad. When they first debuted, they used to do a lot of street busking. However, now you can see them performing at large festivals like the Sound Planet Festival. Catch the Young will have a Latin America tour in September. Some of their most popular tracks include “Sail,” “Footsteps,” and “Amplify”.
During the first day of the festival, CATCH THE YOUNG leaned more towards covering other artists’ songs. They performed covers of popular English songs like Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi” and Bryan Adam’s “Summer of 69”. They also mixed some of their tracks in the setlist, like “Amplify”. Their second day performance was cancelled due to the rain and thunderstorm. On the third day of the festival, they rocked the stage with a slightly different setlist, performing one of their newest hit, “Sail”.
ASC2NT: A Band with Many Experiences
ASC2NT (어센트), a five-member group managed by NEWWAYS COMPANY, features members Karam, Jay, Reon, Kyle, and Hyowon. Three members — Karam, Jay, and Hyowon — previously competed on the Korean survival show PEAK TIME. This show aim to spotlight lesser known k-pop boy bands. The bands compete with each other to be the final team that won the chance to promote and create a new album. This show was before ASC2NT was formed. Karam and Jay were previously group mates from the boy band Xing and The Boss (later renamed DGNA) and Hyowon was previously a member of JWiiver.
After the show ended, ASC2NT was formed. Karam, Jay, Injun, Reon, and Kyle were the original line up of the group. They debuted with the title track, “Love Me Do.” Injun later left the group and Hyowon joined — creating today’s lineup.
The band’s international appeal runs deep: Kyle was born in Indonesia and can speak the language, Karam and Jay promoted for a long time in Japan as part of the group DGNA and is well-versed in the language, and Reon and Kyle can speak English. With such a unique background, they are able to easily and successfully promote abroad. They have also been growing a large international fan base.
ASC2NT previously performed in Canada in 2024 for their “EXPECTING TOMORROW” tour. The Toronto Korean Festival marked a huge milestone for Hyowon as this would mark his first time in Canada. During their 2024 tour, he was not part of the group yet. He told the crowd he was excited to be there and Reon said that Hyeowon prepared a lot for his first Canada stage.
Some of the songs ASC2NT performed includes “Still Rose,” “Don’t Move,” and “Green Light, Yellow Light, Red Light”. They also performed a cover of BIGBANG’s “Fantastic Baby”.
NouerA: A New Era is Coming
NouerA (누에라, pronounced “new era”) is one of K-pop’s newest breakout acts. Formed on the survival competition MAKE MATE 1 and debuting in 2025 with “N.I.N (New is Now),” the seven-member group — Fan, Lin, Miraku, Gihyeon, Junpyo, Hyunjun, and Yuseop — has just claimed their first two music show win with the song “.exe”.
NouerA wrapped up the Canadian leg of their first World Tour with a three-day performance at the 2026 Toronto Korean Festival. Fans from China, Japan, and Quebec came to show support. The group performed a dance-heavy and energetic setlist. Pausing only briefly to sip water and greet fans before launching into their next song. Their stamina matched their skill, making it clear that NouerA is a boy band worth watching out for.
Beyond the Headliners: Bring on the Festivities
Outside of the headliners, attendees can watch local talent compete in the dance and singing competitions. Some songs performed at this year’s dance competition include &TEAM’s “Back to Life”, Hearts2Hearts “RUDE!”, and MEOVV’s “DDi RO RI”. Both the dance competition and singing competition was judged by industry professionals from SOURCE MUSIC and WakeOne. The main stage also housed the Korean Hanbok fashion show. The fashion show showcased both men’s and women’s hanbok.
The festival also include Korean food vendors, alcoholic drinks, and vendors selling various goods. Some food they had onsite included galbi, Jjolmyeon, grilled squid, Bibimbop, Korean fried chicken, Tteokbokki, etc. There was also ice cream waffle, mochi donut, sweet drinks, and churros for dessert. Attendees could pay $10 CAD to do the Hanbok experience. Hanbok is the Korean traditional clothing.
Rain, Rain Go Away!
Set to be three days, the festival hit a snag on Day 2 when heavy rain and lightning forced an early shutdown. It started raining right before NouerA’s stage. NouerA managed to perform in the rain before their stage was paused half way through so the volunteers and staff could wipe down the stage. After the pause, the rain lightened up and NouerA was able to come back on stage to complete the rest of their set. Then the heaviest of the rain (and later thunder) hit and the entire festival was cancelled for the rest of the day. ASC2NT’s and CATCH THE YOUNG’s evening performance was cancelled altogether and they were not able to perform on Day 2.
On Day 3, the festival was flexible and changed the schedule depending on the weather. Once the weather cleared up in the later afternoon, all of the headliners were able to perform and close the festival.
** Disclaimer. This is my experience for KCON LA 2026. Each person had their own experiences. Please feel free to leave a comment of your experience if you experience something different or would like to share something. **
KCON LA is the biggest K-pop event held in the US. The convention brings K-pop idols, Korean brands, and K-pop fans together in Los Angeles. A 3-day event, the event starts in the daytime with a convention held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Fans can explore new brands, see their favorite artists perform up close, and do fan events. At night, a concert is held at the Crypto.com Arena. As the biggest K-pop event in the US, the event also brings in town some of the most popular or up-and-coming K-pop bands. Some noticeable bands in recent times that participated in KCON early in their career before hitting it big include ATEEZ, ENHYPEN, and BOYNEXTDOOR.
Although KCON LA has been running for many years, every year is different. Every year, KCON changes benefits, how things are run, which hall the convention is in, etc. So although the essence is the same, many things can be different. Last year, for example, you can buy fan meeting tickets separately. This year, however, everything was combined into one (or both) of the premium ticket tiers so you had to buy the premium ticket in order to participate.
I think the hardest things to adjust to this year was the way each day was ran differently and the queue system. Every day, the security staff let people in differently — there was no consistency. On the first day, they let people in row by row. On the second day, they just let everyone go and it caused safety hazard because everyone started running as soon as it hit 10AM. On the third day, they let people go two rows at a time. And they let us in about 15 minutes or so early. I was in the middle of unboxing photo cards when they suddenly started letting us in. It was dangerous — especially since we had to go up the stairs in order to enter the convention.
I wished the queue system worked. In theory, it was a great idea. However, in practice, it did not go as expected. I queued for the Olive Young Booth all three days. On the first day, I didn’t get called until around 5:30PM. By then, the convention was almost closed, the queue line was still long and they were no longer letting people in. The second day, I wasn’t even called. The third day, I went to go and talk to them and they said they we didn’t have to queue. KCON announced on instagram that we HAD to queue if we wanted to do a booth that had the queue system. However, they did not follow that and many people went based on first come first serve. They let go of the rope, people literally ran in and one of the staff started yelling and chasing the people. Then they closed the booth again. Due to the stress of it all, I eventually gave up and ended up never getting to do the Olive Young Booth. I think KCON would have been better without the queue system. It was a complete failure. But I am hopeful it will go better next year! Last year, they introduced the fast entry and it did not go well. However, this year, it worked really well! So there is hope that it will go better next year if they decide to stick with it.
I spent most of my time at the Artist Stage. Since I bought Premium tickets for all three days of KCON, I wanted to make the most of the benefits for the expensive tickets. The Premium ticket allowed the attendee to stand in the second pit. VIP Premium had the inner pit that was right in front of the Artist stage. It was so fun to see all of the artists perform and seeing their fan’s reactions to them running through the crowd and interacting with each other. As I am older than all of the groups whom performed, I just had a lot of fun going there to check out new songs and take photos!
This year, KCON made a big change. They removed the fan meeting option and announced that they are combining the Artist stage with the fanmeeting. Since they were combining the artist stage, fan meeting, and high wave sessions, each session would be extended to 1-hour. And now, fans can spend 1-hour with their favorite artist. However, when attending the actual event, the artists ended up spending only around 35-50 minutes on stage– similar to last year. And there were little fan meeting events happening. The events held were also very similar to (if not the same as) the events held at the artist stage last year. So I am not quite sure how the fan meeting was combined into the artist stage. In other words, the Artist Stage was no different from last year. The only difference was that VIP Premium ticket holders were able to do a hi-wave session backstage after the artist left the stage. However, we didn’t see that and we can’t really consider that as part of the Artist stage.
Last year, fans could attend the artist stage, meet and greet, and M COUNTDOWN to see their favorite artists. This year, everything was shortened and the meet and greet stage was removed — making many fans feel as if they had little opportunity to see their favorite artist. Also, Premium ticket holders were expected to line up at 3:10PM for the M Countdown concert sound check. This meant many people who had Premium tickets would miss the last artist stage and the red carpet. This did not make any sense as only Premium and VIP Premium ticket holders had access to the red carpet. There was an exception — if you won a red carpet ticket, you can watch from the non-premium stands. But that was all the way at the back and very few people won this opportunity. So I am not sure why they decided to do what they did.
P1HARMONY members Keeho and Soul walking through the crowd looking for a fan to compete with for the staring contest.
Although the Artist Stage was not longer and better as they advertised, it still allowed fans to see their favorite artists perform. Some fan events held at the artist stage included a chance to do a dance battle, staring contest, participate in the call my name segment, or the treasure hunt session. Each artist had a different activity and the fan events varied. The fan events were held in between performances. Winners of the dance battle and staring contest won a special gift from the artist. The special gift included a signed album or a special one of a kind group selfie photo.
Each artists performed 1-3 songs in the walkway between the VIP Premium and Premium pits. The artists went through the crowd, threw signed balls, gave hi-fives, and some even took selfies with the fans. After each artist performed (excluding Yeonjun’s special stage), VIP Premium fans were able to do a hi-wave session with the artist backstage.
Last year, the VIP pit seemed too big. But somehow, this year, they managed to make it even bigger. The VIP pit was in the center right in front of the stage. Then there was a walk way that surrounded the outside perimeter of the VIP pit. This was where the artist walked during 1-3 of their songs. Then the Premium pit surrounded the VIP pit and the artist walk way. Since the VIP and Premium pits were so big and empty, general ticket holders were pushed all the way to the back perimeter of the room. They could barely see anything. Many people said that they were too far back, could barely see the artist, and the TV’s were too small so they couldn’t see anything on the screen either. After hearing these complaints, I went to the back of the GA pit and confirmed that I, too, could barely see the screen and the artist. I had to zoom in all the way on my phone to see the artist. And by then, everything was super grainy.
One Pact performing at the Toyota Music Den Stage.
This year, the X stage (previously known as the KCON Stage) was renamed to be the Toyota Music Den Stage. This stage is where up and coming artists perform. The stage was renamed because Toyota was sponsoring the stage this year. Compared to last year, it felt as if this stage was upgraded. There was now a large TV in the middle of the stage, making it super easy to see what was happening if you were not in the first few rows. And I am not sure if it was only me, but the sound for the stage also felt a lot clearer. This stage was accessible to anyone with a KCON convention ticket. Strategically placed in the main hall, this stage exposed the artists to anyone passing by. Some artists performing at this stage included ONE PACT,KEYVITUP, RESCENE, NEXZ, and MODYSSEY. They also held some events here this year like the K-FOOD Messenger Talk Show with Edward Lee and Matthew from Zerobaseone and and an event with Illit.
The first artist I caught at the Toyota Music Den Stage was ONE PACT. ONE PACT consists of former Ciipher member Tag and Boys Planet contestants Jay Chang, Jong Woo, Seongmin, and Yedam. They have already built a large international following before their performance at KCON. Notably, while waiting for One Pact to perform, I saw that many of the fans around me were fans from Japan. They were carrying ONE PACT’s photocard, had signs, and were excitedly talking about ONE PACT’s upcoming performance. ONE PACT also had a lot of US fans. They had previously toured the US in 2025 for their “THE NEW WAVE” tour. Jay Chang had also just finished his solo US tour before joining his members for KCON LA. ONE PACT was a band that I had been meaning to see live so it was cool to finally see them perform at KCON LA. They were really talented and I found myself really liking their song, “좋겠다”.
KEYVITUP performing at the Toyota Music Den Stage for KCON LA 2026.
The second artist I caught at the Toyota Music Den stage was KEYVITUP. KEYVITUP is a new boyband that debuted earlier this year. They were the first boyband to debut under Kim Jae Joong’s label, iNKODE. The members consists of Hyunmin, Taehwan, Sena, Jaein, and Rukia. Known for their stable vocals, I was super excited to see them perform. They performed their debut track, “KEYVITUP” and their second song, “Best One”. They also performed a cover of ATEEZ’s , “Adrenaline”.
If you wanted to check out booths other than Olive Young, Toyota, and the Kuromi booth, you had to go downstairs to Kentia Hall. Many people did not know this. There was a large sign on top of the stairs pointing out where the Kentia Hall was but I guess many people missed it? I thought it poorly label once we got downstairs. I, and multiple people, could not find the entrance. We all kept walking and eventually we found the entrance. It would have been nice if it was labeled like the exit doors or if there were people directing you to the entrance.
Cosmosy posing in front of their booth after signing their posters.
On the first day, it was almost completely empty downstairs. When talking with the vendors, they said that not many people have come downstairs yet so they were waiting for people. This also meant that many of the artists visiting didn’t have much visibility. I wanted to visit the Artist booths and check out the vendors so I went downstairs. I just happened to stop by cosmosy’s booth right before they were planning to visit their booth. Their staff told us that the girls were going to stop by soon so I wandered around a little bit then came back when the girls came out. They greeted the fans, signed the posters hanging at their booth, then did a hi-bye session before leaving. cosmosy is a four-member global girl group that just debuted at the end of 2024. The band consists of members Himesha, De_Hana,Kamion, and A’mei.
Other than cosmosy, I also kept running into RESCENE. RESCENE is one of the hottest girl group in South Korea right now. They became famous after their YouTube video for the “Garyu” trend went viral. Since then, their songs have risen on the charts and they have won their first music program win. They also just released a remake of KARA’s song, “Pretty Girl”. When I was walking around the Kentia Hall I kept walking into them. They stopped by each booth and talked to the vendors/took photos as they were the K-Collection official artist this year. If you participated in the stamp mission, you had the chance to win RESCENE merch! Last year I won HITGS merch! It was also really fun discovering new brands, beauty products, talking with the vendors, etc. I super recommend giving it a try next time!
RESCENE performing at M Countdown Stage.
The three hosts of M Countdown (Park Gun-Wook, So Jung-hwa, and Lee Kye-hoon) held a special stage performing “Rush Hour” originally sung by Crush.
After the convention ended, I made my way back to my hotel and dropped my things off, ate some food, and returned for the M Countdown Stage. The M Countdown stage is the big concert held every night at the Crypto.com Arena. M Countdown is the name of the famous MNET music program in South Korea. CJ E&M owns MNET. As CJ E&M is a big part of KCON, they also bring their music program to KCON. It is because of M Countdown that KCON is able to bring so many artists to to KCON. Many artists perform on the major music programs to get publicity for their bands and music. This year, I noticed that MNET made sure to bring the bands of the 3 hosts of the music program: Park Gun-Wook of Zerobaseone, So Jung-Hwa of Treasure, and Lee Kye-hoon of KickFlip. Because of this, Zerobaseone, Treasure, and KickFlip were all part of the KCON lineup.
Wanna One and &TEAM at M Countdown for KCON LA 2026.
The highlight of Day 1 was undoubtedly &TEAM’s stage, along with Wanna One’s comeback performance. A significant portion of the audience, myself included, attended KCON specifically to see &TEAM perform. I have followed the group since their formation on &Audition (and before that, I-LAND), and it has been rewarding to witness their growth and progress over time.
It was disappointing that they performed only two solo songs and one collaboration song at M Countdown. Given that &TEAM has primarily performed in Asia, fans in the US had been anticipating this opportunity for a long time, which made the limited setlist especially disappointing. I even met people who came from places like Australia and New Zealand just to see &TEAM at KCON LA!
I was puzzled by the choice to perform “Rush” for the M Countdown stage. I had expected “Back to Life,” given that it is their most recent release and marked their first Korean title track. It was also a super popular song with many Kpop cover dance groups covering the song. My best guess is that “Rush” was selected because it hadn’t been performed at a KCON M Countdown show, but with a catalog that includes tracks like “War Cry,” “Firework,” “We on Fire,” “Mismatch,” “Samidare,” and “Go in Blind,” the choice was still surprising and hard to comprehend for me. I wish they had performed “Rush” at the Artist stage and performed “Back to Life” or “Mismatch” at the M Countdown stage instead. Many of &TEAM’s newer fans got to know them because of “Back to Life” so I wish they had performed the song that the audience was familiar with.
As a long time K-pop fan, it was great to see familiar faces! We all screamed out as Wanna One took the stage. In university, I used to listen to “Energetic” all the time! Whenever I hear it, it reminds me of my long hours of drive to and from uni. And as a pre-debut NU’EST fan, it was great to see Minhyun again!
I really enjoyed TREASURE’s stage! It was filled with so much energy! I felt as if they were really living in the moment. Their stage was really interactive and did a great job with the 360 stage. It was my first time seeing them perform live! I have been to iKON’s concert before (it was also where I first saw TREASURE! They were sitting right in front of me!), and TREASURE’s performance reminded me a lot of their concert. It made me realize that the way they perform, use the stage, etc. is a unique style of YG.
An artist that I kept running into was MEOVV. MEOVV (pronounced meow) is a five-member girl group from The Black Label. They debuted in 2024. I just so happen to have a very MEOVV day during Day 3 of KCON. I was at their Artist Stage, their sound check, and then I saw them at M Countdown. If I was a MEOVV fan, I think it would have been the best day ever. It was so fun to see their stages. I really liked their most recent comeback and think they are really talented. It was so cool to see how much they have grown from last year.
Something that really confused me this year was the Pre-show. I can only recall one artist performing. On the third day, I was expecting ONE PACT, MODYSSEY, cosmosy, and So!YoON! to perform. However, only ONE PACT performed. And on the first day, only from20 and HELLO GLOOM performed. That really surprised me. Last year, all the small font artists performed for the Pre-show. Since only one artist performed, it was really disappointing. I think the artists missed out on the opportunity to perform to a large crowd and get their music known by a wider audience.
An artist that many fans were excited to see was EVAN (previously Heesung of Enhypen). He shocked the entire K-pop industry when BELIFT LAB announced unexpectedly that he would be leaving Enhypen and starting a solo career. They also announced that he would be changing his name from Heesung to EVAN. First introduced to the world through the highly popular and successful survival show, “I-Land,” fans were devastated when it was announced that he would be leaving Enhypen. As this marks his first solo performance and events in the US, many fans were curious to see how he would perform on stage as a solo artist. A few of the people around me in the pit were EVAN (and Enhypen) fans. They said that they came out to support EVAN as they are huge fans and saw him when he was still a part of Enhypen. Although he has left the group, they still wanted to show support to EVAN and give him strength.
EVAN performed three songs. He performed his solo tracks “Ride or Die” and “Overflow”. he released these two songs right before KCON. He also did a cover of Harry Style’s “As it was”. He channeled his emotions through the song and did his best to convey the messages during his performance.
One of the artist that I was really looking forward to seeing this year was JO1. JO1 is a Japanese boy band that was formed through the first season of Produce 101 Japan. Last year, I saw them perform and they didn’t stick out to me much. However, this year, I was really looking forward to seeing them and hopefully getting good photos of them. Their fans thanked me for taking photos of JO1 last year and it made me really curious about JO1 and their music.
I ended up really liking their songs, “Sakura”, “WATCHA DOIN’”, “ANIMAL”, and their entire set during the artist stage! Their performances were so good, their english was really good, their energy was awesome, and I felt like I really got to see their personalities this time! Did I get photos of JO1? No, I was too busy vibing and cheering them on.
This year, the most talked about headliner was definitely TXT. TXT is short for Tomorrow X Together. They were the first boy band to debut under Big Hit Entertainment after BTS and drew a lot of attention for this fact alone. Debuting in 2019, they have grown a lot since their debut days. Originally debuting with a young and youthful image, TXT has involved to have more complex and mature songs like “LO$ER=LO♡ER”, “Deja Vu”, “0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You) feat. Seori”, and “Good Boy Gone Bad.” This marked their first appearance and performance at KCON LA. Being a popular group that usually performed and headlined their own concerts, many fans were surprised that such a large group was announced as the headliner for KCON this year. You could feel the tension and excitement in the room change as soon as they announced that TXT was the next performer taking the stage. Fans were so busy cheering for TXT that they didn’t even let the MC finish their introduction and speech. You could definitely feel that a majority of the people attending M Countdown Day 3 was there for TXT. People screamed, sung along, and shouted out the fan chants throughout TXT’s entire performance. It was surreal experience. I can’t believe I got to see TXT up close! And only for $200! Thank you to the people who sold me the tickets on StubHub!
Some other notable performances that I saw included Santos Bravos, ALLDAY PROJECT, KO1KEYZ, Hiipe Princess, KickFlip, and NEXZ. Santos Bravos was one of the artists that people were really looking forward to seeing. I missed their Artist Stage because I went to see the Toyota Music Den first but I finally got to see them at M Countdown. Many of the people sitting around me was there for Santos Bravos. It was cool to see them perform and do a collaboration stage with &TEAM! They performed it so well and it really felt cohesive. KO1KEYZ really surprised me! They were so in sync and their performance was awesome! Good luck to them! I am definitely interested in what kind of music they will produce in the future. Last year, I saw ALLDAY PROJECT from the nose bleeds. This year, I saw them up close! And Bailey came to my section a few times. It was really cool to see their aura. I hope they get to release more songs soon.
My favorite thing about KCON LA this year was the fans that I met. I was able to meet so many awesome fans. If you are scared about attending KCON alone, don’t be! People were really kind! I met a few really nice TXT fans while waiting to be let in. I also met some really nice Alpha Drive One fans from China. They were also super sweet. They were trying to teach me how to be a barricade fan. It was so sweet of them and I really appreciate them showing me Chinese barricade concert culture. I also met a really sweet P1HARMONY fan. She taught me about the band and was so sweet to explain everything to me. It made me more interested in learning more about the band. I think these interactions was what made KCON amazing.
That pretty much summed up my KCON LA 2026 experience. It was a festival of little to no sleep, lots of waiting for artist stages to begin or in line for things. The queue system that KCON implemented this year was a complete failure for me. And I really hope they get rid of it. But I really appreciate that they actually honored the fast pass this year. Last year, they did not and general tickets were let in earlier than fast pass attendees. I also appreciate that we were let in at 8AM to line up and let in at 10AM sharp. For most part, I had a great experience. However, some things could be improved. Like, make the VIP premium and premium pits smaller so fans and artists can see and interact together. And include more food lines. It was nice that the food was indoors this year. However, it does not make any sense that there were literally only two lines for thousands of people. I was not able to try any of the food because the line was so long. This year, I just hung around the artist stage because I had premium tickets for all three days and I wanted to make the most out of it. But if I get to attend next year, I would try to explore the convention more.
The large crowd surrounding Huntington Bank Rotunda at the Mall of America got louder as it got closer to 6PM. Everyone was waiting for the first K-pop band to ever perform at the Mall of America. Debuting in 2023 under FNC Entertainment, AMPERS&ONE is a 7-member boyband that consists of Kamden, Brian, Jiho, Siyun, Mackiah, Kyrell, and Seungmo.
Who is AMPERS&ONE?
AMPERS&ONE combines “ampersand” (&) and “one” to represent the group’s mission: uniting together to achieve their dreams. Even before their debut, they were already making waves in the industry, thanks in part to popular Boys Planet contestants Brian and Kamden. Since then, the band has continued to grow steadily.
What sets AMPERS&ONE apart is their remarkable international makeup. Kamden and Kyrell are from Seattle, Brian is Chinese-Canadian, Jiho spent a year living in Massachusetts, and Mackiah has Australian roots. This global background gives the group a unique advantage — they can connect and communicate comfortably with fans all around the world.
They recently released their fourth mini album titled, Definition. This mini album features six songs led by their title track, “GOD”. The title track showcases a more mature side of the group, telling a story of rising from the ground, overcoming doubt, and being ignored to finally claiming their place at the top. It also incorporates traditional Korean instruments in the song and has an addictive and repetitive melody. The album has a diverse mix of sounds, from the upbeat pop song like “All Eyes on You” to the heartfelt ballad track like “Tears in Your Smile” and upbeat hip hop dance track like “What you Talking About”. The members also participated in writing the songs in the album.
Performance at Mall of America.
AMPERS&ONE held a free performance at 6PM. Although the show was free, fans had the opportunity to purchase upgrades to get closer floor seats to watch the show and interact with the idols. Some of the VIP events were held before the concert. However, the High Touch Event and the You+ and Selfie events were held after the show. The full schedule can be seen on the Instagram post below:
Before the show started, many people could be seen crowding around the Huntington Bank Rotunda. The lucky few who were able to get upgrades or claimed floor wristbands were able to stand by the stage to watch the performance. Everyone else was encouraged to watch the performance from the balcony from the other floors.
AMPERS&ONE opened their show with their newest title track, “GOD”. The performance started at 6PM and ended at 8PM. Throughout their entire performance, the boys could be seen giving 100% of their energy. From dancing vigorously on stage to interacting with the crowd, every second was filled with entertainment and energy. Fans could be seen singing along to the songs, shouting fan chants, and dancing throughout the entire performance. Some of the members even stepped off stage to interact with the fans.
Outside of their songs, AMPERS&ONE prepared special unit stages for the fans. Kamden and Jiho performed a dance cover to “Fever” by Enhypen; Brian and Kyrell sung a cover of “Love Story” by Taylor Swift; and Mackiah, Seungmo, and Siyun prepared a cover of “Drag Me Down” by One Direction.
During their short commentary breaks, the members mentioned how excited they were to be back in Minnesota again. They were here last year for their 1st US tour. Member Kamden mentioned that it was his dream to perform at a big mall. He thanked everyone for making his dream come true. They also talked about how they came a day early to rehearse and set up and were able to ride the log and SpongeBob rides at Nickelodeon Universe inside the Mall. Throughout the night, the members also thanked Mall of America for allowing them to have their concert there. In good FNC style, Mackiah ended the night by telling fans to attend their other stops if they wish to see AMPERS&ONE perform again.
AMPERS&ONE is currently on their <BORN TO DEFINE> U.S. Tour with LEO Presents. They are about halfway done with their tour. They are visiting 17 U.S. cities for this tour. After their Minnesota show, they will be heading to Des Moines, Iowa then to Kansas City, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and ending their tour in San Jose on June 2nd. The tour features lots of merch that fans and concert attendees can purchase. The prices and items can be seen below.
From chewy tteokbokki to show-stopping K-pop performances, the 2025 Korean Festival in Atlanta was one massive celebration of Korean culture. Held on October 4th and 5th in the back parking lot of Sugarloaf Mills, this two-day celebration-hosted by the Korean Festival Foundation – brought together everything from sizzling street food and cultural performances to full-blown K-pop concerts.
Rain or shine, event goers showed up ready to vibe, dance, and eat.
Headliners that Rocked the Festival
Kim Hye Yeon (김혜연) – Bringing Fun and Energy to the stage
Kim Hye-yeon lit up the stage with her signature trot-style performances, bringing a wave of nostalgia and joy to the crowd. A beloved singer with numerous hits from the 1990s and early 2000s, she especially resonated with the older generation—many of whom sang along to every lyric and had their phones out to capture the moment.
Energetic and full of charm, Kim Hye-yeon quickly became a fan favorite, breaking all age barriers and turning her set into one big party. She laughed and danced with the audience, even inviting audience members on stage to join her in the fun. At one point, she stepped off stage to dance among the crowd, creating an unforgettable moment of connection that perfectly embodied the festival’s inclusive and joyful spirit.
Kevin Woo – Opening the Honmoon
One of the standout moments of the festival was Kevin Woo’s performance. Having moved to Korea and debuting as a young teenager, Kevin has built an impressive career that spans over a decade in the K-pop industry. From his early days in XING and U-KISS to his solo ventures and musical theater work, Kevin’s dedication to his craft continues to shine.
Recently, he’s stepped back into the spotlight as the singing voice of Mystery Saja in the hit animated film “K-Pop Demon Hunters.” Fans—many of whom came out as longtime U-KISS supporters or new fans from the movie—braved the pouring rain just to see him perform live. Kevin treated the crowd to a dynamic setlist of his solo songs and even surprised everyone with a special “K-Pop Demon Hunters” collaboration stage with Big Ocean.
After his performance, 200 lucky fans had the opportunity to purchase a fan sign session where they could meet Kevin Woo up close, share a few words, and leave with a cherished autograph. It was a moment full of smiles, gratitude, and memories. Kevin Woo will be having a solo concert on November 25th in West Hollywood, California.
Big Ocean – Making Waves Everywhere
The main headliner of the 2025 Korean Festival in Atlanta was Big Ocean, a innovative three-member boy band under Parastar Entertainment. Since their debut in 2024, members Chanyeon, PJ, and Jiseok has been making waves in the K-pop industry as the first boyband where all of the members are hard of hearing. Trained as global idols, they have learned multiple spoken and sign languages to connect with their fans. They recently wrapped up a successful US tour in August 2025. Many fans were ecstatic when they heard that Big Ocean was coming back to the US. Fans from across the country flew or drove to Georgia to show support for Big Ocean.
Despite some technical issues and the rain, Big Ocean rocked the stage. They performed fan favorite songs like, “Flow,” “Attention,” and “Bucket hat”. Each song brought thunderous cheers from the crowd, who sang, signed, and danced along in unison with the boys. Big Ocean also performed fun and new stages like “Troublemaker,” originally by HyunA and Jang Hyun Seung.
Outside of their performance, many fans had the opportunity to interact and meet the members on both days of the festival. Fans had the opportunity to join Big Ocean for their Food Tour, purchase opportunities to do high-touch, fan signs, group photos, solo photos, buy merchandise from the members, or attend the fan café event. The fans said they really appreciated the opportunities for many fan engagements.
Food, Fun, and Culture Galore
Of course, no Korean Festival is complete without the feast. The air was filled with the scent of fish cake soup, tteokbokki, and sweet hotteok. But this year’s biggest food buzz came from a very special guest—Chef Jisun Jung, star of the Netflix hit Black and White Chef: Culinary Class Wars. Fans lined up to get a taste of her dishes and snap a quick selfie.
Beyond food, the festival’s cultural zones gave everyone a chance to experience Korea hands-on:
Taekwondo demonstrations that got the crowd cheering
Hanbok-wearing photo ops
Traditional Korean games
Masked Singer singing contest and K-Pop cover dance performances that had local talent shining bright
And, of course, endless rows of vendors selling everything from handmade crafts and skincare goodies to trendy K-pop merch. You couldn’t walk away empty-handed (or hungry).
** A special thank you to KORUS Entertainment and Parastar Entertainment for having me as the photographer for the event!
This past weekend, the Mall of America hosted the 2025 Midwest K-POP Festival (MKF) & MN Korean Culture Festival. MKF has grown to become a beloved tradition in Minnesota, drawing hundreds of fans and performers from both in and out of state. Different from previous years, this year, the two festivals were combined together. This year’s celebration showcased a vibrant mix of cultural performances alongside high-energy K-pop cover dances.
The festival began with the Korean national anthem played on the traditional Korean instrument, Gayageum, by Luna Lee, a message from the president of the Korean American Association of Minnesota (KAAM) and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chicago, and a performance by Minnesota K-POP Dance Crew (MKDC).
This year’s theme of K-POP Demon Hunteralso drew in a large number of young children and their parents. The crowd erupted in cheers as three members of MKDC performed a powerful cover of the popular track, “Golden” from the animated film. Originally founded as a student group at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, MKDC has since evolved into a renowned dance crew known across the K-pop community. Over the years, they’ve competed in South Korea, won numerous competitions, and helped organize many K-pop dance events. Outside of the “Golden” performance, the festival also had a sing-along that the event attendees loved.
A major part of the festival was to showcase Korean culture. Cultural performances can be seen by Jangmi Dance, Gayageum performance by Luna Lee, Samulnori by Sejong Academy, and a special Taekwondo performance by Lee’s Champion Taekwondo. The local children and senior choir also performed during the show.
K-POP dance performances were a highlight throughout the festival. This year, MKDC welcomed several guest performers from out of state, bringing even more excitement to the stage. Well-known cover dance groups like Hush Crew, Chemical X, and aXis traveled to Minnesota to showcase their talent, while up-and-coming dance crews such as CypherSide and Makeway also delivered standout performances. The festival featured not only individual sets but also exciting collaboration stages, where dancers came together to perform tracks like J-Hope’s “Killin’ It Girl,” SHINee’s iconic “Sherlock” and “Lucifer,” Jennie’s “JENNIE,” and a high-energy remix of SNSD classics.
The 2025 Midwest K-POP Festival & MN Korean Culture Festival was more than just a showcase of talent—it was a vibrant celebration of culture, community, and creativity. From traditional performances to high-energy K-pop stages, the event brought people of all ages together through a shared love of Korean culture. As the crowd cheered, danced, and sang along, one thing was clear: the spirit of K-culture is alive and thriving in Minnesota.
** A special thank you to MKDC for having me back again this year to photograph the event! **
Minnesota celebrated a major milestone in its K-pop community with the first K-POP Convention in Minnesota. Held at the RiverCentre in downtown St. Paul, KPOP MINNECON was organized by the beloved local event organizer MNKPOPCONNECT. Best known for their energetic Random Dance Play (RDP) gatherings, MNKPOPCONNECT has continued to expand their influence — recently partnering with KORUS Entertainment to bring K-pop boy group Big Ocean to Minnesota for a café fan event at Niko Niko Café and a concert at the Uptown Theater.
KPOP MINNECON was a celebration of everything K-pop. The convention offered a variety of booths where attendees could shop for albums, posters, handmade crafts, K-beauty products, stick-on nails, and more. Photo card trading tables allowed fans to connect and swap cards, while a large open area was reserved for an all-day RDP — a fan-favorite highlight. The event also featured community-led panels, where attendees could sign up before the convention to present on various K-pop-related topics.
For food, the RiverCentre provided indoor concessions, while food trucks lined Rice Park offering a diverse range of options — from Mexican and Japanese dishes to desserts and refreshing sugarcane juice.
After the dance lesson ended, fans waited to watch local talent compete for the K-POP dance competition. Ellen and Brian were the judges for this year’s show. The contest included solo performances and group performances. The winners took home a combined prize of $1,000. Many friends, family, and fans came to support the local talent.
Originally, the headliner was set to be BE:MAX, but due to unexpected visa issues, the group was unable to travel to the U.S. Despite the last-minute change, the concert remained on schedule, with the other artists extending their performances to keep the energy going strong.
During the convention, fans had the chance to meet and take photos with artists performing in the evening concert. Long lines formed at the artist booths as attendees waited eagerly for the opportunity to take photos with performers like Ted Park and Beomhan.
When interviewing some attendees in line, many people mentioned that they were big fans of Beomhan. They had recently seen him perform in Georgia and flew to Minnesota just to see him again. Others mentioned that they were sad that they were not able to see BE:MAX.
As the convention portion wrapped up, fans made their way upstairs to the concert hall. The evening show opened with a unique performance by Mimi Lee, who captivated the audience with K-pop covers on the cello. The night continued with high-energy sets from Ramiro Brave, LUC-iD, Alan Z, Ted Park, and Beomhan.
To end the night, fans had the option to purchase access to fan sign events, offering a more personal moment with the performers. Many fans mentioned that they came out to support KPOP MINNECON because they were avid KPOP fans. They hope that the event will grow larger next year and someday become multi-days like KCON LA. Many fans also hope that more artists participate next year.
** A special thank you to MNKPOPCONNECT for having me as a photographer for the event! **
Hundreds of fans lined up early Friday morning outside the LA Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, eagerly waiting for wristbands to access GA or to enter the convention for Day 1 of KCON LA. Held every year in early August, KCON is the largest Korean convention in the U.S. Starting as a small 1 day event, KCON has grown to become a three day convention that brings thousands of fans to downtown LA. This year, the city of LA even officially declared August 1st as KCON Day.
From morning until evening, fans immerse themselves in Korean culture. In the day time, fans can attend panels, visit booths, attend fan meetings, or watch performances at the LA Convention Center. In the evening, fans head over to the Crypto.com Arena to see the M Countdown concert.
Way Better artists from20 and HELLO GLOOM performing at X Stage.
NEWBEAT holding a fan event on the Busking Stage.
This year, KCON LA featured three stages for fans to enjoy throughout the convention: the X Stage, Busking Stage, and Artist Stage. The X Stage and Busking Stage showcased smaller, up-and-coming artists, giving them a platform to connect with new audiences. Strategically located in the main hall and by the food trucks, these stages were designed to maximize exposure and draw in crowds, helping rising artists gain the attention of passing by fans.
The Artist stage was placed in a different hall. Bigger or more senior artists like Hwasa, Zerobaseone (Zb1), IZNA, and Lee Young Ji performed at this stage. The Artist stage was like a short concert. Fans could watch their favorite artists perform their biggest hits in 45 minute sets. Fans can purchase different tiered tickets to get better views. Those with 1Day Plus tickets were allowed to go to the front area to see the artists perform up close.
One of the panels this year featured renowned dancers Brian Puspos, Keone Madrid, and Aaliyah Flournoy. Brian is a famous choreographer and dancer who has choreographed dances for BTS, Justin Bieber, and Chris Brown. Keone Madrid has choreographed for Jungkook, Justin Bieber, BTS, NCT, SHINee, Enhypen, etc. Aaliyah has danced and performed with Jennie, TXT, Stray Kids, and Jungkook. They talked about choreographing for K-pop artists, fun stories with K-Pop idols, and their dance journey. After their performances finished, Keone introduced Full Circle Boys and they performed on stage. After their performance, Full Circle Boys spent time with fans by taking photos with them.
Aespa performs on the M Countdown Stage for KCON LA 2025 – Day 2.
After the convention completed, fans walked to the building next door to watch the M Countdown stage. This year, Crypto.com Arena had a strict bag policy. Any bags bigger than 5″ x 9″ x 1″ was not allowed in the arena. Fans must pay to store their bags outside or go back to their hotel/car to store their items.
KCON LA opened up M Countdown this year with a special guest appearance from popular actor Lee Byung-hun. Lee Byung-hun was recently in popular Netflix series, “Squid Game”. He also played the voice of Gwi-Ma (the demon king) in “KPop Demon Hunters”. Fans screamed in excitement from his surprise appearance.
Ricky and Hanbin from Zerobaseone (ZB1) emceeing for the night.
Hanbin from Zerobaseone continued as the main emcee for M Countdown. M Countdown is a music program in South Korea. It allows the top popular artists in Korea to perform their songs live on stage and broadcast throughout the nation. Hanbin has been the emcee for the show since 2023.
Each night, M Countdown ended with a special stage. This special stage allowed fans to dance on stage with the headliner of the day. The headliners for each night differ each night. This year NCT 127 headlined Day 1, Monsta X headlined Day 2, and Hoshi and Woozi (HxW) of Seventeen headlined Day 3.
Other artists that performed at M Countdown include JO1, NEWBEAT, 82 Major, Way Better artists from20 and HELLO GLOOM, IVE, Aespa, IZNA, NMIXX, Baby DONT Cry, MEOVV, Jackson Wang, KEY, Roy Kim, Zerobaseone, Hwasa, and Lee Youngji. A full list of artists who attended and performed at KCON LA can be found on the official KCON site.
Big Ocean (빅오션) is an up and coming boyband produced by Parastar Entertainment. The band debuted in 2024 with a remake of the famous SMTOWN ending song, “Hope (빛)”, by H.O.T. The band consists of members PJ, Jiseok, and Chanyeon. They are the first K-Pop boyband that was produced with all the members being hard of hearing. They have gone through vigorous training and utilize technology and AI in their performances / music production.
Despite only debuting last year, the group has already amassed almost 100,000 followers on instagram. Many fans feel inspired by their hard work and dedication to pursue music despite their hearing loss.
On their first full day in the U.S., the boys held a café-themed event at Niko Niko Boba Cafe in St. Paul. Despite the sweltering heat, many fans waited patiently for their chance to meet the idols. Big Ocean served drinks, chatted briefly with attendees, and expressed their gratitude for the support. Following the café event, Big Ocean stepped outdoors to take a group photo with all attendees then returned back into the cafe for a short break and to prepare for the fan events.
After a few minutes, fans returned back into the cafe to begin the fan events. Big Ocean took selfies and Polaroids with fans and held a fan sign session for those who purchased additional add-ons. After the fan events ended, fans gathered at the front for send off to say goodbye to Big Ocean as they loaded into their van.
** A special thank you to Parastar Entertainment, KorUS Entertainment, and mnkpopconnect for inviting me and letting me cover the fun events of the day!**
Thousands flocked to Mall of America (MOA) to see international girl group Katseye perform at Huntington Bank Rotunda. The band consists of members Sophia Laforteza, Manon Bannerman, Lara Raj, Yoonchae Jeong, Megan Meiyok Skiendiel, and Daniela Avanzini. Formed through a collaboration between HYBE and Geffen Records on the popular Netflix survival show “The Debut: Dream Academy,” Katseye was formed utilizing the K-POP training system and promotional style. Since their debut on June 28th, they have already released two hit songs: “Debut” and “Touch.” Thousands of fans have featured their songs in videos and shared dance covers on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and more. MPR estimates that around 8,000 fans attended the performance at MOA on Saturday.
MOA held special events to celebrate Katseye’s special performance. The events included selling Katseye merchandise, cup sleeve events, and purchasing Katseye’s album from Barnes and Noble. However, to get and hold a good spot, the viewer would have to arrive early and remain in their spots. The first floor was only for the lucky few who were able to purchase an album and got the chance to participate in the meet and greet or the lucky few who secured a first floor viewing spot during ticket sales.
The event was scheduled for 2PM but MOA opened doors at 7AM to allow spectators and VIP viewers to enter early and find spots to watch the show. Unlike typical K-POP concert culture, where people usually camp out for days to secure a good spot for general admission, there were lots of good spots available when I arrived at 9:30AM. It wasn’t until 11AM when the mall started filling up with kids, parents, young teens, and adults eager to catch a glimpse of Katseye. Even the nearby Starbucks was crowded with spectators waiting to see Katseye perform.
Security faced challenges with many people who refused to move when ordered. Some instances of these challenges included crowds blocking the second floor escalator–preventing people from getting off the escalator–and people blocking designated walking paths for mall goers on the first floor. The area was so congested that many fans resorted to taking the escalators up and down to catch a short glimpse of the girls.
Katseye member Megan was noticeably missing as she is currently taking a break for a back injury. The band performed three of their songs. They opened the show with “Debut” then performed “My Way” and closed with “Touch”. Many fans can be spotted dancing and singing along during the performances.
Most of the crowd dispersed after Katseye performed their last song and disappeared backstage. However, Katseye came back on stage to do the Meet and Greet portion. Many fans who waited were delighted and screamed with joy when Katseye returned to the stage. The Katseye members greeted the lucky few who was able to get limited VIP tickets, gave out hugs, had short conversations, and took photos with their fans.
