Saint Paul, Minnesota.
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 KM Entertainment 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.
