This 12 months’s KCON was larger and higher than ever, stretched out over three days and dozens of phases. It’s my eighth 12 months attending so I really feel like a veteran at this level, however every year’s a bit completely different. 2023 was a disturbing expertise in a number of methods so I wasn’t certain what to anticipate in 2024. Nevertheless, I feel this 12 months might have simply been the most effective but. Learn on to find the highlights, the lowlights and some movies to present you a way of the general ambiance.
And should you’re occupied with earlier recaps, click on right here: 2016 // 2017 // 2018 // 2019 // 2022 Pt.1 // 2022 Pt.2 // 2023
1. A Competition Really feel
KCON rebranded itself as a music “pageant” this 12 months, which is one thing I hoped they’d do for years now. Along with the massive MCountdown stage every night, the pageant grounds noticed a revolving door of showcase and meet and greet phases all through the day. This made the conference much more thrilling than the live performance. You can fill your entire day with mini-concerts and fan-meets from a wide range of artists, and that’s precisely what we did. This was my eighth KCON, however the first time I spent the complete three days contained in the conference – from opening till shut. There was simply a lot to do!
2. Organized Examine-in
Ready in traces has all the time been the bane of my existence at KCON, and the worst of all was often the check-in line. This 12 months, they well broke the method into three distinct phases: safety, check-in and venue entry. This made the entire course of go extraordinarily easy and quick, and once we did have to attend they staged us all in an underground (air-conditioned) parking storage quite than the recent LA solar like in years previous.
3. Conference Format
KCON booked the larger half of the conference heart this 12 months, which I hope they proceed to do yearly. Issues by no means felt cramped and there was loads of room for large audiences to assemble across the particular person phases. The meet-and-greet stage was a part of the conference ground, however given ample room and huge screens in order that even these far-off might see the onstage motion. The bigger “KCON stage” had its personal separate entry and felt extra like a correct live performance venue. Panels and workshops have been removed from the hustle and bustle of the conference ground and there was loads of room to sit down and eat or calm down.
4. Artist Line-Up
I do know some folks complained about how “nugu” the line-up felt this 12 months, however it was my favourite in fairly a while. I really like how KCON diversified its selections, bringing in artists from all types of sub-genres. They even had rookie acts from smaller firms. It was an attention-grabbing, various line-up that had one thing for everybody. As standard as they might be, there’s extra to Okay-pop than Stray Youngsters and ATEEZ!
5. Artist Visits at Panels
Should you actually wished an opportunity to see your idol up shut and private, KCON’s panels provided an surprising means to take action. I used to be shocked at how intimate these have been. They have been principally the type of fan meet some pay huge bucks to see. I received to sit down in on DRIPPIN’s recreation panel, which was actually enjoyable.
6. A Nationwide Broadcast
Although the KCON concert events lasted three days, Sunday’s present was broadcast dwell on The CW. It was a bit bizarre having the live performance begin at 5 o’clock and be over by seven thirty, however the calls for of the printed made for a tighter present with tons of visitor stars. It actually felt like an occasion.
1. Pre-KCON Expertise
To be trustworthy, just about all my gripes about this 12 months’s KCON occurred earlier than the precise occasion. Communication was spotty and ticket gross sales have been a nightmare. A few of this blame should be placed on vendor AXS, however KCON’s personal insurance policies didn’t assist. Primarily, the ticket shopping for course of makes an attempt to indicate you the “greatest accessible” seats in the intervening time. However typically, the web site seems as if it’s offered out and you find yourself panic-buying seats you didn’t need as a result of something is healthier than being shut out utterly. This occurred to me this 12 months, buying nosebleeds after I wished to be a lot nearer.
There’s nothing extra irritating that being saddled with dangerous seats after which seeing a lot better ones change into accessible (and keep accessible for weeks after). The factor that made this particularly irritating was KCON’s “no trade, no improve” coverage. AXS permits upgrades however KCON doesn’t. I might have fortunately paid extra for higher seats however was not allowed to. This actually wants to alter sooner or later. I imply, why wouldn’t they need the additional cash?
In fact, this all turned a moot level as a result of our seats have been upgraded free of charge a couple of weeks earlier than the occasion as a result of logistics (and, I assume lower-than-expected gross sales). Nonetheless, it shouldn’t be this troublesome and prospects definitely shouldn’t wait an entire two weeks to listen to again from customer support (in the event that they hear again in any respect). KCON’s on-site group was so nice this 12 months. I hope additionally they put money into their buyer expertise earlier than and after the occasion.
2. The Meals
This isn’t KCON’s fault, and I count on conference meals to be ridiculously overpriced. However, why was it additionally so universally terrible? Significantly, the meals choices on the conference heart are actually dangerous. Like… actually dangerous.
3. Outside Competition Grounds
I really like the concept of increasing the pageant grounds to outdoor, however I’m undecided how nicely it labored this 12 months. I didn’t spend a lot time on the market, however it by no means appear too crowded after I did. Having the “dance all day” sales space exterior within the blazing solar felt like a wierd concept. Possibly this entire space ought to simply be transformed right into a meals corridor subsequent 12 months?
1. Artist Spillover
KCON has change into an occasion that spreads past the conference heart and area, attracting different artists to the realm. Bias Record favorites from20 and Hey Gloom milled in regards to the conference heart for a couple of days and I received to satisfy and speak with them. In addition they appeared at a close-by membership in Koreatown on Friday night time to carry out a set, that means I received to expertise Mamacita in its pure habitat: a packed, sweaty membership.
2. An Unintentional Improve?
As I discussed earlier than, our tickets for the live performance have been upgraded to a a lot nearer seat, and our conference wristbands additionally received upgraded to premium – although this was an error on the workers’s half. I assumed it was all a part of the unique improve, however our wristbands have been finally taken and changed with regular ones midway by way of the weekend.
Nonetheless, we received to expertise premium advantages for a day and a half and – should you can afford them – I extremely suggest going for premium. It’s what I initially wished, however they have been offered out so shortly I couldn’t get them. Principally, this tier enables you to into the entrance part of each showcase, KCON stage and meet-and-greet. You get to be extremely near the artists, which is by far one of the simplest ways of experiencing their phases. And from what I noticed, KCON both must promote much more premium passes or make the premium space a lot smaller as a result of it was all the time sparsely populated and extra folks should have an opportunity at this expertise.
1. TWS
Should you’ve learn this weblog in any respect in 2024, you in all probability know the way I really feel about TWS and their music. I’m an enormous fan and was so joyful they’d be attending KCON this 12 months. I particularly love seeing new artists of their first few months since debut as a result of the vitality is simply completely different and might’t be recaptured later.
So, regardless that our premium wristbands had been snatched by this level, I used to be intent on making Sunday’s conference TWS-focused. This meant a protracted 90-minute wait on the Samsung sales space to attain a particular ticket getting us into the entrance part of their KCON Stage. We managed to get proper up entrance subsequent to the stage – possibly the closest I’ve ever been for a live performance. The blokes carried out a 5 track set and have been completely unbelievable. I’m not over-exaggerating after I say that being proper within the thick of the Hey! Hey! vitality felt like heaven.
The blokes additionally carried out on the principle stage Saturday and Sunday, that means we received to listen to three separate performances of Plot Twist – a track that everybody appeared to know and love, by the best way. It really is likely one of the 12 months’s hottest tracks amongst Okay-pop followers. Shinyu, Dohoon and Jihoon additionally did a killer cowl of Jungkook’s 3D.
240728 KCON DAY 2 #투어스 #TWS #신유 #도훈 #지훈
🎧3D pic.twitter.com/GrCsoHe44B— 계란 (@myboyismeerkat_) July 28, 2024
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2. g.o.d.
I really like love love when KCON invitations older acts to the present. It was such a deal with to witness first-gen legends. g.o.d. took over the live performance stage on Saturday night time, getting everybody on their ft. There have been positively established followers in attendance, however it was so good to see them win over a lot of the viewers who might not have been aware of them or their music. Joon was as entertaining as he all the time is, joyful to be performing in his residence city of LA.
3. Somi
I used to be utterly received over by Somi. We received to see her meet-and-greet on Saturday morning and I couldn’t recover from her pure charisma and charming humorousness. She’s actually grown into her personal, and that confidence got here throughout in her job as each a live performance host and performing artist.
4. BOYNEXTDOOR
Other than TWS, BND have been the opposite group I used to be most excited for at this 12 months’s KCON. I’ve slowly and steadily change into a mega-fan over the previous 12 months and so they didn’t disappoint. Sadly, we have been farther from the stage for all their performances, however their colourful vitality positively reached the complete venue. The members have been as quirky and entertaining as I’d hoped. Jaehyun is a charisma machine and virtually a dwelling meme, whereas youngest Woonhak had one in all my favourite moments at their meet-and-greet, making an attempt to be foolish with the silly image body prop KCON made all of the artists use however as a substitute breaking it into items and virtually taking out the cameraman on the similar time.
WHY DOES WOONHAK BREAK EVERYTHING HE TOUCH 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/nAhU0vKU9n
— AND, mina (@taesanwon) July 28, 2024
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5. Taemin
Taemin will all the time be a sight to behold, however his rock remix of Felony at Friday’s live performance was really a bring-down-the-house second. I used to be so enthralled I forgot to take footage of the most effective elements, however fortunately all of the concert events are professionally filmed.
TAEMIN at KCON LA 2024 Felony Efficiency ✨
LEGEND TAEMIN #TAEMINxKCON #KCONLA2024 #TAEMIN @TAEMIN_BPM pic.twitter.com/3LPLyWbCvw
— SHINee World Academy PH (@shawolacademyph) July 27, 2024
6. Hyolyn
There’s one thing to be mentioned about expertise, and Hyolyn simply has this aura of famous person round her. Her stage on Sunday night time was a unique stage. “Fierce” doesn’t even start to explain it. We additionally received to catch most of her prolonged KCON stage on Saturday.
7. DRIPPIN
The truth that a Woollim group attended KCON this 12 months was a really nice shock. They didn’t get a slot on the principle stage, however their Friday showcase was wonderful. Their cowl stage of SHINee’s Love Like Oxygen was particularly memorable.
8. DXMON
They carried out at each a showcase and Friday’s pre-show and I used to be impressed by their vitality. I’m all the time cheering on rookies from smaller businesses and DXMON present a ton of potential.
9. Bibi
Bibi’s music isn’t typically one thing I’d hunt down, however I discovered her performances to be very fascinating. She introduced a unique vitality than anybody else and provided a pleasant counterpoint to among the live performance’s extra clanging, hyper-aggressive phases.
