From the feeling of joy to concert PTSD, KCONers (fans of K-Pop who attended the convention) have been well-experienced. KCON is a yearly convention and concert that many K-pop fans enjoy. The annual convention held performances with Korea’s new and older generations of artists. Events such as random play dances, shopping, and food tasting are enjoyed by KCONers in honor to celebrate this festival’s 11 years. As of now, KCON stands as the premier convention of Korean music.
The first day, held on August 18, included artists such as IVE, Cravity, NMIXX, WayV, Taeyong, Taemin, and ShownuxHyungwon (MonstaX). During the convention, K-pop fans are able to interact with their favorite artists and watch them perform, but the concert is where the actual fun happens. One of the most popular events there, known as Dream Stage, is where individuals compete with others to perform a song with the artists of the day at the concert, which means you’ll be on the stage in front of the audience and perform. This day was the day to perform with the girl group, IVE.
August 19 marks the second day of KCON with Rain, a well-known Korean soloist, as the host. The queue of artists who performed on the main stage includes ATEEZ, INI, Kep1er, Rain, xikers, 8TURN, and ZEROBASEONE. The convention started at 10 a.m. in the morning and was packed with tons of activities until 6 p.m. bringing an end to Day Two. The main event started at 8 p.m. and this is where fans gathered inside the stadium to watch their favorite artists perform. Day Two meet and greet is welcomed by groups such as INI, Kep1er, xikers, and ZEROBASEONE. “Nice to meet u” is a showcase representing new idols and performances such as CRAXY and VERIVERY. These groups perform on KCON’s main stage at the end of the day.
Finally on Friday, August 20, artists such as EVERGLOW, ITZY, JO1, (G)-idle, Lapillus, Stray Kids, and THE BOYZ attended KCON. The convention had people wrapped around the building twice by 8 a.m., which was two hours before they opened the doors. With the convention coming to an end, it’s indicating the concert will start briefly.
Over 20 acts within the span of three days and exceeding 140,000 viewers concluded KCON LA 2023. Thousands of K-pop fans had lined up in Downtown Los Angeles and left with unforgettable memories. The objective of KCON is to give both fans and artists a chance to connect and have fun with each other. Conventions like KCON are appreciated by many around the globe and are also recommended to those who are interested in Korean culture.