What is it?
KCon is an annual K-pop convention dedicated to all things, well, K-pop. Held in the US since 2012, it has gone international after it went to Japan last year. Now it’s coming to Abu Dhabi on March 25 at the du Arena on Yas Island. It’s one full day of everything Korean, from food, fashion, beauty to workshops and panel discussions, culminating in a concert by some of the hottest K-pop bands right now.
K-pop, for those who’ve been living under the desert sand, is a genre of music from South Korea, mostly featuring pretty boys and girls, young, fashionable, always in soft-focus and always picture-perfect.
Who’s coming?
The line-up is pretty big, just like some of the bands. The boy group BTS, for instance, are made up of seven members. They are one of the hottest bands right now.
Priyanke Re, a 14-year-old BTS fan from Abu Dhabi says she loves them for their music. “Their songs are about teenagers and helping them overcome their difficulties. They are relatable,” she says. “And they are so cute. Their dancing skills are impressive. Also, they are not afraid to embarrass themselves on variety programmes and will do anything to make their fans happy.”
Fans of BTS, which means Bangtan Boys, call themselves A.R.M.Ys.
Yamuna F, another 16-year-old fan, says the boys, most of them in their early 20s, have impressive dance moves. “I think a lot of fans also like them for their looks. And they seem like really fun guys,” she says.
Yerin Cho, a classmate of Re’s, says she loves them because they’re handsome. She’s also a fan of Ailee, who’s also coming to KCon Abu Dhabi. “I love her style and attitude,” Cho says.
Completing the line-up are TaeYeon from the super group Girls’ Generation, Kyuhyun from the boy group Super Junior, girl band Spica, the seven-member hip hop group Monsta X and boy band Double S 301.
The stars will also be part of meet-and-greets during the day.
Wonho Chung will be there.
What? You thought the UAE’s most famous Korean would miss KCon? The Arabic-speaking comedian and actor will be doing a stand-up routine as well as hosting the main musical show in the evening. Chung’s appearance was basically crowdsourced, with his Arab fans starting a hashtag on social media demanding he make an appearance at the biggest Korean event in the UAE.
Their wishes have been granted. The funnyman takes the stage at 5.30pm for his show, which he says will be a mix of Arabic, English and Korean. He then hosts the musical show later in the evening.
“It’s an event to celebrate the two countries that represent me, so I had to be there,” Ching tells tabloid!. The comedian has just wrapped up the second season of his travel show Wonho Around the World on Al Arabi channel, and will soon travel to Pakistan for a top secret film he’s shooting.
What else is happening?
While the concert is ticketed, entry to the venue is free. A whole lot of Korean brands will be setting up stalls at the du Arena, from food to fashion.
Highlights will be the beauty brands that will sell everything you need to attain that K-pop star look. Hey, if you ain’t one, you can at least look like one, right?
There will also be makeup shows by experts who’ve worked with pop stars themselves and dance workshops by choreographers. Remember, your transition is not complete if you haven’t got the moves.
There will also be a talk by Bang Si-hyuk, the CEO of South Korean music label Big Hit Entertainment, which has BTS in its roster, about managing K-pop artists. To make things more cultural, there will also be a Korean drum performance.
The details
KCon is at the du Arena on Yas Island. Attendance to the convention is free but the concert is ticketed. Doors open at 2pm. Concert gates open at 7pm. Tickets to concert start at Dh350 and are available on ticketmaster.ae.
