I didn’t realize how dangerous it would be to attend KCON LA 2024. Not because the convention is located in downtown LA. I felt fairly safe during my stay. It’s because I went there to see some of my favorite Kdrama stars and came away a new fan of K-pop. That’s when I realized — you don’t have to be young to like K-pop.
K-POP Wasn’t Around While I Was Growing Up
K-pop, which began its rise in the 1990s, was not a thing while I was growing up. Given that the current average age of the world population is ~30.5 years, almost half of the people alive today can make the same statement. My generation also didn’t grow up with personal computers, the internet, smart phones, music apps, social media, and YouTube. All things that have facilitated the growth of K-pop around the world. Unsurprisingly, my knowledge of K-pop was slim before I set off for LA.
Prior to attending KCON, I did take the time to listen to songs by the groups set to perform: NCT 127, TWS, ENHYPEN, ZEROBASEONE, KEP1ER, BoysNextDoor, P1Harmony, KATSEYE, STAYC to name a few. ENHYPENs’ “Fatal Trouble” quickly became my favorite. So, when they performed the song at KCON, I sat in awe of their phenomenal performance. I watched groups like ZEROBASEONE answer questions at the Meet and Greet stage and viewed Hanbin’s skillful tutting firsthand. I saw incredible stages by solo artists ZICO, Taemin, Bibi and Jeon Somi. Plus – the legendary group, g.o.d. By the time I got home, I wanted to know more about K-pop and some of the groups I had seen.
Taking the Plunge into K-POP
My plunge into the vast K-pop ocean started with a binge watch of Boys Planet, the reality competition show that resulted in ZEROBASEONE. I moved on to I-Land, the show that launched ENHYPEN. (It is hours and hours of content, but I had COVID – a parting gift from my KCON trip. What else to do during my recovery time?)
And if you give a girl a cookie. . .
Next came a deep dive into the discography and music video-ology of both groups. Not to mention way too much reality content on YouTube. But what a good way to study Korean! I created playlists for each with their songs in chronological order and listened to them repeatedly. Before I knew it, I became a card-carrying member of ENGENE (ENYPEN’s fan name) and ordered my very first light-stick!
Needless to say – I was hooked.
My First K-POP Concert – Seventeen
When the friend I attended KCON with invited me to see Seventeen in San Antonio – how could I refuse? Did I feel a little old standing in line waiting to enter the venue that Halloween night? Maybe. But all that changed once the show started and Seventeen rocked the house. Seeing CARATs of all ages and walks of life dancing and singing along with the group made my heart happy. Despite being short two members due to military and acting commitments – Seventeen put on an incredible show.
Afterward, my friend introduced me to the first episode of the NANA Tour with Seventeen. Naturally when I got home, I had to watch the entire six-episode series. Add Seventeen (the MAMA Awards 2024 Artist of the Year!) to my list of favorite K-pop groups.
Random Thoughts about K-pop
A lot of thoughts about K-pop have popped into my head since I travelled down this rabbit hole. Like – wow – there is a lot of K-pop history to catch up on! I missed the global growth of groups like BTS and EXO. With their huge discographies it is taking time to work through all their music.
Also, K-pop fans can be amazing. I attended the ENHYPEN Fanmade movie and loved seeing how ENHYPEN has inspired fans to pursue their dreams. K-pop fans honor the birthdays of their idols through birthday cake videos, gifts, banner trucks, and donations to their idol’s favorite charities. They give out free gifts to other fans standing in line at concerts. They encourage each other to watch and like videos of the group they ‘stan and vote to help their group achieve higher recognition.
K-pop fans can also be rather awful. Some try to sabotage/subvert other fandoms. (Can’t a person like multiple groups at the same time?) There are those who hold their idols to impossible standards, making demands when those very human people don’t appear to live up to those standards. Heaven forbids an idol decides to date, let alone get married and start a family. And too bad about those leaked pre-debut photos of an idol or the spreading of baseless lies online that prompt certain fans to send funeral wreaths demanding the idol’s removal from the group.
Still, there is something about K-pop that rises above the negativity. As a person who has experienced a lot of different music eras over the course of my life – and found something to enjoy from each of them – I like the refreshing vibe K-pop songs offer. Plus, the work K-pop artists and their production companies put into performances is on a whole other level. I can’t wait to see a full ENHYPEN concert in person!
You Don’t Have to be Young to Like K-pop Final Thoughts
When I booked my tickets for KCON LA 2024, did I imagine that at my age, I would become a new K-pop fan? Not in the slightest. But if there is something I have learned as I get older – life is more interesting when I try new things. Like learning Korean or starting a Kdrama website! And these news things often lead to new passions. Such as listening to K-pop music and ‘staning K-pop groups! You don’t have to be young to like K-pop. You just have to be willing to give it a try. Who knows, K-pop may be your next passion too.
