Out & About #605 | KPOP NORTH 2019

I had forgotten all about the convention until two days prior, when my favourite fangirl forwarded the program schedule to me in image form.

The first of its kind, KPOP NORTH was introduced as a convention aiming to bring more K-Pop artists north of the border, hopefully one day achieving the same degree of recognition as KCON in the States. And with its organizers fluent in the Korean language, the promise was far greater than Pop! Goes The World and their shady empty promises.

​We had purchased GA+ tickets just after the fifty percent price slash, then later learned of the complementary Hi-Touch pass. Unlike the infamous Mnet-run KCON though, the passes were not distributed randomly, but rather online via Google Forms registration on a first come, first serve basis. Both of us selected The Rose without hesitation, though it wasn't until later that I discovered she had also purchased additional benefits such as Photo Op and Hi-Touch passes for other artists.

​Taking place in the North building where ProFusion had occupied five weeks prior, the convention grounds were as simplistic (read: barren) as could be. There wasn't much of a dealer's alley, and even smaller a selection of instant nourishment. At the west end of the upper floor was the concert stage, uncarpeted, with overhead spotlights and an LCD screen acting as the sole production enhancement tools. (Might I add that this screen was repeatedly disconnected, revealing the VLC Player logo and cognate inadequacies of the stage team.)

​Coat check incurred a four-dollar drop-off fee and an unnecessary amount of hassle. Consequently, I took to leaving my winter gear (and pre-packed dinner) elsewhere. The trek wasn't particularly lengthy via The PATH, however the frequent trips soon fatigued my calves, which were already engaged throughout the standing shows.

​The Rose was the first act of the afternoon. It was an unexpected choice by the organizers, for rookie groups such as VERIVERY generally assume the roles of show-starters.
Needless to say, I wasn't particularly punctual, and my actions served to place me outside the GA+ crowd, nestled behind those sporting pink GA wristbands.

​With the band being my primary reason for ticket purchase, I shall admit disappointment towards being unable to capture the quadret clearly. On the less regrettable flip side, I will also profess that I took to experiencing their voices and instrumentals on a more human level, free from the distractions of technology. The Rose's energy was as spectacular as their studio releases.

I had never been too familiar with the members prior to this day, though one thing is certain: trench coat-shedding Jaehyeong definitely made my heart skip a beat.

​The fangirl and her posse opted to plaster themselves by the barricade even after The Rose had concluded their performance, in spite of VERIVERY's pending segment. During this forty-minute break, I took to visiting the handful of merchandise vendors, bumping into a few familiar faces along the way.

The Kpop Random Dance was likely the most interesting panel event.

​An energetic group of seven, VERIVERY was your typical, fresh-faced idol group. Starlights knew of them as VIXX's junior group, while I, a foreigner to this scene, had been completely unaware of their existence until this day. Sharp synchronization, meticulously planned ments, and adorkable bursts summarized their one-hour piece. A game of charades took place at the approximate halfway point, while a cover of I'm so tired and bubbly fan service concluded their show.

View the full album HERE !

"You don't choose your bias. Your bias chooses you." is an all-too-familiar concept in the K-Pop community.
Every bit truthful, the member which your eyes tend to follow is, naturally, your bias in the group. Speaking specifically to VERIVERY, it quickly became apparent that my bias was the main rapper and leader, Dongheon.

​Hi-Touch sessions took place with the conclusion of the afternoon concerts. The masses were instructed to file down the escalators, then, one by one, enter a room in which cell phone footage was prohibited.

Swift as these engagements tend to be, I managed coherent utterances of "Thank you!" and "Your English was great!" to Dojoon and Jaehyeong. Third in line was Woosung.

"Hi Woosung, I like your face!" I piped, quoting the starting line of his solo debut track.
"I like your face too" he quipped with a lazy smile.

A near-shriek escaped my lips as I slid onto the final member of the group, Hajoon. "Thank you!!" was the only phrase I could muster.

​Unbeknownst to me until two hours prior was my favourite fangirl's back-to-back artist engagement sessions. And with nothing else to pique my interest on site, I returned to my coat check spot, reviewing performance clips until she finished.

The evening concerts were slated to start at 7pm. Dinner and The Krys was rushed and we soon jogged back.

Zion.T is a super sunbae in the Korean music industy, but, as far as I was concerned, his name wasn't a common contender overseas.

Perhaps my first encounter with his music was Produce 101's vocal evaluation of the infamous Yanghwa BRDG. He included this track, of course, though the aspect that had me captivated was his wittiness (and ridiculously Korean gags).
He was a flawless performer who basked in the pursuance of his creations.

Sticking to me from the evening will forever be:
​​"여로분...You so cute."

​Ending the night off on a high note - quite literally - was KARD. Over the past two years, the co-ed group has garnered impressive recognition across the Americas and even completed countless global standalone concerts.

​The Korean families and youngsters who had purchased tickets for Zion.T exhibited shock towards the artist's popularity. Several were observed to depart, though the ones that remained soon learned the power of their home country's power in entertainment export.

​Laughs and giggles were heard all around as they engaged the audience in a game of "Crowd Control". Even more enjoyable were BM's translations on behalf of the Korean native:. "It's been a cold minute since we've been back!"

​Zion.T and KARD's artist engagement sessions continued to take place after the inevitable 9 PM termination. I, on the hand, possessed no such benefits and proceeded to head home, wholly exhausted from my early morning undertakings.