I have no doubt in my mind that you have probably heard about the global sensation that is K-pop! While we’ve had Korean music influences all the way back in 2012 with PSY’s Gangnam Style, it is now a genre enjoyed by many within America. From big names like BTS or Blackpink, a lot of people still enjoy a variety of K-pop beyond these artists. 

Personally, I did get into K-pop through BTS, however, I am currently a big fan of Day6, LE SSERAFIM, and Enhypen. Just recently, I’ve had the opportunity to watch Enhypen live and I’m here to tell you all about the magical experience that is attending a K-pop concert!

First of all, who are Enhypen? Enhypen is another seven-member boy group under the same label as BTS. They were formed through a survival show called I-Land where their label took various trainees to compete against one another for a spot in the new group. After many challenges and performances, the chosen members were: Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki. With more training, the group officially debuted on Nov. 30, 2020, with their title track Given-Taken.

Now, they’ve recently released their 3rd mini album, “Manifesto: Day 1” and embarked on their first world tour starting with Anaheim. Anaheim was lucky enough to host two days, and I got the chance to attend their first day, Oct. 2. with VIP tickets! 

While VIP seems like the dream, it came with a lot more issues than you would think. Since these tickets were general admission, VIP ticket holders still had to wait in line to get a good spot when entering the venue. In addition, because they were giving out numbered wristbands to determine who entered first, some fans waited from 1 am until 10 am to get early numbers. Unfortunately, as my group was flying on the same day, we arrived at 10:30. By that time, we were greeted with wristbands in the 400s.

The downsides don’t end there as VIP check-in was scheduled at two even though the concert didn’t start until 7:30. While this process was to ensure VIP ticket holders got their lanyards and other benefits, it was highly disorganized. People weren’t honoring the numbered wristband system, some VIP holders were cutting in line, and the fans had to organize themselves as the staff did not know what was going on. It was a complete mess of standing for over five hours just to secure good spots within the venue.

So far everything I’ve said doesn’t seem promising, but rest assured that I still had a wonderful night. As VIP holders, we got access to a sound check event that was scheduled for 4, but we didn’t actually get it until 6:30. Even if everyone waited a little longer, once Enhypen came out, the mood got better. 

I did end up being 453 in line, but my view was shockingly still close. It was a dream come true seeing one of my favorite groups perform in person, let alone watching them up close! I have nothing negative to say about their performances as they performed their songs exactly how I originally saw them through my phone. 

While their dancing and vocals felt unreal, I especially enjoyed the intimate moments they shared with the crowd. In between songs, they took some time to talk with the fans, and in their performance of “Polaroid Love,” they actually went into the crowd and interacted with a lot of people. While I didn’t get any interaction there, I was already content as during sound check, my favorite member noticed my sign and waved to me! All in all, this night will be one that I will forever cherish. 

I will admit that being a VIP ticket holder is a big part of what made the night so special, and unfortunately, not everyone has access to such an experience. However, any seat in the house should prove to be an enjoyable night regardless.

Franklin Suguitan, a second-year computer science major, also attended the concert but had seats that were basically nosebleed. 

He says, “It’s a different experience hearing it live with the added bass. This was my first k-pop concert and I’m glad I went with friends. It was just a night of everyone coming together to appreciate the music and Enhypen.”

Everything he says is very true!  Even if your seats aren’t the best, there are usually big monitors in which you can see everything that’s happening on stage. On top of that, their vocals live are an experience everyone should have once. 

With everything that’s been said, there’s a clear difference between K-pop and the western music that we are used to. I think the biggest difference probably has to be quality and effort. 

1. Dance. To me, the coolest thing about K-pop is the choreography involved. Personally, I don’t see a lot of artists within the states who have a dance designated for most of their discography. This isn’t just a cool appeal as these dances are widely enjoyed and learned by the fans. 
2. Physical albums. Korea heavily capitalizes on physical albums. Nowadays, most people enjoy music through streaming apps like Spotify or Apple Music, however, K-pop makes people want to buy actual albums. Besides the cd, these albums have so many inclusions: posters, a photo book of the group, and photocards of a random member. K-pop adds value to their albums on shelves.
3. Concerts. Everything comes full circle when it comes to their concerts. As said by Franklin, it’s a night of fans coming together to watch their favorite idols. The fandom treats it as a night of luxury as everyone dresses up in the most flashy way possible. People even dedicate time to creating special gifts to hand out to people at the concert. 

Finally, this is your sign to attend a K-pop concert yourself! While Enhypen didn’t go to San Francisco this time around, I’m sure they’ll eventually have a show in the Bay Area. It’s not uncommon for Korean artists to perform in the Bay as various artists actually held concerts this year: Twice, Seventeen, Tomorrow x Together, Dreamcatcher, Loona, etc. You’re just in luck as another group, ATEEZ, will be here next month for their world tour. So, here’s my shout-out to go ahead and enjoy a K-pop concert.