by Hailie Balding
As an avid K-pop listener for almost 10 years now, I’ve been to my fair share of shows both big and small. There’s no secret that K-pop concerts in Korea are routinely better and grander than those held abroad, specifically in the United States. This doesn’t take away from how fun shows can still be, but they’re still very different. This year, I finally got to experience that difference.
Back in March, I attended day three of K-pop boy group TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s three-day concert ACT: PROMISE EP. 2 in Incheon. This was an extension of last year’s world tour, ACT: PROMISE. Right off the bat, the length of days is something that overseas fans don’t get to see often, if at all. This far in my experience, I have yet to see a K-pop (or foreign artist in general) book more than two days at a given venue. And even that is usually reserved for big name acts.
Camping also doesn’t exist for shows in Korea. I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of the idea of camping and have never done it, but I can’t deny that it is a big part of shows today. However, in Korea, most floors are seated. There’s no reason to arrive early to try to get the best spot. Even when the floor is standing room only, the assignment of ticket numbers upon purchase helps erase the need to camp. This was something I really enjoyed seeing.
Venues are also a completely different ballgame in Korea. TXT’s concert was held at the Inspire Arena in Incheon, which I hadn’t realized at first was a part of an entire resort. There was even a convenience store in one of the lobbies where I was able to buy snacks and drinks AND bring them into the concert venue!
Not only that but the queuing process occurred in separate rooms than the venue. Even though there were thousands of people and each part of the venue was quite crowded, the queuing process was very quick. I felt like I was in and out of lines in no time, and I had to go through at least three. I feel like this is just something I never see in Chicago. Almost every concert I’ve been to in the past year had doors opened late and attendees stuck in the entrance or merchandise lines almost until the show started.
Another notable difference is how they conduct things like a meet & greet. While TXT’s take on similar forms between the US and South Korea, the meet & greet in South Korea was much more organized and overall, a better experience. Attendees were led out of the venue post-show, lined up by ticket numbers in a separate area, and then led back into the concert hall to line up, single file against the barricade. They made the space big enough that nearly everyone was able to stand against the fence and interact with the members as they came by.
From my experience in the US, meet & greet—or “sendoff”—isn’t like that at all. Fans are typically crammed into a smaller area and there’s a lot of pushing back and forth to be able to make your way to the front of the barricade, and sometimes you don’t even get to interact with the artist.
Show wise, both had their own charms. I wouldn’t really pit one production against the other, at least for the ones I went to. There wasn’t an insane amount of difference that I experienced, but in Korea, I’ve seen them put on more extravagant productions with air balloon lifts or motorized carts that drive around the floor. Despite that, there were some sets for EP. 2 that didn’t make it to the US in the initial leg, such as a campfire scene for their song “Magic Island” and a sheer curtain that dropped halfway through “Dreamer.”
While I absolutely loved this experience and would do it again if given the chance, it’s not stopping me from going to shows in Chicago. But sometimes, I need to adjust my expectations. Each show is inevitably different, and there’s something to enjoy in all of them! At the end of the day, I love the music and the group and that’s what I go to the show for. It’s an experience I love and am lucky to participate in, and it’s something that’s even brought me to being able to share here, and on WONC’s K-pop show, Straight From the Seoul!
