KCON
KCON (stands for Korea Convention) is an annual convention themed around, contrary to popular belief, South Korean culture, because the organizers think that North Korean culture doesn't exist.[1] It was first held in California in 2012 before the world was supposed to end (which never happened.) Since then it has expanded to 10 countries around the world. The convention is known for its Korean food, beauty and K-drama stalls, but the biggest selling point is K-pop. Every year, the organizers pick what K-pop groups and soloists will be popular in the near future.[2]
First created in 2012, it has since then became the biggest K-culture convention ever. No other convention could ever top that. It only expands in countries where K-culture is popular, which is like a few of them.
History[edit | edit source]
2012[edit | edit source]
The first KCON was held in California in October 2012. Somehow the organizers managed to afford an amphitheater for the convention. The launch of the convention came at a right time, when Gangnam Style was everywhere. Despite this, the singer of Gangnam Style, PSYchic, didn't show up, because the song was too popular, and if he were, then more people could've come. But that didn't matter as the organizers found which artists are popular in South Korea, which were ones that nobody cared about. The first artists that performed were 2Second, F.A.P, ECHOOOOOO-MMMMMMM, Nud'est, FIXXX and Lasa.gna. Even though they picked artists that are only popular in South Korea and other Asian countries, somehow over 20,000 people showed up.
2Second ended up having a cult fanbase even after they disbanded. F.A.P also disbanded, and people still forgot they exist. Meanwhile, ECHOOOOOO (and other subgroups) ended up being successful and popular. Nud'est is another group people forgot existed, even if they still pump out albums. FIXXX had the same fate as Nud'est. Finally, 4 years after the first convention, Lasa.gna got accused of being a prostitute, ending her career forever.
2013[edit | edit source]
Apparently the world didn't end last year. Anyways, this time it was held in an arena because the organizers knew more people are going to come. ECHOOOOOO-MMMMMMM returns from the last convention, but another subgroup, ECHOOOOOO-KK performed for the first time. Other artists include 2PM, Peen Pop, sin(cos)TAN, G-ASS, Marker Rock, Dynamite Dick, some random guy from South Korea who claims to be the next great singer-songwriter (and soon, God) and a random DJ from nowhere. One of the special guests is actually not a K-pop artist.[3]
2AM got sued by Pink Floyd for copying one of the most iconic albums of all time (Total Eclipse of the Sun), nobody cares about Peen Pop (and neither does Marker Rock, even after they disbanded), G-ASS still continues to be part of Small Boom, and those random musicians fell into obscurity. Unfortunately, a member from sin(cos)TAN had...well...let's not get into it.[4]
2014[edit | edit source]
2014 was mainly the same as 2013's, but with more artists. It had so many panels and workshops related to South Korean culture, and a majority of the attendees are from California, are women, and are actually not South Korean. Performers of this year's convention included A4 On The Vending Machine, BT-SV Biot, Toronto Orange, G-ASS, SNDS, UI, a rapist, Pika, Peen Pop and FIXXX. It ended up being the most popular KCON until next year, and another one.
A4 On The Vending Machine fell into obscurity, even after making music, along with Toronto Orange. One of the performers ended up being an actual rapist. As for Pika...no one cared about them. But the same couldn't be said for BT-SV Biot, SNDS and UI, as they were more successful than them.
2015[edit | edit source]
In 2015, the organizers found out that K-pop is a very popular genre in Japan, so they expanded there. The performers included Coke-W (a band that no one cares about), Low5 (another band that no one cares about), Ultra Family (yet another band that no one cares about), Micronesia (just like the country, its a band that no one cares about), and Stion (seriously...there's so many bands that no one cares about). Other performers included Not8, Super Duper Junior, Namkang (take a shot every time the convention recruits artists no one cares about), NotMyName (how many bands that no one cares about are on here?), Uglyz, Eastern Bloc-☭, Seestar, Limited, A4 On The Vending Machine, 2AM's Cun. T, and Black Hole (holy fuck another band nobody cares about).
Out of all of the performers on the list, Not8 ended up being popular internationally, along with Super Duper Junior. Uglyz fell into obscurity, despite having a cult fanbase. Eastern Bloc-☭ is slowly becoming a popular act amongst international K-pop fans, along with Seestar, despite the band being disbanded. Same could go for Limited.
Because a majority of these bands above had people not caring about them, the organizers found some of the hottest K-pop acts and actors/actresses, and because of this, they had to move to a different venue. They were right.[5] Other than that, some of the acts from the Japan convention ended up returning. Artists include OAO, Fanta, PokeMONSTA XY&Z, Red Velvet Pants, Koy Rim, Shit, What?, and Tion.Z. Out of all of these new artists on this list, OAO has gotten some popularity. Fanta ended up being sorta successful, along with Koy Rim and Tion.Z. Shit, What? is kinda popular, but not as those soloists. PokeMONSTA XY&Z and Red Velvet Pants ended up having more success internationally.
As if that wasn't enough, the organizers decide to go to New York to host KCON there. However, this one had the least amount of performers, and includes Peen Pop, SNDS, OAO and FIXXX. That's it. Wait, there's more?
Oh wait a second. They're having KCON in South Korea?? No way. Anyways, we have GS Peas, Eastern Bloc-☭, Black Hole, Koy Rim, Namkang, Botan, July, Pasadena, Mammamia, Miammama, Oh My Boy, Bark Poram and whoever that was. GS Peas, Pasadena and Poram ended up having cult fanbases despite being unpopular, no one cares about Botan, whoever that was and Miammama, and Oh My Boy ended up being successful internationally. But the most successful act off from Korea's convention was Mammamia.
Overall, 2015 ended up being the biggest year for KCON.
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ The closest thing is nukes and Kim Jong-Un.
- ↑ Most K-pop artists actually end up being popular in the future, but others...well, they're popular only in their home country anyways, but maybe there's a few global listeners.
- ↑ Missy Elliott. Seriously, what the hell?!
- ↑ We can't joke about serious things like this!!
- ↑ Well, most of them ended up being popular.
