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[HanCinema's Event Coverage] KCON LA 2017 Concerts + Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo Poster Giveaway

The highlight of KCON is undoubtedly the concerts where acts from South Korea perform for their international fans, specifically North American Fans. Although K-pop concerts are far more frequent in North America than they once were -- back in 2003 there were only a handful while 2017 has seen over eighty performances -- the number pales in comparison to the number of live performances by American artists, which is to be expected. But that disparity and the unique culture of K-pop fans came together to create an atmosphere not to be forgotten.

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The lineups for both Saturday August 19th and Sunday 20 were stacked back to back with popular acts, many of them rookies or still very new like K.A.R.D. and Wanna One (who are busy making daily headlines with their explosive popularity). A few well-seasoned groups like Super Junior D&E, Girls' Day, and VIXX hit the stage, giving the audience the finesse of experience that wonderfully juxtaposed the exuberance of the newer groups.

Overall, this KCON LA was more cohesive and the concert experience was better because of it. There were two key points that made both nights constantly enjoyable. First was the fact that many of the performers spoke English whether they were native speakers or not. The effort to connect definitely drew the fans in closer -- it drew me in! Hearing one's native language creates a closeness and the idols tapped into that. The second point was that the concert flowed. There were no dead moments between acts. Instead, there was consistent movement that came from idols speaking as others prepared for the stage and eliminating the tedius gaps between performances.

Some of my favorite moments from the concert came during moments of intense connection. K.A.R.D. and Wanna One totally fed on the enthusiasm of the crowd and returned that enthusiam with energy. When the lights dimmed over the audience just before Heize's performance and hundreds of cell phones began to glow, it literally took Heize's breath away and she delivered one of the most touching performances of the night. Both nights saw idols chatting over mics from the audience and taking the stage via pathways through the seats. Certain groups highlighted their brilliant dancers, like NCT 127 and Got7, which was beautiful and added so much variety to the night. Kim Tae-woo-I of g.o.d was the the most seasoned singer of both concerts and my first reaction to him was, "Holy technique, Batman!" His vocal power, dexterity, and range was (and is) phenomenal. He oozed charm, comfort, and enjoyment, all a product of loving the stage for many, many years.

I was a bit puzzled by the choice to place SEVENTEEN last on Saturday instead of VIXX, their seniors, but they receive more hype on the international market. Both groups performed very well so in the end, it didn't really matter.

There was so much more to enjoy about the concert, but I'm going to stop here. Writing about the experience made me relive it and both nights were very much worth reliving. It's very easy to see why K-pop is such an addictive and enjoyable scene. KCON brought it's A-game this year and so did the performers. Thank you, everyone.

As a bonus, this post comes with the last of our KCON goodies up for giveaway, a "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo" poster. Enter below to win!

Written by: Lisa Espinosa AKA Raine from 'Raine's Dichotomy'

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo Poster

All photography courtesy of CJ E&M

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