KCON 101: How To Do It All In Three Days

KCON. It’s an epic weekend filled with literally everything K-entertainment, K-culture, and K-beauty. Want to learn how to cook? You can. To speak Korean? You can start. To dance along with the latest and greatest hits? Of course.

In fact, there is so much to do during KCON weekend that sometimes it can be overwhelming, exhausting, and even downright intimidating. But, never fear! As fourth year attendees, Team Soompi is full of KCON experts and we’re pooling our knowledge to help you make the most out of your KCON weekend.

Without further ado – the definitive guide to surviving KCON:

1. Comfortable Shoes

Listen, I know you want to look cute because all of the celebs at the event will be literally the cutest, ever, but you also want to be alive to see them. Life hack: bring cute shoes BUT ALSO wear comfortable shoes. The only time you’ll actually need to look cute (or, should I rephrase: the only times you’ll be seeing your faves) will be during audience engagements and the concerts. This means that you can dress freely for the hours (and hours) you will spend waiting in lines or wandering around the massive convention hall with your friends. There is so much to see and do, don’t get stuck sitting outside trying to rest your tired feet all the time.

2. Extreme Attentiveness

I know that I just said that you’ll only see your faves twice a day, but I actually lied. If you are on your A-game, you can definitely see your faves far more often. Every year different artists are ushered into sponsor booths, the main stage, or other events taking place in the actual convention center. Some of these are announced, some are a surprise. What does that mean for you? Stay in the convention room and keep your eyes and ears open at all time. We’ve had SISTAR walk right past us and (after recovering from a mini heart attack) we only noticed because we were paying attention.

3. Becoming a Morning Person

If your tickets come with artist engagements, you are going to want to arrive as early as possible on the first day. First, artist engagements could begin shortly after doors open on Friday. Second, you don’t want to miss out on the mass trading that happens Friday morning. Didn’t get that ASTRO high-touch pass you wanted? Chances are you’ll be able to trade for it. Get there early and don’t be shy! I’ve always managed to get the artists I want just by trading the first day.

4. A+ Planning

If you have that one friend who is amazing at planning, you should probably invite them to KCON just to make sure your schedule is flawless. But, if you are that friend, don’t worry! KCON actually makes planning as easy as possible by giving you tons of opportunities to plan the day. Step 1: Download the KCON App. Make your schedule there so you have full days planned and it’s all on your phone. Step 2: Get a KCON program book. I’m a little old-fashioned so I love being able to flip through the book in case I have down time to see what I could be missing out on. Step 3: Become acquainted with the layout of the convention center on day one so you never waste time getting lost.

5. Sustenance 

I feel like this should be self-explanatory but, even if the event is inside, it’s still hot. It still involves a lot of standing. Don’t forget to drink water (bring an empty water bottle to fill up all day for free) and eat proper meals. No one wants to fall ill before the concert! Remember, KCON partnered with KTown Night Market to have a ton of amazing food trucks right next to the Staples Center. Take a field trip before the concert and fill up on delicious K-town treats. You’re going to burn it all off jumping during the show anyway, so go wild!

So one last check, are you actually ready for KCON? Concert tickets? Check. Convention tickets? Check (make sure you register now to avoid long lines on Friday!). KLUB KCON tickets? Check (can’t miss on Amber and DEAN).

And, of course, stop by the Soompi booth to win prizes and say hello to our KCON veterans!