The First KPop Convention In The World On Its 5th Year

[empressmaruja.livejournal.com]

5th year of fun for Filipino K-pop fans
By Hotaru Niitsu
INQUIRER.net
7:25 am | Monday, December 30th, 2013

MANILA, Philippines—While international K-pop fans in other parts of the world awaited the yearend specials of big Korean networks, Filipino K-pop fans donned their best K-pop paraphernalia and Korean-inspired fashion outfit on a bright Saturday for the most awaited annual K-pop event in Manila.

On Dec. 28, 2013, K-pop fans from all walks of life flocked early to the SM Mall of Asia SMX Convention Halls 1 and 2, to take a chance at the first-come, first-served selling of limited General Admission and Booths Only tickets. All they wanted was to get the best view in the General Admission area for the concert part of the event. Other fans just wanted to be the first to enter the other venue, where K-pop items were on sale, lest others before them gobble up the choice merchandise.

The Philippine K-pop Convention was in its fifth successful year, this time even grander. As the organizer, the Philippine K-pop Committee Inc. (PKCI) teamed up with PULP Live World, one of the country’s largest concert producers, which has brought K-pop superstars like Super Junior and 2ne1 to the Philippine stage.

‘A world where we belong’

Massive crowds of fans overflowed inside the SMX convention halls.

In the first hall, swarms of attendees cluttered alongside the railings of the main stage and screamed at the top of their lungs when their favorite Korean boy groups performed.

Some other fans, in the other hall, enjoyed fun activities and ogled at and bought K-pop items that PKCI-affiliated fan-club and K-pop merchandise booths offered.

One fan, in particular, said that she and her friend were after the K-pop item-laden booths.

Clarissa Garcia shared that they wanted to check out the different K-pop merchandise of their favorite groups and to possibly buy those items.

She added that it was fun to attend the convention, especially for first-timers like them, seeing a wide variety of K-pop items.

Her friend Alyssa Mae Sarmiento, on the other hand, said that going to the convention was less time-consuming than shopping online wherein you still have to pay the shipping fee.

“Dito, kahit na gagastos ka rin naman sa pagkain, tapos transportation, sulit naman. Kasi ang dami mong nakaka spazz. Nakakatuwa kasi; nakaka-overwhelm lang na parang (medyo) di naman kami nag-iisa sa mundo (Even though we still have to buy our food, and then pay for our transportation, I think being here was worth it, especially since you can fangirl with others. I’m thrilled; I find it overwhelming that it seemed we were not the only ones in this world),” Sarmiento elaborated why it was fun at the event.

Noticeably, somewhere around the entrance and exit, fans also seemed to take the event as a chance to meet with their co-K-pop friends. They sat and conversed about K-pop and their favorite groups.
Korean-related lessons

PKCI Core staff Paola Ebora stated that for the 5th Philippine K-pop convention, other than the previously setup of over 60 PKCI-affiliated fanclub activity booths and over 60 K-pop merchandise booths, there was a two-hall, two-stage setup wherein the main stage held various performances and contests (such as the Dance Battle Year, Singing Star, and Idol Look-Alike), a special runway show, and the second stage held the free Korean classes and seminars.

Ebora also added that for this year, four stunning Korean boy groups—namely A.Cian, LC9, Lunafly and main act, Boyfriend—were brought by PKCI through the help of Pulp Live Productions, Standard and other sponsors.

VVIP and VIP ticket holders were the lucky fans to have a chance to partake in games, high five event, meet and greet, and even a fansign from the Korean boy groups.

K-pop convention for a cause

The annual K-pop convention held during December was not entirely a K-pop gathering. It was also a fund-raising event for PKCI’s charitable partner organizations.

Ebora said that parts of the proceeds of the convention would go to such charitable institutions as Gawad Kalinga, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, and PKCI’s chosen student beneficiaries.
The Philippine K-pop convention started as a small fund-raising event in Starmall Alabang in 2009, attracting a crowd of about 2,000. Since then it has drawn fans from all over the Philippines.

********************

Highlights

A.Cian performed a Filipino song ("Hiling" by Jay-R Siaboc)

LC9 performed a bunch of One Direction covers, adorbs!

Lunafly's rendition of "Closer You And I" by Gino Padilla

Bestfriends Philippines celebrating Jeongmin's birthday

(I'll post more Boyfriend highlights later. There were so many.)


#KPopCon5 KPop Idol Look-Alike Contest Winners









#KPopCon5 Singing Star Winner

Champion - Francis Florendo

(Couldn't find his performance vid during the event, but he sang the same song in this clip.)


#KPopCon5 Dance Battle Winner

Champion - Se-Eon

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, Photo by me, Ella Rola, ryoleo12, Pat Rubinas, Philippine KPop Convention, KCCPHIL, SeEonCoverGroup

Comments

[setsuna16.livejournal.com]

My best friend REALLY wants to go to K-Con this year. I don't particularly care for conventions, I find them far, far too crowded for my comfort zone, BUT might have BoA merch...

Conflict.

[tlict.livejournal.com]

i didn't go. i hate crowds lol. lucky tho for the fans of the groups, tickets were pretty cheap. i wanted to go to buy some merch but meh too lazy.

[eijem-sawada.livejournal.com]

suga and iu cosplayers' faces look distorted on the pics...

ugh i wish i was there. i wanted to see lunafly. that group is quality.

[mishi07.livejournal.com]

Them and LC9 rehearsed for such a long ass time. Lunafly's very particular and Sam conversed candidly with the tech guys (its the managers who usually breathe down the tech director's neck).

[pinksparkles14.livejournal.com]

I've attended 4 out of 5 Phil Kpop Conventions and I swear every year has a different kind of surprise! Congratulations to the PKCI for a job well done! It feels like it was just yday when the 1st Kpop Convention in Alabang was held. I feel old. OTL

Lunafly, you have a new fan! Sam's British accent is H N G I cannot *____*

[mad-nux.livejournal.com]

only went once and it was so crowded, never planning to go. and plus the artists they bring are always nugus. lol at the look-a-likes, none of them are even close

[anconeous.livejournal.com]

I don't do conventions but I think it's great that it gets bigger every year.

And OMG they covered "Closer You and I?!" Okay, I think I just got converted into a fan. One of my fave Pinoy songs of all time! ㅠ.ㅠ

[nicole8991.livejournal.com]

I only went to see Lunafly but because I had work, I was late. They were no longer letting people in at 5pm. ugh I was so disappointed that day.

[dorawa.livejournal.com]

those look-a-likes looking nothing like the people they are supposed to be lol

[lonelymoon.livejournal.com]

Lol ita

[empressmaruja.livejournal.com]

Last year's batch was better tbh.

[coldhives.livejournal.com]

SCREAMING AT THE BAEKHYUN LOOKALIKE OMFG

[doseh.livejournal.com]

ot, but anyone here who goes to up diliman and knows a guy who cosplays jaejoong? please if you do tell me his name. XD

[anconeous.livejournal.com]

There is one?! LOL when I was in Ateneo, there was this guy who looked exactly like Eunhyuk circa Neorago days. He even had the red hair and everything. Even dressed like him. But I doubt he even knew who Eunhyuk was. LMAO

[doseh.livejournal.com]

yep. there's one. i've seen him quite a few times within the campus. and i'm pretty sure he knows k-pop and jaejoong. XD because there was this one instance in which my friend and i were sitting almost across of him (we were inside a jeepney) and i kind of let out a loud comment of 'damn! he looks exactly like jaejoong.' and he kind of smirked/smiled when he heard my comment. XD i died that time though. XD

[achan123.livejournal.com]

the first lookalike guy looks like ze:a's hyungsik
the second look alike girl looks more like eunji
and the last girl looks like that one in 4minute

[yutorin04.livejournal.com]

i still don't approve of that baek look-alike tbh orz