A year into quarantine and the one thing we certainly all miss is the ability to see live shows and live music. It’s been hard adjusting to that fact, especially for those of us that frequented concerts. It’s been a difficult transition, and while the rise of online concerts helps fill the void, it can’t do so fully.

Despite that, the one upside of the online concert feature is that a ton more content is available in place of the one missing concert. KCON first unveiled the concept of KCON:TACT last year after the announcement of no large gatherings, and is now on their third installment of the series, having improved the experience every time. While we miss our weekend KCON experience dearly, KCON:TACT provides nine days of concerts featuring a huge list of artists that is incomparable to anything else out there right now.

Not only are there concerts, but each day features a meet-and-greet section for each artist, as well as a huge catalogue of special videos, collaboration stages, and a countdown week of Zoom workshops featuring creators in the community to build excitement for the week. In addition, there are other special perks for certain tier members, so there’s no way to ever run out of content for this special event! It’s easy to see how KCON went above and beyond to try and fill the void of live music in our lives.

Rookies and veterans alike join the KCON:TACT lineup, so we were all in for an action packed week!

Concerts

While there is no way to replicate the experience of a live performance, each artist’s performance features a virtual set that emulates the feeling of a full stadium, complete with lightsticks and the layout we are all familiar with for KCON. Typically after an intro and first song performance, the artist then has the screens behind them filled with fan screens, who are live in that moment. They then take time to interact with the audience before finishing up their stages, typically performing two to three songs each, as is standard for KCON. The formula is similar to live concerts, but the format feels like a music show performance. Even so, it is enjoyable and since it is live, each performance has its own special charm, and the anticipation for which song will be performed definitely feels the same as it would in a live setting.

Meet-and-Greets

Each meet-and-greet session was hosted by HIGHLIGHT’s Lee Gikwang, and had a feel similar to After School Club. Each group is brought on and faces a special game or challenge to vie for a snack, including but not limited to: spilling the beans on roommates, doing cover dances, and special camera close-ups. The back screen is covered in videos of fans, and each group member can be seen interacting with fans between discussions with the MC. While there is similar fan interaction during the concert, the meet-and-greet is a special time to put focus only on that, and each segment wraps up with eye contact and virtual hi touch.

Special Stages

One of the staple features of KCON is the special stages, whether it be covers or special collaborations, and they are often fan favorites of the performances. This KCON:TACT definitely didn’t disappoint, providing some awesome covers of classics and great openers. A personal favorite for The Kraze was the day six opener where Bobby of iKON performed his latest title track “U Mad?” Bobby has always been a spectacular performer, and this opener really built hype for the rest of the performances that day.

Some other great stages worth noting include Dreamcatcher covering 2PM’s “My House” in suits, EVERGLOW performing big girl group hits of the decade, and rookie group ENHYPHEN covering the classic “Very Good” from Block B.

Additional Segments

Eumaksil 3DSound

One of the most fun segments that really utilized the current state of things is the Eumaksil 3DSound room, which gave listeners an awesome 3D sound space when headphones were plugged in. It gave the viewer a more complete experience with the song and, coupled with the video, made for a great spectacle that was featured in some of the live concert clips.

VDIUM

The VDIUM clips provided a virtual stadium experience for those that miss the time of live performances. As a completely virtual experience, you could tell that even the performances were virtual, and it made for an interesting experience definitely different from any other segment available. 

KCON Memories

Amidst some concert performances, clips of certain group members showed them reliving previous KCON experiences from their younger years, which often made the now older artists cringe at their performances. Despite that, it was a fun way to relive old memories, especially from concerts you managed to witness yourself.

Standout Performances

HyunA - “Red”

This KCON:TACT marked HyunA’s first appearance. While it was nice to see some of her newer songs, the real treat was her surprise performance of 2014’s “Red.” New and old fans alike will find themselves energized by the nostalgic track, and the singer is just as strong as ever in this performance.

A.C.E - Intro + “Jindo Arirang”

A.C.E brought their A-game with this special stage. Coupled with the intro, “Jindo Arirang” showed a beautiful backsplash of cherry blossoms and traditional Korean architecture. The track is a beautiful homage to Korean culture, and with A.C.E at the helm, it is rebranded for the modern age without losing its original charm. It’s a beautiful metaphor for the bridge between old and new in Korea, and the performance was breathtaking to watch.

Dreamcatcher - “Scream”

InSomnia surely will feel emotional at Dreamcatcher’s performance, driven by the return of Handong after a very long hiatus. Nothing really drove this point home harder than the performance of “Scream,” a comeback she initially missed. While a dancer had initially filled her spot in the choreography, the most powerful moment was the shift in lines and her first verse, which surely sent goosebumps to all fans of the group to finally hear her voice on the track.

SF9 - “Now or Never”

The Kraze has always been a big advocate of this specific SF9 comeback, and even years later it still hasn’t lost its charm. The choreography is always eye-catching, and we can’t get enough of Chani’s Michael Jackson homage at his solo dance break. The song is still top-notch three years later and will never get old.

The Boyz - “Danger” TAEMIN cover

We love a good cover stage, and The Boyz bringing back their Road to Kingdom performance of TAEMIN’s solo debut title “Danger.” It’s awesome to see the original solo choreography adapted for the large group, and the members performed the song so well that it was impossible not to fall in love with the performance.

Oh My Girl - “SSFWL” live vocals

Potentially the biggest standout performance came from Oh My Girl performing “SSFWL” live in the 3D sound space. As someone not super into Oh My Girl, but still a casual fan of their music, the live performance blew me away in a way that showcased how amazing the vocals in this group are.

iKON - “Love Scenario”

It’s been tough to watch iKON experience the woes they have, but it is also nice to see them back in major lineups despite it all. For all those that remember the overwhelming presence of “Love Scenario” back in 2018, hearing the group rehash it will definitely bring back some feelings, especially considering B.I is no longer there to perform it. Regardless, it is nice to hear the song from their peak days return after so long.

Lee Jinhyuk - “Villain”

Potentially the most underrated solo artist on the scene, Lee Jinhyuk’s performances are always spot on, but something about “Villain” just hits differently. Perhaps it’s the snappy choreography performed so well, or the overall aura of the track, but the soloist really showed what he could do through this performance.

Stray Kids - “Hellevator”

Stray Kids got a lot of performance time on their day at KCON:TACT, but most of the performances focused more on their recent hits, which have gained them a significant amount of attention in the last year. “Hellevator” was a great callback to the group’s origins, and having them perform their pre-debut track with their more seasoned performance skills of late was a treat.

ATEEZ - “Answer” Special Performance

What is more fun than a little dress-up performance? For their set, ATEEZ members donned outfits from the Harry Potter universe, complete with leader Hongjoong dressed as the protagonist with the mark on his forehead. What was the most fun about this performance was it appeared that the members were sorted into their respective houses, at least based on what fans believe them to be (Yunho as a Hufflepuff, San as a slytherin, etc). It was a nice added special touch to the performance.