Let's KCON! Your 411 on Ticket Buying and More
It's time again to KCON as the world’s premiere K-Culture festival makes its return to Los Angeles this August 18-20th. The lineup including ATEEZ, CRAVITY, EVERGLOW, FIFTY FIFTY, (G)I-DLE, INI, ITZY, IVE, JO1, Kepl1er, Lapillus, NMIXX, Rain, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON (MONSTA X), Stray Kids, TAEMIN, Taeyong, The Boyz, WayV, xikers, and ZEROBASEONE is insane, and this KCON looks to be one of the biggest ever with an expanded full three day concert series. Combined with this is a new ticket price structure that has even veteran KCONers wondering, what do I buy? Well read, then set your plans in motion and hope that the ticket gods are in your favor. Ticket sales are on June 21 and 23, so mark your calendars. Good luck, and I hope to see you there!
Ticketing
KCON ticketing has changed again. If you've been there before, it's not the same. No more Platinum, P1, or P2 tickets with mystery vouchers you buy and trade. Not even three-day packages. Let's break it down, and though we don't have all the answers as they have yet to be revealed, we’ll do our best and provide our thoughts to help you make your best decisions.
First let's look at the tickets. Concert tickets this time around are divided into Premium ($500), P1 ($250), P2 ($175), and P3 ($95), not including ticketing fees. The numbers are designating the locations for the show. Concert tickets include convention tickets and are for each day of KCON. So if you want to attend it all, you'll have to multiply your budget by three.
What is the Mnet Plus Special Benefit Package? It’s a package that offers all the online video content you might have signed up for in the past with a pre-sale buying opportunity for $55 on June 21 at noon PDT. You’ll be able to purchase one show ticket for one of the days. Important note: the Premium Ticket is not included in this pre-sale!
There is only one package that includes other benefits this year: the Premium Ticket that goes on sale at the same time as regular tickets on June 23 at noon PDT.
Let's start with the pros. The Premium Ticket is purchased by day, and gives access to the Meet & Greet (M&G) event for every artist that's on the M&G schedule that day plus the sendoff. So what is this? The M&G is a fan meet session. There's a host that'll ask the artists questions and some KCON-style games giving fans a chance to see them interact live. The package also includes the sendoff (a.k.a. M&G “B”). At the sendoff (based on other sendoff events as this is new to KCON), you will be allowed to stand in a separate area behind a barricade, and on the artists’ way out, they’ll pass by you and you may have an opportunity to interact with them directly. You also get the red carpet. That's probably the only place you'll get a guaranteed view of every artist on stage that day before the show. As only Premium Ticket holders get access to the red carpet, the group will be relatively small.
A con for the M&G Program is that you'll have to line up early if you want a good spot to make eye contact and a good view. That means you might miss an appearance of another artist you like on the convention floor. Also, for M&G B's sendoff, there's no guaranteed direct interaction with the artists and not all artists do the M&G period. It'll be a battle to get barricade and the artist's attention. As for the red carpet, if you have a floor ticket for the concert and want a good spot, you might need to give that up. Most people start lining up early for the show. Same issue with any late M&G events. If you want to do it all, try to get a seated P1 ticket with your package.
As this format is new, there are unknowns. For example, if you do both M&G A and B, how will going to A affect your place in line for B? For the sendoff group, the place in line will be very important as usually only those at the barricade have a chance at interaction. Also, will they allow phones? KCON does not allow phones for the hi-touch, and there's a good chance they'll have you put them away, but if they allow for the sendoff, and you're really lucky, you may be able to get your selfie moment with your bias.
Now let's tackle M&G A (the hi-touch). The hi-touch is basically a high-five for new fans, and they go on sale with M&G B on June 23 at 2PM PDT. As the only ticket that gives you a guaranteed one-on-one with the artists, albeit one second of one-on-one, the demand for these tickets will be insane. If you’re lucky to score a ticket, remember that though people always vie to be the last in this group, there’s really not much difference as everyone gets that second of palm-to-palm action. You'll have to put your phone away and stand in line with your hand out, giving every member a high-five. It's fast, and the staff will hurry you along. There's no hugs, no time for conversation, just a touch of palms and maybe a chance to say two words if you're fast enough. But since it's the only guaranteed interaction, with a separate price tag of $100 for each group, it will be the hottest tickets in town — likely harder than even the Premium Ticket.
The Convention
Whether you buy a concert ticket or a M&G ticket, the convention ticket is included. If you're not sure you can afford the concert, the convention is still definitely worth it at $30 per day. Go and go early. Lines form quickly at the booths with free giveaways or prizes. You might even win a concert ticket. There's almost always a sponsor or vendor that has great prizes. Also, keep your phone by your side and Twitter notifications on for KCON. Aside from scheduled appearances in the convention hall, artists are known to make impromptu appearances. Not all artists will show up on the convention floor during the three days, but there's always a good number that do. In addition, there’s a day stage that might have artists you've seen on YouTube or who are on the roster perform a few extra songs or do a game as well as art, dance, and some great workshops with people you might be following.
After Ticketing: Tips for KCON
Food and Parking
There's food in the convention center, but usually the KCON food truck alley has better stuff. Free McDonald's fries can't sustain for long. You are allowed to leave and come back to the convention, so if you have specific dietary restrictions, you can pop out to the car when you drop off your things and grab food that you've brought, and eat while in line to enter the show. And if you're really short on time and hot dogs are your thing, have some cash on hand for the bacon wrapped dogs from the vendors outside the convention center. As for parking, the obvious advice is try to carpool. Just a reminder that you don’t need to buy parking prior to the convention. You may find a better deal at some independent lots around KCON. If not, there will be plenty of space in the convention center lot.
Shopping
Korean beauty products are so much fun. Check out the makeup booths, and get some free samples and some deals on K-Beauty. You might be lucky enough to get a makeover or some other beauty treatment if they do the beauty stage or with a vendor. Also, bring cash. Some vendors have minimums for credit. There's also albums and other K-Pop items for sale as well as exclusive KCON merchandise. It’s your chance to save on all the shipping and score some album deals. Sometimes they sell signed items by artists, so keep an eye out. Also, check the Mnet site for KCON artists' signed albums as well. You'll have to pay the shipping, but it might be your best chance to get a signed album from your favorite group.
Sponsor Booths, Dance Floor, and Panels
Booths, especially sponsor booths, in the past have special prizes you can win that may include Meet & Greet, red carpet tickets, or something random like a plushie. With partnerships this year by CJ ENM America and iHeartMedia Los Angeles as well as being sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, I'm sure that we'll have some great convention booths. A big ticket event in the past was to test drive a car, so be on the lookout. The dance floor is always a party whether you know all your idol dances or not, so practice that choreo for any random dance challenges. It's also not unknown for an artist to make an appearance there as well. Panels are a great way to learn more about K-Pop, your favorite YouTuber or influencer that might be there, or to get some industry insight.
Regardless of what ticket you get, KCON is a great time for all. It’s a time to reconnect with fans who have morphed into friends, see the people that you only glimpse online, and chat with those in your social groups in person. As much as it is about the idols and the experience, it is also about the people that you meet or have met in the past. We hope that everyone gets the ticket of their dreams and see you all at KCON.