Echoes Across Continents: The Rising Wave of K-pop Fandom in Africa

With the growing interest in K-pop in the early 2010s, CJ ENM sought to create a space where K-pop fans could come together and celebrate Korean music and culture. Instead of pumping out another live music concert, CJ ENM opted to organise a festival that blended the excitement of live performances with the vibrant richness of Korean culture, creating a mesmerising tapestry of entertainment. And so, KCON was born.

The festival, or convention rather, began as a single-day event in Irvine, California. The convention was filled with various booths selling different types of Korean products including merchandise, skincare products, make-up and food. Fans were also treated to performances by their favourite K-pop groups and had the chance to meet and engage with their favourite idols. Over 10,000 people attended and the event was declared a success. In 2013, the numbers doubled and, thereafter, continued to increase exponentially each year. Since then, the convention has expanded to various locations in the USA as well as internationally to Japan, South Korea, France, and many more countries.

WHY KCON?

On what motivated them to start KCON, the former Head of KCON and vice president of CJ ENM, said the following about bringing KCON to life: “We had a hunch there was a huge group of K-pop fans [in the United States], but we didn’t know how to prove it.”  She further stated that they had “tried some physical and digital experiments such as social campaigns. But it wasn’t enough.”

Although she was told that K-pop popularity had already peaked and was dying down, she still believed that many people out there still loved and enjoyed Korean music. As such, the company sought to create a space where these people could come together to celebrate K-pop in a unique fan-based cultural festival.

KCON’s Mission

In 2018, the CEO of CJ ENM America told Forbes that KCON is “ not just about trends but the core, creating a home for K-pop year in, year out.”  She further stated that they were more interested in the long-term goal of raising Korea’s brand value than in short-term gain. In a press conference in 2022, Shin Hyung-Kwan, president of CJ ENM’s Mnet contents business stated that “KCON…is not just about making money. Numbers are important but what matters more is the potential created by the event for the next five, ten, and 20 years.” If KCON is really not just about making money but instead increasing interest in Korean music and culture, then isn’t Africa the perfect place to hold the convention?

KCON AFRICA?

Africa boasts an ever-expanding population of K-pop enthusiasts and dedicated fan communities.  These K-pop communities actively engage with K-pop through social media, fan clubs, and many fan-organised offline events. Through the organisation of these events, it is evident that K-pop enthusiasts are actively coming together to create communal spaces where they can gather and celebrate Korean music and culture. These fans are not only seeking to deepen their appreciation for all things Korean but to also establish meaningful connections within the community. The enthusiasm and dedication shown by fans who organise and attend these events underscores the strong desire to establish a safe and inclusive space in which they can come together and revel in their shared interests. This deeply resonates with the goal of KCON which is to bring together fan communities to create an authentic and memorable experience.

Despite the amazing efforts of these fan communities, there is only so much that they can do on their own. Their offline events do not provide comprehensive or immersive experiences where they can experience Korean culture firsthand. This, consequently, underscores the necessity for KCON to come to Africa. Through KCON, African fans will have access to all things Korean, allowing for a deeper and more enriching exploration of the music and culture.

If in 2012, a mere hunch led to the recognition of a substantial number of K-pop fans in the USA, we, as African K-pop enthusiasts, seek to be granted a similar benefit of the doubt. Despite the relatively lower streaming numbers in Africa, it is essential to recognise that this does not equate to non-existence. As stated in the previous article, with data from only one streaming platform (Spotify) it’s hard to gauge just how many K-pop fans there are on the African continent. Given that YouTube is the primary platform for consuming K-pop content, such as music videos, interviews, variety shows, and music show performances, the absence of data from this platform skews perceptions of the extent of K-pop popularity in African countries. 

Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive method to measure the true extent of K-pop fandom in Africa and it is futile to wait for such data (unless they are willing to put in the resources, time and effort to gather this data). Companies must instead trust in the enthusiasm and dedication of African K-pop fans. Embracing this leap of faith is essential to unlocking the immense potential of the African market and fostering greater inclusivity within the global K-pop community.

It is clear that the passion and commitment of K-pop fan bases in Africa runs deep. And if the words of CJ ENM’s former CEO are anything to go by, this should be more than enough. Bringing KCON to Africa is more than just a possibility; it’s a crucial step in uniting African K-pop fans and fostering cultural exchange. Through KCON AFRICA we will not only empower existing fans but also invite many others to celebrate Korean music and culture with us. Let’s unite and make KCON in Africa a reality so that we can enrich our shared love for K-pop and create lasting connections across continents.