​​I attended the Kpop Revolution Convention in Mainz, hosted by Proud Nerd Conventions, and had an amazing time that far exceeded my expectations.

​

I arrived about 20 minutes before the event officially opened and was hopeful it would be well-executed and thankfully, it was! The overall vibe was welcoming, friendly, and full of excitement. Staff members were kind, and it was so refreshing to connect with fans of different K-pop groups from all over. Even though I don’t speak German, so many people went out of their way to speak with me and make me feel included.

​

The venue was mostly well-organized, but it was a bit confusing to figure out where the photo ops and group meet and greets were happening. The signage helped, but bigger or clearer signs would’ve made navigation easier.

I attended every panel, and each was followed by a live performance from the featured artist, which kept the energy high throughout the day. A dance competition judged by MONT and soloist KISU was another fun highlight.

​

Although I didn’t join any workshops, I did attend a one-on-one meet and greet with ACE from VAV. It was such a unique experience very different from any fan meeting i have ever attended. The one-on-one format was new to me but worked really well, though I do wish the scheduling had been more flexible. I missed one of the meet and greets I had signed up for due to queuing for something else, but the organisers were very understanding and even offered to help reschedule it for the next day. Sadly, I had to fly back to London, but I really appreciated their effort to fix it.

​

Lots of fans wore outfits repping their favourite K-pop groups and even handed out handmade freebies and bracelets, which added a really sweet and personal touch to the event.

​

There were plenty of K-pop related vendors offering official and fan-made photo cards, T-shirts, and photocard holders. I was especially excited to pick up some fan-made photocards from the game Love & Deepspace (which I love!) and even spotted merch for Kpop: Demon Hunters, which was a fun surprise.

​

The community was fantastic. I made lots of new friends despite the language barrier, and everyone was super kind. Staff and volunteers were consistently helpful and worked quickly to resolve any confusion with a great attitude.

While there wasn’t a DJ, live performances were constant, with every panel followed by music from the featured artist. There was also a Random Play Dance running in another area which kept the energy up throughout.

Special guests included From20, Hello Gloom, KISU, Big Ocean, Loeyn, ACE (from VAV), Jung Wooseok, and M.O.N.T. It was truly an impressive lineup.

​

There was Korean-themed food available, but I personally didn’t love it. The variety was a bit limited, but many other attendees seemed to enjoy it, so that may just come down to personal taste.

​

One thing I think could be improved is how digital copies of paid photos were handled. People who purchased one-on-one photo sessions often paying around €40 on average were still expected to pay an extra €5 afterwards to receive the digital version of their own photo.

 

As an event organiser myself, I fully understand that these events come with high costs, and every bit helps but I think what left a slightly bitter taste for some attendees was having to pay more after the fact. If the digital file had just been included upfront or if the photo op price was simply €5 higher from the start, I believe there would’ve been no complaints. It's a small adjustment that could go a long way toward maintaining the great feeling people leave with after such an otherwise amazing experience.

​

If I could suggest anything else for improvement, it would be more flexible scheduling for meet and greets maybe having two sessions (morning and afternoon) for each artist so fans don’t have to choose between them and other events.

​

I would 110% recommend this convention to other K-pop fans. Even as a first-time event, Proud Nerd Conventions did an incredible job. Sure, there are very minor areas to improve, but that’s natural for a launch event. The overall experience was so positive, and I genuinely hope they bring Kpop Revolution to other parts of Europe. They’ve got something special here.

​

- Heya