By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Nadine Postigo from the Philippines
Photos = Nadine Postigo

I’ve seen numerous K-pop concerts and musicals. I wanted to share how these events left me with an exhilarating feeling and how they can be addicting to attend.

Although I have watched the Korean musicals ‘Full House’ and ‘Mozart’ on video, the one I’ll talk about is the performance I was able to attend personally.

When I went to Korea in October 2016 with other Korea.net honorary reporters, we were given the chance to watch one of the longest running musicals in the country, which was "Nanta," non-verbal drumming performance.

Honestly I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. I’ve seen numerous websites recommending Nanta as a must-see show but I wasn’t really drawn to the concept. I don’t know why, maybe I wasn’t sure how the non-speaking performance could keep me entertained, but I was so wrong.

Despite Nanta being non-verbal, it really was interactive and captivating. The cast heavily engaged with the audience and every moment was entertaining. The exciting beat of the drums, the funny story line, the expressions of the actors, food flying to our seats, all of it caught my attention. I then understood why people kept praising the show. It was definitely exciting!

The actors made us feel like we were part of the show. Since it uses very little Korean dialogue and more of gibberish (imagine minions from Despicable Me), you don’t have to worry about not understanding anything. I am glad that Nanta was part of our itinerary and I’d definitely recommend it too.



Now moving on to K-pop concerts. I became a fan of Korean entertainment around 2008 or 2009. Back then K-pop concerts in the Philippines were not that common, I think the first K-pop concert happened in 2010. Events featuring K-pop artists probably happened maybe once or twice a year. Fortunately the Hallyu wave exploded in the Philippines in the past few years, so now fans are blessed with consistent K-pop concerts and/or fan meetings. About eight K-pop concerts and fan-meetings have been confirmed to have happen between September and November alone this year!

With K-pop concerts, I can feel the fans’ passion unite while watching their favorite idols on stage. They put effort into making sure that the Korean artists feel the love, from the fan chants and cheers to organizing special fan projects. The K-pop artists also do not disappoint in giving the fans a grand memorable time. Despite the language barrier, the music connects us.

Not to mention the stage layouts of K-pop concerts are the biggest ones I’ve seen, the extended stage lessens the gap between the artists and the fans. They really make it worth every cent. You get so absorbed in the moment that you can forget the world outside.

I have seen fans cry during and after concerts. When asked why, they said they were overwhelmed by finally being able to see their idols live and it breaks their hearts a bit the moment they have to say goodbye.

So how similar are Korean musicals and concerts? I feel like both do not have a dull moment and will leave the audience in awe. They’ll most likely make you want some more. Once the music surrounds the concert hall, everyone gets so absorbed in the moment and it’s the best feeling for the audience.

I highly suggest you also try to widen your horizons and attend musicals or concerts when they make a stop in your city because they can bring you to a different world.

wisdom117@korea.kr

* This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.