Dreams Come True at KCON Germany 2024: Fans Share the Stage with Their Favorite Artists
2024-10-15KCON Germany 2024 took place from September 28 to 29 at Messe Frankfurt. The event welcomed thousands of K-Pop lovers for 2 days filled with concerts, fan meets, and other amazing experiences. For a lucky group of fans, this K-pop festival was not just an opportunity to see their idols perform -- it was a chance to share the stage with them.
The KCON Germany Dream Stage offered fans from across Europe the chance to audition and perform alongside their favorite K-pop groups in front of a live audience. Several fans who made it onto the stage shared what it felt like to live out their wildest K-pop dreams. Farah from France, says “Sharing the stage with artists I admire, especially those we rarely see in Europe, is an incredible experience.”
This year’s KCON Germany Dream Stage showcased performances by K-pop groups ILLIT, who performed 'Magnetic', and RIIZE, who performed 'Get A Guitar', along with their fans." Minie from Germany, who performed with ILLIT, shares, “Once ILLIT was announced as an act, I instantly knew there was going to be a 'Magnetic' Dream Stage. Ever since then, I practiced really hard and hoped the judges would see how passionate I am.” Ines, from France, who performed with RIIZE, adds: “I booked my trip because I was hoping for RIIZE to do the Dream Stage on Sunday, and my wish came true! I started making theories about what song they would choose for the Dream Stage because I was super excited.”
Many fans traveled from outside Germany, spending their savings on transportation and accommodation in the hope of making it onto the Dream Stage, without any guarantee of getting through the final audition. Blondine Xing from France admits she wasn’t sure she’d pass the audition, but with her friends' support and encouragement, decided to give it a shot: “I wasn’t confident because I auditioned last year for the Dream Stage with ZEROBASEONE and didn’t make it. But this time, my friends hyped me up so much that I decided to try at the last minute. I didn’t want to have any regrets.” She continues: “This was a big decision for me since I had to travel from France to Germany, and I didn’t want to spend money without being sure I’d make it onto the Dream Stage.” Océane, also from France, shares that she planned the trip only a week before the festival and had to convince her parents to let her go to another country: “It wasn’t planned at all. At first, only my best friend was planning to go, but he kept pushing me to give it a try. I had a hard time convincing my parents to let me go because of school and the costs.”
The “dreamers” were selected through two rounds of auditions: the first round took place online, while the second round was held in front of the judges. For those who made it past both audition rounds, the feeling of hearing they had been selected for the Dream Stage was indescribable. Océane (France) says that she felt “relief and happiness” when she learned she had passed the audition. “My number was the very first one called, so I couldn’t believe my ears. Everything felt unreal”, shares Daria from Ukraine, one of the 31 fans selected to perform on stage with ILLIT. Blondine Xing (France) describes the experience, saying, “It was like dreaming. I’m not a very emotional person, but this time I felt so much joy. I was smiling all the time.” Many fans felt a mix of excitement and nerves as they awaited the results. “It was my second time trying out for a Dream Stage and my first time succeeding,” says Ines (France) who was selected for the Dream Stage with RIIZE. “I lost hope and my confidence in dancing when I failed, so when I was announced as one of the winners this time, I cried a lot because I finally made it”, she adds.
Feeling worried about her position on stage during the auditions, Britt from the Netherlands shares her emotions after being selected to perform on the same stage with ILLIT: “I couldn’t believe it at first. I stood all the way on the side of the stage and thought the judges couldn’t really see me. So I was really surprised when my number was called. I was smiling a lot, but I could also cry. I felt all emotions at the same time.” She goes on to say that “standing on the same stage with such beautiful and talented artists is really a dream come true. It was almost like we were all just best friends having the time of our lives on that stage.”
Some fans admit that they felt more nervous during the audition than during the actual performance. Minie (Germany) says,“I was more nervous auditioning than actually dancing on stage with ILLIT. I told myself to enjoy the moment and that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I gave my best. It never felt greater to be on stage.” Daria (Ukraine) describes a similar experience, saying, “The audition was the most stressful part. During the performance on stage with ILLIT, I just enjoyed the process and tried to remember it in the brightest colors. I love performing, so it was an honor to be on such a huge stage.”
What made the experience even more special were the little moments, like getting a thumbs-up or a quick smile from your favorite idol. While fans couldn’t interact much with the artists, these brief exchanges were enough to create lifelong memories. Daria (Ukraine) says, “There wasn't much opportunity to interact with ILLIT, but it was enough to remember for a lifetime. We had to act professionally and not disturb the girls to ensure they were comfortable.” Britt (the Netherlands) who also was selected to dance with ILLIT, shares, “We didn’t really get to talk to them, but we did get to say a few encouraging words and do cute gestures like waving, making hearts, and posing for the camera. The smiles never left their faces!” During rehearsals and performances, fans enjoyed brief exchanges. Both groups' members were supportive and congratulated the fans on being selected to perform on stage. “I got to say hi to them, and they congratulated us. The members all waved at me, and one even recreated my ending fairy during rehearsal!” says Ines (France), who had the chance to perform with RIIZE. “Minju congratulated us several times on being selected, and it was incredibly nice and exciting to hear that from her,” adds Daria (Ukraine), who performed with ILLIT. Minie (Germany) shares her own experience: “I think I was really lucky. Minju gave me loads of thumbs up, and Wonhee looked at me out of nowhere and clapped for me. My heart was fluttering.”
The ending fairy is a special moment during performances where fans get to show off their skills and creativity in a fun way. Many fans didn’t know they would get to do the ending fairy until the very end of the performance, which added to the excitement! Farah (France), who had an ending fairy for the 'Magnetic' Dream Stage says, "Having an ending fairy is unpredictable because you don’t know in advance if you'll get one. I was surprised to see myself on screen, and I felt a bit of pressure to make my ending fairy look good. I really enjoyed that moment. It brought me a lot of joy, and I love the result." Ines (France), who had an ending fairy for the Dream Stage with RIIZE, shares, “To be honest, I felt like a K-pop idol! Living the whole experience to the fullest and even getting a moment to shine on the big screen is such a great feeling.”
Minie’s (Germany) ending fairy for the ILLIT Dream Stage quickly went viral on TikTok, getting more than one million views at the moment. The girl shares her emotions, saying, “It’s still crazy to me how supportive people were of my ending fairy. Since we didn't know if we would be the ending fairy, I didn't practice anything. I thought it would be cute if I did the “Lucky Girl Syndrome” dance because I was so 'lucky' to be there. It was breathtaking to hear all the cheers, knowing ILLIT was standing right next to me. I am so glad people on the internet liked my ending fairy!” She also mentions that “Being on the Dream Stage has to be one of the greatest moments of this year. I will never forget this! A big thank you to KCON, ILLIT, and GLITTS for making this all possible. I'll be forever grateful.”
Wrapping up this amazing journey, Océane says that experiencing this is a “ feeling that can't be replaced”, Minie hopes ”everyone can have at least one Dream Stage with their favorite artists” because “there's no feeling in this entire world to describe how magical and connecting it feels”, while Ines declares, “I’m pretty sure right there and then I was the happiest person alive.” Britt says that experiencing a Dream Stage is “the best feeling ever for a K-pop fan”, and advises everyone: “if you can grab an opportunity like this, JUST DO IT.”
Special thanks to all the Dream Stage participants for sharing their experiences:
Minie (Germany) - @jlemiy
Ines (France) - @jj_iness
Blondine Xing (France) - @blondine.xing
Daria (Ukraine) - @imlvna._
Farah (France) - @bgirlfarah_
Britt (the Netherlands) - @britt.vkessel
Océane (France) - @yuusiko
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