Meet a ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ star at K-Pop Minicon in Duluth

Both Hohyun and Woo will sign autographs and meet fans who pay $200 for the VIP convention experience. Non-VIP guests can watch the concert from 5-7 p.m. and participate in activities throughout the day, including a meet-and-greet with viral K-pop TikTokers and vloggers Bebop and Bebe and a Seoul Beats K-pop dance competition on the main stage following the concert.

Credit: Courtesy of K-Pop Minicon

Credit: Courtesy of K-Pop Minicon

Craft-making stations, K-pop trading card shows, retail vendors, a music video lounge, dance workshops and Korean food vendors will add to the festive experience for an expected crowd of roughly 1,000.

Credit: Courtesy of K-Pop Minicon

Credit: Courtesy of K-Pop Minicon

K-pop Minicon is the brainchild of Nadya Poon, a 28-year-old now based in Alabama who previously lived in Decatur while working for AmeriCorps.

As a middle schooler, Poon discovered the catchiness of K-pop through the sultry voice of Se7en, a Korean rapper and singer who collaborated on a single with Lil’ Kim in 2009 that was broadcast regularly on the BET network.

Pandora started feeding her similar foreign music. Soon her playlist was dominated by K-pop, J-Pop (Japanese pop) and Mandopop (Chinese Mandarin pop).

Then Poon discovered K-pop music videos. She was enamored by their highly choreographed dances and high-energy vibes. The dances were far cooler than the familiar U.S. boy band moves from the ’90s that had faded out by 2009.

Credit: Courtesy of K-Pop Minicon

Credit: Courtesy of K-Pop Minicon

“Seeing all that intense choreography, and the moves being so cool, kept me watching,” she said.

As her love of K-pop grew, Poon started gathering all the collectibles she could find: photo cards of K-pop stars (which are coveted and traded like Pokémon cards), vinyl albums and merchandise. She connected with other fans and felt part of a passionate community.

“It’s one of those genres where when you meet someone else who listens to K-pop, it is instant camaraderie,” Poon said.

She convinced administrators at her high school to allow her to start a fan club. The club spent their time practicing dance choreography, listening to music and learning the Korean language. Her high school in Alabama had a Korean exchange program, so their club consisted of a few Koreans plus a wide range of members from many cultures.

The club hosted its first event in 2016, a K-pop miniature convention that gathered less than 40 people at a community center in downtown Birmingham. Poon didn’t mind the small turnout.

“I knew I wanted to do it regardless of the outcome, just because it was so much fun,” she said.

Since then, K-pop Minicon has become an annual event with a crowd 25 times the size of its inaugural year. In past years the convention was held mostly in Birmingham, but in 2024 Poon moved the event to Atlanta, where she realized many attendees were living. Last year more than 1,000 people came. This year, Poon expects about the same, but is prepared for more.

“I describe K-pop Minicon as the giant wedding I throw every year,” Poon said. “It’s a really big passion project for me.”

If You Go

K-pop Minicon. Noon-11 p.m. Saturday. $35-$200. Gas South Convention Center. 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. kpopminicon.com.