The DMV area is gearing up for its inaugural K-pop convention, KaptureCon, as siblings Ashlee Nanze and Glory ‘Glow’ Ngwe take the initiative to create a space for fans in the region. Scheduled for Saturday, May 31, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., KaptureCon promises an exciting lineup of activities, including dance classes, trivia contests, and meet-and-greets with artists that aim to engage the local K-pop community.
The day’s festivities will culminate in a concert at DAR Constitution Hall featuring performances by K-pop groups such as BLACKSWAN, allowing fans the chance to sing and dance alongside their idols. Nanze, a Microsoft engineer, and Ngwe, a booking producer for NewsNation, are enthusiastic about using this event to foster connections among fans and between artists and attendees.
KaptureCon emerged from the duo’s observations during a trip to KCON, a prominent K-pop convention usually hosted in Los Angeles or internationally. They noticed the significant distances many fans traveled to attend these events and questioned why a convention didn’t exist on the East Coast. Nanze’s query to Ngwe about hosting a K-pop convention sparked the idea, leading them to take the leap and organize the event together.
While deciding to host the convention was straightforward, planning required assembling a dedicated team to manage logistics, design, and technical aspects. Importantly, they also sought team members knowledgeable in the nuances of Korean culture to ensure accurate representation as they planned to work with Korean artists.
Nanze emphasized that KaptureCon aims to build genuine connections, reflecting the event’s catchphrase, “capture your experience.” She described the essence of KaptureCon as blending the rich cultural elements of D.C. with the vibrant K-pop culture that fans adore.
A variety of activities awaits attendees, including a fashion show for those wanting to showcase their K-pop-inspired outfits and a dance competition for the best performers. Additionally, select attendees with meet-and-greet add-ons will have the rare opportunity to meet artists from groups like BLACKSWAN, AMPERS&ONE, and solo performer Hohyun.
Dance workshops led by esteemed choreographers in the K-pop industry will be featured, with Annelise, a choreographer who has worked alongside celebrated artists such as BTS, Jason Derulo, and Bad Bunny, scheduled to conduct a master class at the event. As the day progresses, after trading photo cards and participating in engaging games, attendees can head to DAR Constitution Hall at 6:30 p.m. for the much-anticipated concert, where tickets are still available.
What makes KaptureCon particularly noteworthy is its management by two Black women, Nanze and Ngwe. Both of Cameroonian descent, they believe their perspectives as Black fans offer a fresh angle on the K-pop phenomenon, which they describe as a melting pot of cultures. Ngwe highlighted that K-pop frequently draws inspiration from Black culture, citing its influences found in fashion, hip hop, and R&B. Notably, she pointed out the representation of rap positions within K-pop groups, which stem from Black cultural roots.
In curating the convention’s lineup, Ngwe and Nanze were deliberate in showcasing the diversity present within the K-pop community. With members hailing from various backgrounds, including Sriya of BLACKSWAN from India and several members of AMPERS&ONE from Australia and the U.S., they aim to reflect the global spectrum of cultures that coexist within K-pop.
Ngwe elaborated on the importance of maintaining respect while drawing on cultural inspirations, noting, “It’s like a double-edged sword; you have to know how much to use and how to go about respecting these cultures as you are taking certain parts of them.”
By ensuring that the attendees could see themselves represented within the lineup, from artists to dancers and even in the leadership roles of the event, Nanze and Ngwe sought to create a sense of belonging. They hope that KaptureCon will not only be an entertaining gathering but also a representation of the D.C. melting pot as reflected in K-pop.
Currently, there is a waitlist for tickets to the convention, but concert tickets remain available for those eager to participate in this groundbreaking event. While this will be the first installment of KaptureCon, the organizers harbor ambitions for it to become an annual affair, contingent on the success of the initial event.
Nanze and Ngwe are optimistic but cautious as they prepare for their first convention. “We don’t want to speak too soon because…we want to see how it plays out,” Ngwe shared, underscoring their commitment to making KaptureCon a sustainable and enjoyable gathering for K-pop fans. With plans already brewing for future events, Nanze’s closing words echo excitement: “So stay tuned! We want to be able to do this again and again and again.”
image source from：https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/from-korea-to-dc-how-the-dmvs-first-k-pop-convention-came-to-be/3918505/
