Pop-Culturalist.com

This past weekend marked the inaugural We Bridge Expo event in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to be one of the thousands of people to attend this historic event. Planning such a large-scale event is never an easy task, however, We Bridge Expo did not disappoint.

There was so much to do and see during this three-day event. The cultural expo itself had an abundance of experiences to enjoy. From the dance workshops, gaming corner, live mural painting, merch booths, art gallery, and food stalls to the Grammy stage where the Q&A panels were held, there was never a dull moment. A personal favorite of mine was their makeshift night market, “m4Rkt,” where local vendors gave samples to showcase their delicious foods. I really enjoyed the sisig tacos from Four4corners Streetkitchen. The best thing about all of the fan zones (excluding merch booths and clothes vendors) provided? They were all free!

Kpop International was also an on-site vendor where fans could purchase albums, light sticks, posters, slogans, and photocards of the featured artists as well as many other Kpop groups, which are must-haves at any show. While this may seem like a trivial thing, it comes as a treat for many fans as they do not have access to these kinds of stores where they are from, and international shipping can sometimes cost more than the actual purchase.

We Bridge also provided little DIY craft stations with the featured artists’ names printed so that fans could make signs to show their love and support to the artists during both their Q&A panels as well as the concerts that followed and a blank wall where fans could write messages to their favorite artists.

Usually, I am very hesitant when it comes to Americans interviewing Kpop idols, but Emily Mei from the Grammy Museum did such a great job moderating all the panels with the featured artists. Her questions were very insightful, and you could tell that she did a lot of research on the groups that attended. That itself could not have been easy when you take into consideration how many groups/soloists attended and how many members each group has. You can tell that she really took the time to make sure that she made all the groups feel very comfortable and welcome. Of course, we cannot forget how much the fans really helped make the event what it was. You could tell from the fan questions, the light sticks present, and the deafening cheers how much these Kpop groups are loved.

The concert portion of the expo started off with a special “Light up Tribute” and moment of silence for ASTRO member Moonbin who passed away on Wednesday, April 19. It was a beautiful and touching moment to see all Kpop fandoms come together to show love and respect for the young idol and honor his life.

Day 1 of the concert side featured artists CIX, ONEUS, Dreamcatcher, Kang Daniel, Jessi, and headliner MONSTA X, while Day 2 had BE’O, ONEUS, VIVIZ, BamBam, and headliner ENHYPEN. While concerts are usually an enjoyable experience, trust me when I say you need to attend a Kpop concert at least once in your life. The stage presence, the production, the choreography, and the fan service goes above and beyond anything you could ever hope to experience. Performer Jessi was carried off the catwalk so she could hug a fan and subsequently ran down the aisle to sign some fan-made t-shirts, while headliner ENHYPEN pretended to leave the stage after their “last song” only to come running back out a few minutes later for their hit song “Polaroid Love.” The best thing about these festival-type concerts is the exposure it gives to all the different groups. So many fans came in for one specific group and left as fans of multiple groups.

All in all, We Bridge Expo created a great event that you could enjoy even if you knew nothing about Kpop. With so much negativity that happens both in real life and on social media, it was a breath of fresh air to step into an event that created such a safe space for people. I truly hope this is the first of many we get to experience!

About the Pop Culturalist Contributor, Nikki
Nikki is a Los Angeles native interested in all things pop culture. Her taste is eclectic and varies from KPOP to underground hip hop, anime to reality TV, and novels to tabloids. Some of her favorites are Twice, Loona, the Pitch Perfect franchise, and Attack on Titan.