Do You Prefer Online Concerts or In-Person Concerts?

Coronavirus outbreak affects the entertainment world severely. As many planned concerts being postponed or canceled, now music companies try to find another way to entertain their fans. Live music and online concerts are happening now due to the outbreak. This includes the Kpop industry, which holds online shows for fans worldwide. Seeing the success of some Kpop online shows, do you think online concerts will replace in-person concerts?

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Successful Online Concerts

SM Entertainment and Beyond Live

Beyond Live, collaborating with SM Entertainment and Naver combines the magnificent stage and interactive communication with fans worldwide. They have launched a series of online concerts for SM’s boy groups: SuperM, WayV, NCT Dream, NCT127, TVXQ, and Super Junior.

“It literally felt like you were standing on stage with them, like you were about to join the backup dancers. It’s cool to see how SM has innovated,” said one of the fans enjoying SM Entertainment’s online concerts at home due to coronavirus outbreak.

Big Hit Entertainment and Kiswe

After the success of BangBangCon BTS Online Concert Weekend in April, Big Hit Entertainment hit another massive success with BangBangCon The Live. The online concert was held on June 14, a day right after the septet celebrated their 7^th anniversary. At least 50 million ARMY tuned into the online concert.

Big Hit Entertainment has officially partnered with American video technology startup, Kiswe Mobile. We can expect that Big Hit is planning more online concerts as they are hand-in-hand with Kiswe.

TikTok Online Concerts

@tiktok_stage
Tiktok stage live from seoul preview ‘Apink-Dumhdurum’#apink #에이핑크 #tiktokstage #틱톡스테이지 #livefromseoul #smilewithtiktok #kpop
♬ 오리지널 사운드 – TikTok K-ENT

On May 25, Some Kpop idols have a concert on TikTok called TikTok Stage Live from Seoul. Some of the idols are APink, Monsta X, iKon, Oh My Girl, Kard, Kang Daniel, and more.

@hiphopplaya
@pro.challenger & @iamyunjeekim
♬ 오리지널 사운드 – HIPHOPPLAYA

Following that, on May 27, they also had TikTok Stage with Hiphopplaya featuring some idols, such as iKON Bobby, Epik High, Block B Zico, Jessi, Heize, Dean, pH-1, Giri Boy, Jay Park, and many more.

Online Concerts vs. In-Person Concerts

Despite the most advanced technology they have in hand to watch online concerts, it still doesn’t feel the same as in-person concerts.

Interactive But Not Real

HENDERY LOOKS SO HAPPY? pic.twitter.com/BS5u1OIHCp
— hendery best boy⏰ ? (@_aadery_) May 3, 2020

“When I watch a concert online, it’s like watching a YouTube video,” Alba said. “They’re performing somewhere I cannot attend. But at an actual concert, even if I’m far away and cannot see them properly, I know I’m there. It’s the feeling of sharing the moment with them. For me, the experience of talking with them was through a screen — I had no real interaction. Even if I was lucky enough to talk to them, it feels for me like it wasn’t real? I don’t know how to explain it.”

BTS RM Kim Namjoon message after BangBangCon The Live — Message from RM, leader of BTS.

Kim Namjoon or BTS RM confessed that he is fearful that concerts will be virtual from this moment. He felt it’s hard to not be able to see BTS fans face to face in concerts.

What Scientist Says

A music neuroscientist and researcher at Western University’s Brain and Mind Institute, Jessica Grahn, said, “When people are watching live music inside a venue, they are generally more aroused. You are more absorbed when you’re listening to a live performance versus any kind of recorded performance.”

Watch real Live Reaction of BTS BangBangCon The Live

Regardless of what we like, either online concerts or in-person concerts, we can only rely on technology during this COVID-19 outbreak. Let’s hope that this coronavirus pandemic will pass soon.

Meanwhile, let’s watch this live reaction of ARMY enjoying BTS BangBangCon The Live