Since I’ve had a bit of experience with the Music Shows in Korea, I’ve decided to make a guide to hopefully make someone else’s experience a little bit easier. I know there are so many foreigners that show up to these things without the slightest idea of how things work… so hopefully this can be a bit of a help. Please note: I am making this specifically geared towards ZE:A fans. ZE:A does things differently from every other fandom I have come across, so if you want to see another group do not rely on this guide. Instead, I would suggest you check out the lovely Maria’s guide.

Before you do anything else… join the fancafe if you have not already. The cafe will be your best friend… and you will be hopelessly lost without it. Before you even think about going to a music show, join and also get yourself leveled up so you will be able to see everything. Empire Children has great tutorials to help you with this.

What You Need:

There are three levels of priority depending on what you bring with you. Your level will decide where you are in the line-up.

1. Album + fanclub card (make sure you have the actual CD in the case because they will check) or album download + fanclub card (print out a screen capture or your receipt if you bought the digital album)
2. Just the album or album download
3. Ringtone of the title track

Reading the Schedule:

On the cafe you are going to want to locate the schedule. Luckily for you, there is a big button on the front page that says SCHEDULE very clearly, so you should have no problem finding that. Then click on the right month and wallah, hello schedule.

Words to know:

• 사녹: the performance will be prerecorded before the show
• 본방: they will be performing during the live broadcast
• 팬클럽석O means fanclub seats will be available (you may attend)
• 팬클럽석x means fanclub seats will not be available (you may not attend)
• 비공개: they will have a private recording without fans
• 녹화분방송: they will be broadcasting footage that was previously recorded

Being able to recognize these words will help you a lot. You may see them alone or you may see several together. As an example, 비공개사녹분 would mean that they are having a private (비공개) prerecording (사녹).

The Notice Board

After you know what show ZE:A will be on, it’s time to find out the time you will have to be there. You will find the notices by clicking on 공지사항 on the sidebar (see arrow in the picture above). Keep in mind that the information will usually come a day or two before the show, so you will not have time for early planning. 

The notice I am using as an example was for a prerecording at Music Core on August 6. The first time listed (next to 녹화 일시) is the expected recording time. The second (집결시간 및 번호표 배부) is the time of your check-in, or when you will be lining up and getting tickets. In this case you would need to gather with the other fans at 12:00. Don’t trust the time they have listed as the recording time… rarely is it ever right. If I remember correctly, on this day we ended up going in to the recording around 2:30-3:00 even though the time is listed as 1:00.

Signing up

For some recordings (usually prerecordings) there may be a sign up list on the fancafe. If you see something like this appear on the sidebar (with the date and name of the show you are planning to attend) you will need to get your name on the list.

To do this, simply click on it. They will ask you for your name, your contact number, and your nickname on the cafe (which in my case is my name…) Also, make sure you make your post private by clicking the lock button. The lock should appear closed as it does below.

If you do not have a phone in Korea, do not fret. I’ve never heard of them actually using the contact number. I normally just used my friend’s number since I didn’t have a phone of my own, but I know some people who just make up a phone number or even used their home number. However… just in case, I do not suggest you use the Rejection Hotline number as I did in this example…

The Queuing Process (Music Bank, Music Core, Inkigayo):

Now that you know where to be when, it’s time to go go go! What is that you are asking? How early should you go? Well, that is all up to you. You will be lining up by your arrival times (however, all first priority will still be in front of everyone else even if the people in second priority were there hours ahead of them), so the earlier you arrive, the further in the front you will be. If there is a prerecording you can actually get there at the time listed on the notice and still get in to see them without problem.

However, if you are lining up for the live show you are going to want to go as early as possible. ZE:A is one of the smaller fanclubs, so we get less tickets compared to most other fanclubs. The times I was there we usually got around 20. If you want to be one of the first 20 fans there, you will have to be there early (if you don’t have a fanclub card do not expect to get in for a live show, sorry!) So, take the first bus, subway, or get a cab… whatever you have to do to get there. The starting time for arrivals is 6AM. Arriving before this will not count for anything. When you get to the broadcasting location, take a selca.

You can do this on a camera, phone, ipad… anything that has a camera. Make sure you change the settings so it says the time the photo was taken. This photo is meant to be proof of your arrival time, so obviously the photo is pointless without the timestamp. Remember, DO NOT take your photo before 6AM.

After you take your photo, you are free to do whatever you want until it is time to line up. Go back home to sleep, go get breakfast, go explore… whatever your little heart desires. Just be sure to be back on time!

When the time has come for you to check-in, you might have a bit of fun trying to find the group amongst the crowds. I swear ZE:A fans are like ninjas who just appear out of nowhere at the last possible second, so trying to find them early is not possible. You may need to ask around a bit before you find them, but usually you will be able to spot fans with their ZE:A banners (sometimes the staff will have a badge that says “Star Empire Staff”, but not always).

            KBS Music Bank (뮤직뱅크)

Map Take subway line 9 to National Assembly (국 회의사당). Get off of the island and onto the sidewalk on your right. Keep walking straight until you reach the intersection. At the intersection, turn right and keep walking to the end of the street. There should be a GS25 on your right and the gate to KBS is across the street. Go through the gates and turn at the first right. Keep walking until you see the stairs. Go up the stairs and there you are!

From my experience we usually lined up close to the stairs

MBC Music Core (음악중심)

I don’t even know how to begin explaining how to get to Music Core because I usually just wandered around aimlessly… so I will just link you to AA-Chan’s post about it.

Music Core makes it easy by having signs for the artists.

SBS Inkigayo (인기가요)

Map Take line 9 to Gayang (가양) and go out exit 10. When you get outside, turn left and keep walking straight until you reach SBS on your left.

Inkigayo probably gets the most crowded, so you will have to push and squeeze past people in your quest to find your fanclub

When you get with the rest of ZE:A’s, the staff will start checking times. Once you show your photo you will be put into the line. After everyone is in line they will write your number on your wrist. If there was a sign-up on the cafe they will also find and cross off your name from the list.

If you are lining up for the live show you may also get a ticket. 

*cough* Pardon the Infinite album… I promise the #380 ticket was mine for the ZE:A line…

You will also get a copy of the fan chant.

After everything is in order, you will be able to give any fan letters or gifts to the fan staff to give to the boys.

Depending on the time, you will either have to stay in line and wait until you get the ‘okay’ to go inside, or you will be allowed to leave and told to come back at a specific time. If you do leave, you will just have to find your spot in line again when you return.

And after all of this… it’s time to go see ZE:A! Have fun! Scream a lot! Enjoy yourself, after all the work you had to go through to get there… you deserve it.

MNet M!Countdown

map

M!Countdown gets its own section… because nothing said above applies for this show. I will never understand why, but there is no ZE:A fanline for M!Countdown. So, you will either have to line up with another fanclub or queue for the live show. If you are daring enough to go with another fanclub, you will have to find out how theirs works because the whole photo system is unique to ZE:A’s.

If you choose to be loyal and queue for the live show, you will line up by the lovely wall that looks like it was puked on by Valentine’s Day (this is what the outside of Mnet looks like).

There may be someone there who has already started a list, and if there is you will need to get your name on it when you arrive. Around 8AM someone from MNet staff will come out and you will have to sign their list as well. To get into the show you have to be one of the first 70 people. You will have to be the judge and decide what time that means you should get there. There may be days when you might still be in the first 70 even if you arrive at 8AM, and there may be some days when you arrive at 6AM and don’t get in. It all depends on who is performing that day. If there is a very popular group performing, you will want to be there extremely early. I know Super Junior fans started camping out there at 6PM the night before… so take that into consideration. After you have your name on the list they will give you a time to come back, usually 4-5PM. Come back ON TIME and line up in the same place as you did earlier.

Tips:

• Come prepared. You will be spending a lot of time outdoors in all kinds of weather. Bring an umbrella, sunscreen, jacket… whatever you think you may need (and even if you think you won’t need it because Seoul’s weather can be very unpredictable). 
• Have food with you… there will be times that you miss meals because you are standing in line, and if you are dying of hunger you will probably not enjoy the performance as much as you would if you had eaten.
• Learn how to tell time in Korean. There will be times that you will be allowed to leave the line and come back at a specified time, and understanding what that time is would be extremely helpful.
• If you care what others think of you, be a loyal fan. Korean fans are all about loyalty, so if they see you with another group… they will know… and they will not be happy.
• Be loud!!!! Especially at live shows where there are only a handful of fans. Every voice counts so make yours LOUD. Learn the fan chant. Scream your head off. Nothing is worse than watching a broadcast back and seeing comments asking why they have no fans. We are at a disadvantage because so few fans are let in, so it is not easy for us to be loud enough to be caught on broadcast during a live show. Do your part. You know you are doing a good job when everyone in front of you starts covering their ears…
• Be prepared for sudden changes. Keep checking the notices on the fancafe. There may be times when something changes, and there are times when you may not find out about it until it is too late… so be prepared for heartbreak. It could happen.
• Do not expect anything. Nothing is guaranteed. There are other fans who want to get in to see them just as much as you do, and you never know how many tickets your fanclub will get.
• K-fans are very aware of the fact that a lot of foreigners will try and whore themselves to any fanclub they see because they can’t get in with whoever it is they are a fan of. Make it known that you actually are a real ZE:A fan and you are not just trying to use them. They won’t be happy if they think one of their tickets went to someone who doesn’t even know or care who ZE:A is.
• Be prepared to go deaf. You probably will not notice it too much during the actual performance, but when the music stops… craziness happens. During prerecordings everyone will be shouting out names. Somehow I always seemed to end up directly in front of the two loudest fans ever who were always screaming, “KIM DONGJUN!!!!!!!! PARK HYUNGSIKKKKKKKK!”