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| Photos Cr. Megan Kan // KpopWise |
K-PLAY! Fest 2026 in the Bay area brought together K-pop fans of every generation for a weekend packed with fan meet-ups, live performances, and one seriously electric Random Play Dance. At the center of it all was RE:WIND, a rising group whose presence anchored both days of the convention. Here's a look back at how the weekend unfolded.
Day One: Saturday, July 18
The convention kicked off with an Artist Q&A featuring RE:WIND, giving attendees an early chance to get to know the group beyond their music. The energy stayed high afterward with a mini Kahoot! game open to fans who signed up quickly enough — the trivia mixed general K-pop knowledge with facts about RE:WIND themselves, doubling as a fun recap of everything shared during the Q&A.
From there, the group launched into a mini performance, opening with their original song "Forever," full choreography included, before surprising the crowd with a cover of Girls' Generation's "Into the New World." The cover struck a distinctly nostalgic chord, channeling the sound of early 2000s pop and ballads and clearly resonating with longtime fans in the audience.
Before wrapping up, RE:WIND teased the Random Play Dance happening later that afternoon, sparking excited chatter among fans curious whether the members themselves would join in. The session closed out with a group photo and signed poster giveaways for the Kahoot! winners.
The rest of the afternoon opened up into free time, with fans exploring vendor booths, catching RE:WIND's free meet-and-greet and photo sessions, and wandering the convention floor.
The Random Play Dance
The afternoon's Random Play Dance turned out to be one of the weekend's standout moments — and my first time experiencing one in person. The energy was honestly incredible. What caught me off guard was how the first half hour leaned heavily into older K-pop, with second- and third-generation staples from artists like GOT7, TWICE, BTS, Girls' Generation, 2PM, and TVXQ filling the set.
The second half shifted gears toward the artists currently leading K-pop's newest wave, including P1Harmony, ENHYPEN, and Hearts2Hearts, among other trending names. The blend of eras made the event feel genuinely inclusive — fans of all ages found something to dance to. What surprised me most was how few people held back; attendees jumped in confidently regardless of the song, and the crowd of spectators only kept growing as the event went on.
Day Two: Sunday, July 19
Day two widened the convention's scope considerably, packing in a FIFA World Cup viewing party, a K-pop dance workshop, a Multi Stan Fan Club meetup with raffles, a K-pop trading card area for both girl and boy groups, and — the highlight of the day — a full RE:WIND concert with games.
RE:WIND Takes the Stage
RE:WIND's second-day set ran noticeably longer than their Saturday appearance. They performed every original song off their EP and held a second Q&A, this time reintroducing themselves and members Eddie Lei and Elaya in more depth. It was here that the group shared a notable distinction: they're the first Asian American K-pop band, blending Western pop influences with K-pop sensibilities in their sound.
The Q&A took a more personal turn as members opened up about the cities and states they grew up in, along with their goals to keep making music now that they'd graduated from college.
The concert's clear crowd-pleaser was a boy band medley spanning generations and genres — One Direction's "Best Song Ever," ZEROBASEONE's "In Bloom" (my personal favorite of the set), BIGBANG's "Bang Bang Bang," and *NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye." The audience sang along and cheered through the entire run, making it one of the most engaged moments of the weekend.
RE:WIND kept the interactive energy going by pulling audience members onstage for a K-pop dance telephone game, where teams worked together to pass along and recreate choreography — a lighthearted, laughter-filled segment that showed off the group's comfort engaging directly with fans.
Closing Out the Weekend
The convention wrapped with a K-pop dance team competition. I wasn't able to catch it live, but based on the videos and posts circulating afterward, it looked like a fitting, high-energy send-off to close out the weekend.
Final Thoughts
K-PLAY! Fest 2026 struck a strong balance between structured programming and open, community-driven moments. RE:WIND proved to be a fitting centerpiece for the convention — approachable in their Q&As, genuinely engaging in their performances, and clearly invested in connecting with fans. But it was the Random Play Dance that really captured what made the weekend special: a shared space where multiple generations of K-pop fandom collided, sang along, and danced together without hesitation.
The fun continues K-PLAY! Fest Orange County is happening on the weekend of August 22 - 23 at the Anaheim Convention Center, CA . Grab your tickets here.
Photo Gallery
All photography by Megan Kan @melodybymegan
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