In the last decade, Korean pop music — K-pop — has become a global sensation. After all, who can resist delightful choreography, floaty vocals or an excellent death drop?

New York City has a thriving community of K-pop lovers. If you’ve ever wanted in on K-pop fun, or you’re trying to understand a friend’s obsession, or you’ve been a stan since the genre’s second generation, read on.

Here’s a guide to get you up to speed on the city’s K-pop scene.

OK, so what is K-pop?

The term “K-pop” broadly refers to music performed by entertainers who’ve undergone Korea’s rigorous training system, which involves years of dance, vocal and image development. Netflix’s show, “Pop Star Academy,” offers a glimpse into this process. Those entertainers are referred to as idols.

But if you’ve only heard a BTS song (say, “Dynamite”) on the radio, you’re missing out on the diversity of sounds the genre has to offer.

In order to explain the richness of K-pop, I turned to Emma Chang, known as Umu on YouTube, where she runs ReacttotheK, a channel featuring classically trained musicians interpreting fresh K-pop releases.

She said K-pop has something for every kind of music lover, even though most people think of it as just pop.

“No two K-pop artists sound the exact same,” said Chang, noting it’s influenced by all kinds of musical genres.

Some groups, like Dreamcatcher, stick to a metal-influenced sound, she said. Others, like Seventeen, have explored funk, hip-hop, psytrance, R&B, electropop and more.

In an interview with ReacttotheK, music producer David Amber once described K-pop as a “musical-theater show in under four minutes,” which seems apt, given the highly choreographed dance routines and lyrical storytelling. Some songs deal with social issues, like overcoming economic hardship, while others are fluffy pop.

Another defining characteristic of K-Pop, according to music producer Michelle Cho, is that “songs typically change style throughout the song to support the vocal personality of each member.” Aespa’s 2021 hit, “Next Level,” is a primary example of this mash-up vibe.

Take it, though, from Chang, who said, “Whatever genre, style and vibe of music you are biased towards, K-pop’s got it all.”

How can you find friends who are also into K-pop?

Because New York City is so far from Seoul, the most common way to see idols is on a screen — watching music videos and other performances, tuning into variety TV shows (“Weekly Idol” is a big one), or liking an Instagram photo on a group’s official account.

While fun, it can get lonely having no one to share your K-pop enthusiasm with. That’s where “cupsleeve” events come in. They’re gatherings where fans meet in person to share their love of a particular K-pop star.

What’s a cupsleeve?

“Think of those heat-insulated sleeves you get at Starbucks,” explained Julia Hawkins, a manager at Kpop Nara NYC, a shop specializing in K-pop merch, located in Manhattan’s Koreatown.

Typically, fans at these events design cupsleeves for their favorite K-pop idol in celebration of birthdays, new album releases, group anniversaries or local concerts.

Depending on the popularity of the celebrity, expect anything from an intimate gathering of around a dozen people to a large event drawing hundreds.

Apart from obtaining fun goodies and honoring your favorite musician, cupsleeve events are a great way to meet friends.

Sophie Mensah, a 31-year-old K-pop fan from the Bronx, attended an event featuring Jungwon from Enhypen in 2023.

“I met a lot of people that are my friends now,” she said. “When Enhypen’s album came out, we all went to our friend’s house, celebrated the release and watched the music video together.”

Upcoming cupsleeve events

Mensah keeps track of upcoming events by following accounts like @kpopinnyc and @kpopnyc on X and Instagram.

You can also learn about fan events hosted by Kpop Nara on their Instagram.

Here are some upcoming events in New York City:

• Sept. 28: Happy Key Day, Dumbo
• Sept. 29: NYC Trade & Sell, Central Park
• Oct. 6: Leehan’s Fishbowl, Little Italy
• Oct. 12: Happy Kuromhee Day, Little Italy
• Oct. 13: MinChan Birthday Bash, Little Italy
• Oct. 19-20: Welcome Home Sunshine, Little Italy
• Oct. 20:Happy Rockstar Yechan Day, Midtown West
• Oct. 26: EnHalloween, Downtown Manhattan (TBD)
• Oct. 27: Going Carat, UBS Arena
• Nov. 16-17: Next Stop: Synkcity, Little Italy

Ready to attend your first K-pop concert? Here’s what you need to know.

Your favorite group finally announced a world tour with a stop in the New York City area. Congratulations!

But in order to attend, you’ve got to engage in the high-stakes sport of obtaining tickets.

Consider presale opportunities

Given the increased popularity of K-pop, plus the fervor of fans, getting excellent seats (or tickets at all) can be a challenge. The best way to jump the line and ensure a great time is to sign up for presale whenever possible. This is when fans who’ve already shown interest get first dibs on buying tickets.

Try joining the artist’s official fan club next time their label opens the membership recruitment period, or keep an eye on the ticket vendor’s website for presale information. Sometimes Spotify offers options as well.

Another tip: Check social media to see if fellow hopeful attendees have shared their presale codes.

“People are pretty good about sharing those presale codes publicly. They’re usually not gatekept,” said Veronica Zhu, 29, from Williamsburg. “That’s how I was able to find the Kiss of Life code.”

Get friends (or colleagues) involved

When a popular group is in town, competition is high for coveted seats. You might want special privileges like soundcheck access, which lets you into the venue before the concert, when idols run mic checks.

“You get to have a more intimate setting with the members, see them practice in their regular warm up clothes and interact with them,” said BTS stan Tatiana Raphael in a phone interview. She documents her K-pop concertgoing activities on her TikTok. She’s also a veteran when it comes to scoring sought-after tickets.

Raphael recalled her wildest ticketing experience — getting access to the soundcheck for BTS’s 2019 “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself” tour.

She blocked off a conference room, recruited other people to log on and try to get tickets, and wrote up a memo explaining to her team how to score seats. She also promised pizza.

Raphael also mentioned that if higher-ups at her company had been aware of the activities, they might have been less-than-enthused. So proceed at your own risk.

Wait until the last minute

For shows with a little less hype, another option is to wait until the day of the show to purchase tickets.

I’ve gotten excellent and well-priced seats for NCT 127 and EVNNE just hours before showtime. This probably wouldn’t work with say, BTS. But if you can be flexible, you can find deals.

When selecting seats, know thyself

If you can’t handle being on your feet all day, be wary of floor seats, where you’ll be waiting in line outside of the venue for hours, and then standing throughout the show. These seats, or other seats near the floor, can sometimes feel crowded, with people pushing to get closer to the stage.

Instead, opt for assigned seating whenever possible. You’ll still be able to see the choreography clearly.

Try to meet your idols

K-pop groups occasionally go beyond performing and take a photo with fans or sign albums over ultra-quick conversations.

Usually, it’s smaller artists playing in boutique venues that offer “snapshot” or “fanchat” tickets, so don’t expect this for Seventeen at UBS arena. These events are super quick — often just a minute total — but give you the chance to meet your idol in person.

Do your homework

If you’re able to attend a fanchat, set yourself up for success ahead of time. One idea: Learn some Korean phrases in advance, so you can express your feelings to your idol. At the very least, figure out what you want to say ahead of time, because these events happen so fast.

Kai Whenal, who made the drive to EVNNE’s concert in New York City from Massachusetts, recommends that you “do your research and see if you have anything in common that’s niche.” For example, Whenal’s friend knew that Park Jihoo from EVNNE has a sticker wall in his bedroom, so he brought Jihoo some stickers to add to his collection.

If you really don’t know what to say to your fave, try teaching them some slang.

In an interview with Gothamist, EVNNE’s Ji Yunseo said that he screamed slang onstage that he’d learned from doing a fan-sign.

“I like slang because I’m more funny and energetic than I look outside, so I used it very well during our New York show,” said Yunseo. He screamed the word “periodt,” which is used to underscore a point or emphasize the end of a sentence.

Yoo Seungeon, EVNNE’s main vocalist, reminisced in an interview with Gothamist about the snapshot experience, saying he made “long-lasting memories by taking pictures with fans who enjoyed the show with us!”

Learn the fanchants

During the show, you may hear fans chanting specific lyrics in an organized fashion. This isn’t organic. Fanchants are a feature of K-pop culture as old as the genre itself.

Originally, fans came up with these chants, but nowadays, it’s common for groups to release guides. If you want to participate, learn some fanchants ahead of showtime. Usually, you can find these on the artist’s YouTube channel.

Don’t be afraid to dress up

This is New York, where every day can feel like a fashion show, and K-pop concerts are no exception. Fans typically dress up a little for K-pop concerts.

Some shows even have a dress code. For example, NCT Dream requested fans wear “pearl champagne.”

Some fans take it a step further and dress as well known K-pop memes, or simply wear glowstick-like outfits to gain attention from the nosebleed seats.

But don’t feel pressure to dress to the nines. Prioritize your comfort. You can’t go wrong wearing weather-appropriate clothing and sneakers (or comfortable platform shoes if you’re short).

One tip multiple fans shared is to bring a mini electric fan. Even if it’s chilly outside, body heat inside the venue can get intense.

Make a fun sign

Taking the time to make a sign is also highly recommended. Artists do interact with them, sometimes calling out the sign from the stage. It can also be a fun opportunity to make a memory with your favorite person. Print out photos ahead of time, focus on bright colors rather than words, and get creative.

One incredible sign I’ve seen is this one emulating the iconic hand-waving of Seventeen’s DK.

Get there early

While you may have seen vlogs of people who camped for days to get great spots at a show, nearly every fan interviewed for this piece has begged fellow concert attendees to not camp for shows. They don’t want K-pop fandom to become a competitive sport.

While you shouldn’t arrive days ahead of time, do show up early. K-pop concerts actually start on time, generally. There are also no openers, so you will miss out on some great numbers if you don’t make it by showtime.

If you want to buy merchandise sold at the show, plan to arrive even earlier — at least several hours before the start time.

Merch from concerts by big groups like Zerobaseone can actually appreciate over time, so some fans are incentivized to buy large quantities. Consider showing up hours in advance to make the line if there’s an item you’re dying to have.

Talk to strangers (really)

Don’t be afraid to talk to the people around you. If you’re alone at the concert, this is a surefire way to make sure you’re not alone next time. Plus, you’ll now have friends to talk to about your favorite group.

It’s also pretty common to exchange contact information with new friends at K-pop concerts after you’ve established a connection. Sharing Instagram and X handles is the norm.

Looking for a conversation starter? Ask who their favorite idols are.

Have fun with the freebies

Something unique to K-pop is the amount of free goodies fans bring to hand out to fellow concertgoers. Usually, these gifts include stickers, photocards, banners and candy.

Belen Ramirez, 15, gave out freebies for the first time at NCT Dream’s concert on Saturday. If you want to get crafty, Ramirez recommends making 100 little bundles of whatever you’re handing out for anyone you see.

Tatiana Raphael loves giving out gifts at concerts to promote her blog and make friends — and smooth things over with people sitting near her.

“I always save some for the people I’m sitting with, because I know that things get intense,” she said. “I’m like, ‘Hey y’all, like just so you know, I’m going to stand. I’m going to dance a little bit. I hope that’s not a problem. Here’s a freebie.’”

Bring your own lightstick

Once you get to the concert, you’ll probably want a lightstick, one of the most common fan items. Usually, you can purchase one for around $50 on Amazon or at Kpop Nara.

Each group has a highly designed stick that coordinates with the band’s color and has a connection to their story. For example, the group Zerobaseone’s lightstick contains a blue rose (in honor of their fan club “Zerose”) inside of a clear dome.

Being part of an ocean of lightsticks can be an incredibly touching experience. In some cases, these lightsticks are automatically programmed via Bluetooth with the setlist to match the beat of a song or portray a particular mood.

When Sophie Mensah saw Enhypen, she said the lightsticks were programmed so they spelled the group’s name in the crowd.

Know your aegyo

You may see some rather cutesy behavior on the stage. The Korean word “aegyo” means behaving in a flirtatious, coquettish manner.

Idols get extremely creative with aegyo. Who knew there were so many ways to form a heart with your hands? Try your luck at catching a half-heart from the audience.

A good way to get the idols to interact with you is the aforementioned sign. It gives them something to spot in the sea of faces.

Get ready for barking

Another common behavior you’ll likely encounter at a K-pop concert is barking fans. Both Park Hanbin and Lee Jeonghyeon of EVNNE said they were delighted by this quirky habit.

“Hearing our fans’ barking right before the stage or during our talk session was a unique experience,” Jeonghyeon told Gothamist. “It was our first time witnessing it, but we joined them right away and had a lot of fun.”

Why is everyone barking? Belen Ramirez explained that “people bark whenever they see a really attractive moment from an idol.”

It’s kind of an in-joke among fans but also an affectionate gesture.

And finally, finish with a fancam

For some, the fancam, a vertically shot video of an idol performing, is the ultimate souvenir from a show.

Even if you’re not planning to post your treasured video, you’ll want one that’s high quality enough to look back on in the future. Typical iPhone settings won’t make the cut, so here’s a preset Tatiana Raphael generously shared.

Ready to go?

Here’s a list of every show you can see this fall in the NY/NJ area:

• Sept. 28: DPR Ian, The Theater at MSG
• Sept. 28: Lisa , Global Citizen Festival in Central Park
• Sept. 29: Everglow, Town Hall (discount code: GLOWBOGO)
• Oct. 6: DKB, White Eagle Hall
• Oct. 9: Loossemble, Town Hall
• Oct. 18: XG, The Theater at MSG
• Oct. 21: YOUNG POSSE, Queens Theatre in the Park
• Oct. 25, 27: Seventeen, UBS Arena
• Nov. 1-2: wave to earth, Hammerstein Ballroom and Brooklyn Paramount Theater
• Nov. 2: Dreamcatcher, Kings Theater
• Nov. 6: Woosung, The Great Hall at Avant Gardner
• Nov. 15: Billlie, White Eagle Hall
• Nov. 21-22: KISS OF LIFE, Irving Plaza and Hammerstein Ballroom