It’s been a monumental year for K-pop enthusiasts in the Bay Area, from the Asian Art Museum’s Hallyu! The Korean Wave exhibition to Exhuma’s release on the big screen and K-pop artists like ITZY and SEVENTEEN coming to the region for concerts.
Now, the city of Hayward is getting an event of their own. On Sunday, K-pop promoter 82ALLNIGHT hosts a K-Wave Pop-Up in downtown Hayward.
Created in collaboration with the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and Hayward City Council members Angela Andrews and Julie Roche, the pop-up will include Squid Game-inspired laser tag, a vendor and artist hall and plenty of K-pop DJ sets. K-pop fans will also have the opportunity to trade photocards and decorate their holders.
Hayward may seem like an unlikely location for a K-pop event, but its location is a much-needed middle ground. With fewer K-pop stores and concert venues along I-580, fans who live between larger K-pop hubs like San Francisco and San Jose often have to travel far for events and concerts. Whether you’re a K-drama fan, K-pop fan, or both, the K-Wave Pop-Up will have something for all fans looking for year-end fun.
82ALLNIGHT’s K-Wave Pop-Up runs from Noon-6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, at Craft Pizzeria and Sector 9 in Hayward. Details here.
