KCON USA

Category: KCON LA

Elizabeth de Luna [#KCON18LA Special Guest]

Elizabeth is an internet culture and trends consultant with 1021 Creative, a marketing agency that works with brands like Google and Apple. She specializes in K-Pop and online video trends and, in a past life, worked in marketing for companies like YouTube and Eventbrite. Say hi or tweet her your best K-Pop memes at @delunaelizabeth.

ECLIPSE [#KCON18LA Special Guest]

ECLIPSE is a dance team from Palo Alto, California formed in August 2016 focused on creating YouTube video covers to express their love of dance. Comprised of both students and professionals of varying ages and backgrounds, this diverse group bonds over their shared passion and love of K-Pop.

Echae Kang [#KCON18LA Special Guest]

Echae Kang’s music experiments with various different sounds. Through experimental and eclectic sound, Echae sometimes whispers sweet nothings to the listeners, or sings about youth and growing pains in catchy melody. As a vocalist, Echae has a unique, woody timbre, and sings from her heart without any embellishment. As a violinist, she plays the violin freely and deftly, as if it’s a part of her body. With her eclectic aura, enchanting voice, and free-spirited violin playing, Echae takes the listeners to various places with her groundbreaking music, from quiet deep forests to hip, bright cities.

Bruce “Automatic” Vanderveer & Ebony Rae Vanderveer [#KCON18LA Special Guest]

Automatic has been writing and producing KPOP since 2012 starting with his first collaboration with XIA JUNSU, Uncommitted. The video for Uncommitted debuted at #1 in Korea and China and held the #1 spot on charts worldwide. His second collaboration with XIA, Incredible, debuted at #1 on Japan’s Tower Records Charts and iTunes charts and it debuted at #5 on Billboard’s World Album Charts. Rock The World and Twice’s I’m Gonna Be A Star, co-written with his partner, Ebony Rae Vanderveer, have both gone on to top charts and become fan favorites in Asia and abroad. Ebony is co-owner and vice president of InRage Entertainment. She had the pleasure of working with XIA Junsu on his chart-topping single releases Uncommitted, Incredible, Rock The World, which she also co-wrote with Automatic and XIA. Her most recent K-Pop song, I’m Gonna Be A Star by Twice is a favorite among fans. Ebony has worked with The Dream, Cristina Milian, Floetry, and Aaron Neville. She is a magna cum laude alumna of USC’s Thornton School of Music and she holds a Master of Religion in Theology and Ethics from Azusa Pacific University.

Alice An [#KCON18LA Special Guest]

Alice An is a Korean-American artist who is fighting the fight for Asian representation in American media. Her main motivation in her career is to share the power of Asian culture by normalizing seeing Asian faces in media. She began this journey while attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, where she studied Music Business & Voice. Currently based in LA, she is pursuing her career in performance as a singer and dancer. She most recently sang guide vocals for Lee Hi (이하이), and is working on releasing her first EP at the end of 2018. Alice is thrilled to be joining the team at KCON LA to further represent her culture in a space where it is being vastly appreciated.

Gemini [#KCON18LA Special Guest]

Gemini (GMNI) is an independent, self-made rapper, entertainer and entrepreneur, who uses YouTube and other social media platforms to spread his music. Growing up on Hip-hop and R&B, he realized his love for music and the rhythm and rhymes that came with it. He has opened for NU’EST, Giriboy, BlackNut, G2, Reddy, Nada, Grace, Iron, and many more. He has also performed throughout the United States including, Canada, and all over Europe as well. He has gained popularity and made a name for himself by utilizing social media and YouTube (through remix’s) but is now working on his second EP that will be released this year. His efforts as an artist has opened many doors, allowing him to focus on various business opportunities. He hopes to release more tracks and songs not for his own profit but to spread love and to show others through his music to help others.

Mao – The Ahjummas [#KCON18LA Special Guest]

Mao is a Chilean illustrator who manages to draw, fangirl and take care of her two daughters every day. It was easy for her to become a kdrama fan in 2012. A few months after, K-Pop took over her playlist. Since last year, she devoted herself to drawing BTS and being a fan artist and to help with a community of older fans of K-Pop/kdrama (+25yo) that is run by five amazing women. Mao can be found on @the_ahjummas in the form of a bunny and as a fan artist in her less popular personal account.

Jamie – The Ahjummas [#KCON18LA Special Guest]

Jamie is an admin for The Ahjummas. Despite being ridiculed for liking K-Pop in the early 90’s, Jamie has been an avid fan since the debut of K-Pop icons like g.o.d. and Seotaiji. Having lived the hardships of being a K-fan in the early days, Jamie is now an expert at converting her non hallyu friends into major stans. She is also the founder of Baby Bangtans, a kids K-Pop fan account that makes K-Pop Swag for Kids, K-Pop Slime, and fun K-Pop parodies on Youtube.

Val – The Ahjummas [#KCON18LA Special Guest]

Val is a mom of 3 and a wife who works full time. She helps admin for @the_ahjummas across many platforms and has met many amazing people along the way. She loves the BTS rapline and favors Suga aka Min Yoongi. She’s part of the maknae line for the Ahjummas and has been in the Hallyu world for 2 years. You can find her spending most of her time searching for Yoongi/cat tweets or buying merch from Baby Bangtans or Mao.