The screen had just got blank, the introduction video had finished. I thought my ear drums had finally given up and burst but the noise around seemed to increase even more, when the lights ahead lit up, illuminating the stage in a bright white light.

Just then an overhead announcement introduced the group and from the corner of the stage still shrouded in darkness, a few figures could be seen entering the stage. The crowd erupted and I couldn’t help but follow suit, wrapped in the intense atmosphere in the hall. The seven boys made their way to the front of the stage, all lined up neatly. I could see all of them quite clearly from my seat but their image was magnified onto a screen beside the stage too, so that they seemed like giants. Beside me I could hear Jihye screaming at the top of her voice, a huge smile and wide eyes dominating her face.

“Hello.” A voice from the stage called when there was small break in the cheering. It was the boy who stood on the very right of the line. “We are IKON. Thank you for coming to our first ever fan meeting as an official 7 person group!” The boy shouted out over the crowd, receiving a huge wave of noise back from the other side of the hall. “First we will introduce ourselves individually.”

“Hey everyone!” A voice from the very left spoke. “I am Junhoe, with the unique vocal talents and handsome looks.” It was true, I nodded in agreement, and he was very good looking. “It’s nice to be here with you.”

The next one along was definitely Jinhwan, I decided, once it was his turn to speak. He was definitely a little shorter than the others and Jihye’s reaction made it too obvious. 

“I’m Jinhwan.” He spoke confidently. “I’m the lead singer of IKON!” He bowed politely and flashed a wide grin, causing Jihye next to me to increase the decibels of her scream even more.

I had to admit, I zoned out a little, the screaming continue all the way down the line as each of the boys introduced themselves.

“Hanbin is next.” Jihye nudged me out of my mind, as the boy who had introduced the group to start with finally took the microphone.

He had standard black hair which was hidden underneath a black cap with ‘YEAH’ etched across the front in white stitching. He had on a pair of baggy leather joggers and a sky printed t-shirt too. It looked chic, I admitted to myself.

“I’m the charismatic B.I and I am the leader of IKON as well as part of the rapper line! Thanks for waiting for us! We’ve been waiting for you too!” The crowd screamed unintelligible jitter back at him, shoving their handmade signs as high as they could above their heads. Hanbin cracked a wide smile, one showing genuine happiness and straight wide teeth. I couldn’t help but stare at the boy, in all his confidence, before me on the stage.

“Are you ready for us to perform?” One of the other boys yelled into the microphone loudly and the crows answered back with a resounding ‘Ne.’ “Please cheer for our first song. This is Just Another Boy.”

I watched in awe as the group proceeded to perform their song. It wasn’t a song I was particularly familiar with, although it did ring a bell somewhat, but it the energy of their performance compelled me to keep watching. I felt as if I really belonged in that hall with Jihye scream-singing next to me, and the cheers of others like her in the air. I watched each of the members in turn, the precise and technical dancing of Donghuk to the cocky but talented rapping of Bobby, mesmerised by their control of the stage. Didn’t Jihye say that this group hadn’t debuted yet? Yet how was their fan base so big, and their performance so strong?

The performances continued with more songs, that Jihye titled after each one. ‘Sino Sijak (시노 시작), Wait For Me (기다려), Long Time No See and finally finishing with an emotional rendition of . ‘Their most famous song’ Jihye had explained to me before the song had started.

I hadn’t anticipated it, but the high intensity of the last song really got to me as much as the rest of the audience. Hanbin had stood on his own in the middle of the stage, a single spot light blazing into him, rapping openly about the struggles and pressures he felt. Despite my lack of complete fluency preventing me from understanding the verse fully, I could grasp the desperation and fear. In fact I had even felt tears welling up in my eyes. I quickly bit them back before turning to Jihye, who was as good as bawling.

The song had ended, quickly followed by some fan questions that even I felt second-hand embarrassment for but despite this the group answered them well and honestly. Then following this, the group took a photo with the whole audience. This was something I had seen on Naver before, the celebrities with the fans in the background, all trying to be seen in the sea of faces.

Then before long it was over. IKON were saying their thank you and goodbye speeches above the cries of ‘stay’ and ‘Oppa please.’ Each member addressed the fans graciously before wishing them well for the future. It was then time for the leader to close the fan meeting, the eyes of all the other members fell on B.I.

“Th