Well, true believers, Comic Con Seoul 2017 has come and gone and I’m left with mixed feelings. The initial excitement upon learning that Comic Con would be heading to South Korea for the very first time gave way to mild disappointment as I realized this con wouldn’t live up to the massiveness of others I’ve experienced. We’ve all been there! So I had to remember the old adage “I’ts not the size that matters.”
Still, for future reference, here are some tips the folks at Reed Pop might want to consider for the next Con in Seoul.
More Celebrity Guest Stars
Yeah, it was great to have Mads Mikelson from Hannibal and Star Wars fame plus Steven Yuen from The Walking Dead and Okja, but a three day comic con event needs to have many, many more stars. Seeing the actresses and actors who play our favorite characters up close and personal is one of the hallmarks of a great con. The stars get to meet die hard fans of characters they bring to life and we get to rub elbows with the people who breathe life into those characters. It’s a win-win! Sure, getting a big time movie star may be difficult but there are also genre TV show stars, and beloved B-movie stars. Also, don’t forget about the wealth of Korean actors and actresses who have starred in films like Snowpiercer, Train to Busan, Thirst, Sector 7, The Gifted Hands, Wooshi and tons more.
More Panels with Directors, Writers, Illustrators, Colorists, and Producers
These are the folks that put together the bones of many of our favorite movies, anime, TV shows, video games, and comic books. The panels give the fandom a chance to not only ask questions but to hear the insights, stories, and conversations these folks have with one another. And Panel discussions about current topics lets the fandom participate in talks about women in comics, people of color in comics, white washing, gender swapping, anti hero reversals, Mary Sues vs Martin Sues, and on and on.
More Previews and Trailers
A big boon of a Comic Con entails having sneak peeks at upcoming movies, TV show premiers and video games. At the recent SDCC in San Diego the folks there got first eyes on exclusive trailers Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, the entire CW Arrowverse, Justice League, Netflix gems like The Defenders, Stranger Things and Bright, and lots more.
That’s not to say Seoul Comic Con gave nothing to the fandom. Reed Pop did get several things right. First, Video Games. There were multiple booths where you could get a controller between your palms. Second, Toys! Action figures, collectibles, bobble heads, as well as key chains, drones, figurines and statues. Third, you could buy all the comic book and graphic novels your heart desired. It was tough going finding those books in English but I did! I managed to get my handsAnd finally, but far from least, the cosplayers saved the day! You could find attendees dressed up as everyone from Black Panther to Voltron’s Princess Allura. Cosplayers provide the spirit and life to any con and the folks who took the time to dress up didn’t hold anything back. Kudos to them!
Everything considered I think this year’s Seoul Comic Con could have been done in one maybe two days. Hopefully, next year they expand and include much more on their schedule!
