Although they don’t bring choreographed dances or have matching outfits on stage, Day6 are a force of talent backed by their eclectic sound, energizing beats and adoring fans.  

Story by Jennifer Hernandez

Fans began to line up around outside of Emo’s at 6 a.m. on Sunday to see Day6 make their Texas debut. Day6 is a five-member group from South Korea consisting of “Jae” (Park Jae Hyung), “Sungjin” (Park Sung Jin), “Young K” (Brian Kang), “Wonpil” (Kim Won Pil) and “Dowoon” (Yoon Do Woon).

This year, Day6 started a campaign called “Every Day6” in which they released a music video and two singles on the sixth day of each month. With this unique campaign, Day6’s fanbase grew rapidly around the world.

Fans came from all over Texas to support Day6 during their first North American tour. Each fan was part of the online community of K-Pop fans that share music, photos, videos and memes. If fans can’t find their Day6 fix through the radio airwaves, they know they can turn to social media to keep up with them.

The hours of waiting outside didn’t slow down Day6 fans from jamming out to the music playing before the group took the stage. When the venue came to a darker hue, light sticks, fan-made signs and eyes lit up as everyone’s favorite band was no longer seen through a digital screen.

Day6 began the night with “I Wait,” a synth-heavy, catchy rock tune perfect for anyone into head-banging. Jae, the lead guitarist, greeted Austin right before the night began. The band sang a few more songs before the members introduced themselves in Korean and then in English.

After their intros, the band moved on to the Q&A portion of the night. Led by a host from Subkulture Entertainment, the concert organizer, fans heard Day6 answer questions sent in by fans about friendship and their morning routines. Fans no longer felt a distance between their idols as they related to many of their answers. They also got to see Day6 members compete in a game of Wii Sports onstage and later saw a vlog dedicated to the Austin fans. 

Day6 was aware of the reputation Austin’s music reputation before performing. “I was so excited to come to Austin because I know your love for music,” says Wonpil, the keyboard and synth player. Other members also mentioned SXSW and how few Korean acts get the opportunity to perform at one of the many venues in Austin, let alone sell out their first Austin show.  

After everyone got to know Day6 a little more, they played their most popular ballads including “You Were Beautiful,” a breakup song that, ironically, sounds romantic. Day6 came back onstage during their encore with more upbeat anthems like “Dance Dance” and closed with “Freely,” which is track number one from their first EP.

Many fans were lucky enough to score Hi-Touch wristbands which guaranteed the opportunity to meet every member after the show. Fans were able to high five the members and talk with them.

Events like these break the barriers of the typical concert setting in America but are common in South Korea. These unique engagements are becoming more prominent at K-Pop shows, which is why so many fans save up and invest time to go see their favorite groups. As K-Pop continues to grow in popularity, Day6 will remain a stand-out act.