The self-proclaimed “biggest outdoor club in the world” finally landed in Korea on Friday, and neither the DJs nor the audience held anything back, partying the night away with the hottest electronic dance music in the world.

World Club Dome Korea 2017 was held from Friday to Sunday at Munhak Stadium in Incheon, hosting 100,000 music fans from in and out of Korea. It was the first time that the event -- founded in Frankfurt in 2013 by German radio station Big City Beats -- had been hosted in Asia.

DJs including Afrojack, Steve Aoki, Armin van Buuren and Marshmello were present to pump up the EDM fanatics. 

The event began around noon on Friday, but it only kicked into overdrive as the dark of night covered the stadium. The euphoric crowd jumped up and down feverishly to the tunes of Don Diablo such as “Wake Me Up,” “Tonight” and “Oh My Mind.”

It only went uphill from that point on, as breathless fans were treated to a helping of Kygo and a dish of Steve Aoki before Afrojack gave the fans a fitting send-off with hits like “Come With Me” and “Ten Feet Tall.”

The party got hotter over the weekend, as the city hosted Robin Shults, W&W, Armin Van Buuren and Marshmellow before wrapping up with Martin Garrix.

In addition to the main stage, eight other stages were scattered across the venue, allowing fans to party all night long. After their stages ended, DJs continued to entertain EDM fever-stricken fans at after-hour clubs.

A testament to Incheon’s reputation as Korea’s gateway, foreign fans hoisting their national flags were seen all across the stadium, with some dressing as such characters as Minions or the Super Mario Bros.

About 20,000 foreign visitors participated in the event, according to the Korea Tourism Organization.

The event will be held in Incheon at least until 2021, which the tourism agency sees as an opportunity to attract younger foreign tourists.

However, the operation of the event had several shortcomings, such as unhelpful staff, abrupt changes in schedule and technical malfunctions.

Visitors were left to wander around the vast and winding passages of Munhak Stadium. Locating food trucks and side stages was difficult with staff on site, clearly untrained, not being of much of help.

The biggest problem was a hiccup during Armin van Buuren’s performance when the music stopped dead in its tracks, showing that World Club Dome Korea still has a long way to go before it can present itself as a must-visit destination.


By Yoon Min-sik
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)