K-pop fan meet-ups in Hong Kong: followers of BTS, NCT Dream, Got7 and others celebrate idols’ birthdays, albums, and more at city cafes

Birthday cafe events are a common way for K-pop fans in Hong Kong to engage – organised by fans themselves or the labels of their favourite bands and idols

Youth-oriented cafes like the business the events bring in, as hundreds of fans vie for coffee cup sleeves, photo cards and other merchandise

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Fans gather at Rabbit Rabbit Tea for a birthday celebration. It is one of many birthday cafe events being thrown by K-pop fans in the city. Photo: Rabbit Rabbit Tea

Published: 7:15am, 12 Apr 2021Updated: 11:38am, 12 Apr 2021

Concerts may be on hold but, after a year of social restrictions, K-pop fans and labels are still finding ways to connect in Hong Kong.

Fans of South Korean artists in the city regularly gather – social distancing restrictions permitting – and celebrate their favourite stars’ birthdays in style, often by funding charitable donations or buying advertisements in their names.

Birthday cafe events, hosted by fan organisers, are ubiquitous. The number of fans showing up ranges from 100 to 200, with each venue observing government rules, plastic dividers installed at socially distanced tables, and participants wearing masks.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, fans of Korean pop around the world held “cup sleeve events” to celebrate the birthdays of stars with specialised cupholders. Many fans host events with takeaway style celebrations, but in Hong Kong, fan cafe events go on as usual thanks to a low number of virus cases.

On any given day, there’s likely to be an event going on at Rabbit Rabbit Tea. Photo: Tamar Herman

Rabbit Rabbit Tea in Tin Hau, on Hong Kong Island, is a hub of K-pop culture in the city. Most days there’s likely to be an event going on, either to celebrate a birthday, an album release or simply the existence of someone’s favourite star. There are special decorations, cup sleeves and other merchandise up for grabs for anyone who wants to come by.

Natalie Ho, 20, collaborated on an event to celebrate the 21st birthday of NCT Dream’s Renjun (Huang Ren-jun) on March 23. The student helped with the creation of a cup sleeve, photo cards, a sticker sheet, and a photo card cover featuring the singer’s name and Moomin, an animated character loved by the singer.