Kings College Student Arrival Party to thousands

Yes, I said thousands! So I did my homework on this gig - another gem from the fantastic team/agents at Storm DJs. The guide was simple: it’s outside, make sure you have KPOP. Well, it’s the 21st of September, and let me tell you, it’s as cold as a polar bear’s toenails to be DJing outside. I took the risk of not bringing my marquee; the weather had been clear for days, and I didn't want to haul that beast through central London. (I’m still waiting for my congestion charge fine for forgetting to pay too—doh!)

Channeling My Inner KPOP DJ

So, a few weeks leading up to the event, I get into a KPOP headspace. Never DJ'd that before, and honestly, never thought I would! I reach out to some fellow DJ friends who dabble in this space—shout out to JFOX, one of my mixmaster competition alumni, and Lloyd Bird of Floorfiller events. Both gave me enough insight

Sound Check Before The Gig

to do some foreign digital crate digging, which was kind of exciting, I must admit. It felt like a treasure hunt, except instead of gold, I was digging for bangers!

Back in the Day

See, I grew up DJing in 1999. Yes, the ancient era when you had to physically go to record stores to get your music. I would take my whole paycheck to places like Uptown Records and Blackmarket Records. If you know, you know! It was a chance to practice on Technics and beat match with whatever was blasting through the in-house system. I’m pretty sure the shop didn’t mind, especially since I was spending £150 a week—thank you, Toys 'R' Us money! Those were the days, my friends! Now, new DJs are like, “What’s a record?” as they click ‘preview’ on Beatport and have a song in their Rekordbox within three minutes. Pfft! Nothing beats a round trip to London with your record bag!

The KPOP Adventure

ANYWAY, I digress. The process of Googling KPOP artists I had never heard of and listening to songs across 90-140 BPM while rating them purely on energy was a new experience for me, mostly because I don’t speak Korean. Funny how you have to plan a set when you’re unsure if there’s swearing or what they’re talking about. It’s like trying to cook a gourmet meal without knowing if the recipe calls for salt or sugar—yikes!

Showtime!

So, to the gig! I start with some well-known popular music from September’s Top 40. Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber are always safe choices for me when DJing for students. Within 30 minutes, the campus had over 1500 people—most of them meeting for the first time, and you could feel the nervous energy in the air. So, out comes the KPOP! To say it absolutely set the tone is an understatement. Suddenly, I was a KPOP superstar! So many people came up to take pictures and videos of me, and students were sitting in front of the decks, fist-pumping and grinning like they just won the lottery. What a wonderful day!

The KPOP Connection

Parents dropping off their kids were winking at me, and the red coat staff team were giving me thumbs up. All was going well! To close the event, so many Koreans came up to ask if I was Korean. What a compliment! They asked how I played so many cool songs they’d only heard 'back home.' I humbly explained that I had listened to a lot of music leading up to the event, and whatever sounded good made the cut. I have to admit, a lot of the KPOP is catchy—I suppose that’s why it’s taken over the charts!

Conclusion: A Gig to Remember

If you haven’t heard any KPOP, I couldn’t honestly describe it, but the words 'Like a G6, Far East Movement' keep springing to mind. Sometimes I take gigs not just for what they are but for what they can turn into. Thousands of students on a welcome day, playing KPOP was not on my bingo card for 2025, but I smashed it, and it was a blast! There you go!