Earlier today, Wilber and I checked out the EOY J-Culture Festival for the first time. These two uncles almost had a hard time fitting in. Luckily, we had Shin the event organiser, to show us around and introduce the origins and milestones of this 15-year tradition festival.
The event’s heavy weights include some of the most noticeable stars in the Japanese Pop scene, such as Icezu (Thailand), Ola Aphrodite (Indonesia), Yak (Japan), Wata (Japan) and Ruru (Taiwan).
The moment we entered Suntec City Convention Centre, there were cosplay enthusiasts gathered at every inch of the common area, taking selfies or having professional photographers doing the shoot for them. Certain costumes/characters are simply too hard not to notice, an exquisite work of art.
Icezu’s performance was in a league of her own. She was explosive, powerful and just ready to rock the crowd with her dynamic dance moves. She is a Thai singer currently in the girl group ANGeVIL and a former member of the Japanese girl group Star★Cosμ’n. Her Instagram @icequeeniiz currently has 239k followers.
Ruru from Taiwan, also known as Ru’s Piano showcase her unique piano playing skills and was captivating till the last note. Did I mention she has 2.6 million subs to her YouTube channel? Check out one of her videos here.
Let’s check out the Cosplay Galore! The most elaborated and stunning characters brought to life all at this event. Here we have @ahtsuki_cosplayer. There are posters and acrylic stands made in her image for purchase. There is also Kuji for fans to try their luck on. Kuji is a form of lucky draw that kind of ensure a sure win, a popular game in Japan. Yes, we googled that.
The Creators’ Alley is also a great highlight. Over 250 creators showcase their artistic expressions through various mediums that simply ooze creativity, and hard work. The spirit of never say die until fruition. These creators, local and regional share the love for Japan culture through anime-style illustrations, fan merchandise, and cosplay props to custom nail art, unique jewellery, intricate crochet works and original character goods.
I tried my hands on some origami at one of the cultural workshops hosted by SUTD and NUS. The students were super helpful and enthusiastic to share their craft. This young chap taught me how to fold a Sumo wrestler and we fought it out on the brown cup box “platform”!
Event Name: EOY J-Culture Festival 2024
Date: 21 & 22 Dec 2024
Time: 12.30pm – 8pm
Venue: Suntec City Convention Centre, Halls 405 & 406
Tickets are sold at:
1-day Pass – S$18.90 ($21.90 from 1 December)
2-day Pass – $34.80 ($38.80 from 1 December)
Premium Pass at S$138 (limited quantities available)
