The question: 

What does the K-pop scene look like in the Midwest, and how does it compare to the East and West coasts, where the musical genre receives more attention? 

My findings:

Although there is a noticeable difference in the number of official K-pop activities between the Midwest and East/West coasts, the Chicago area is a hub for fan activity in the Midwest. 

After speaking with several K-pop dance cover groups based in the Midwest, I found that a lot of fans find opportunities to engage with each other through fan-organized community events. In fact, many of these community-organized events centered around performances and activities that the K-pop dance community engages in.

Phase One: Reporting

Interviews 
→ K-pop dance crew members in Chicago & general Midwest 
→ K-pop community event organizers 

Data Collection 
→ Compiled list of all K-pop concerts/tours held in the U.S. over the past year

Phase Two: Art Direction & Planning

→ Drawing inspiration from K-pop aesthetics 
→ Establishing typography, colors
→ Brainstorming ways to incorporate interactive elements (i.e. data visualizations)

Phase Three: The Details

Figma / Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator

→ Laying out all elements on Figma 
→ Creating animations
→ Stylizing photos 
→ Incorporating photographs provided by sources