K-pop has taken hold in the Bay Area, just as it has in the rest of the world. Blackpink performed a sold-out show at Oracle Park in 2023. Other notable K-pop bands have performed at Oakland Arena, and Ateez will perform in San Jose this summer.
Businesses around Oracle Park were ready to capitalize on the craze. Bar Via, across the street from the stadium, transformed into a pop-up K-pop store for the event, selling posters, magazines, and trading cards. Eateries were feeling the effects of the concert, too. “Normally it is very slow,” a barista at Bravado Lounge said. “But it has been very busy.”
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