It was not a typical Tuesday night outside of East Village’s infamous Webster Hall, over a thousand fans dressed in their most seductive attire, ready for what they hoped to be an unforgettable night seeing South Korean American Rapper Big Matthew’s (BM) first solo concert, The After Party Tour (ATAP). BM is not a standard K-Pop artist, his unfiltered and unapologetic rap songs pushes boundaries in his first solo tour, which is shrouded in mystery and rumors of surprise guest appearances. A night of fun and a little bit of debauchery, it was a show to remember with stellar opening performances that warmed up the crowd by the likes of Club Boybnd and Sunkis.
Fans mused whether BM would provide a Vegas-style, one-man Chippendales K-Pop experience since the performance was catered to be an adults 21+ affair with phones being prohibited. Many supporters shared that they believe that BM is breaking the mold and stereotypes by paving way in the American music industry for Asian men not to be seen as cute glittery gods, but humans with a grittiness that underscores body positivity, mental wellness, inclusivity, and perfect imperfections. “It’s very different from what you’d expect from K-Pop,” Feraz K.
, 35, said. The New York City native told amNewYork Metro he was first introduced to K-Pop during the pandemic; however, he felt that he couldn’t fully latch onto this style of music that can sometimes be over the top cutesy. Then he heard Kard, a South Korean co-ed group.
