Countdown Fantasy 2025 was my first ever festival in Seoul, and I went in not fully knowing what to expect. It was held on 30 and 31 December at KINTEX 2 in Goyang, and I attended Day 1 because N.Flying were set to perform.
All I knew then was that it's a year-end music festival that brings together bands, with a lineup that’s largely indie, performing across two stages. The event ran from a little past 1pm until after 10pm, with gates opening at noon for ticket verification and redemption. There was paid luggage storage for coats, which made committing to a full day indoors much easier.
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| Hi-Fi Un!corn at Vivid Planet 26 and The Solutions at Station Stardust |
The festival had two stages – Vivid Planet 26 and Station Stardust – with different performers scheduled across both. Some sets overlapped, but not so much that you felt stuck, so you could move between halls without missing too much.
Apart from the performances, there was a lot happening around the venue. Outside the halls were booths selling merch, running games, and handing out freebies and prizes, so it never felt like you were just waiting for the next set.
One of the booths was Love FNC, which is FNC Entertainment’s charity foundation that supports children and youth through music and education. I donated KRW10,000 and received a Seunghyub photocard, plus a turn at the lucky draw gacha. I ended up pulling another photocard, this time Dongsung.
There were also photo spots set up around the venue, and people would queue for them between sets. In between the two performance halls was a proper food hall where you could eat and grab drinks throughout the day. If you got a “kidult” wristband at the entrance, which meant they had checked your ID and confirmed you were of legal drinking age, you could also buy alcohol.
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| AxMxP |
There were rest areas with actual reclining seats where people could lie down if they needed a break. I never got to use them myself, but it was worth noting since the event ran until late evening. There was even a trampoline set up just for fun, which added to the slightly chaotic festival energy.
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| N.Flying |
From the lineup, I only really knew CNBLUE, AxMxP, and Peppertones apart from N.Flying. It was my first time hearing many of the other acts, and I ended up genuinely enjoying that part of the experience. The Solutions and Owalloil stood out to me in particular because I liked the kind of music they were making. It was nice discovering new bands in a setting like that, without any expectations attached.
For Day 1, N.Flying was the last act at Station Stardust. I ended up staying close that stage for most of the day and somehow managed to get really close to the barricade, with just one person in front of me.
When N.Flying finally came on, it felt like the moment I had been pacing myself for all day. They performed a long set, and hearing 'Run Like This', 'Oh really.', 'Moebius', 'Sunset', and 'The Real' live again made the wait worth it.
It was also my first time hearing some of the songs live like 'The World is Mine', 'Fate', and 'Fall With Your'. Being that close to the stage while they played those songs felt unreal.
Seeing them at a festival felt completely different from seeing them at their own concert. During &Con4 in Singapore, it felt intimate with some softer and more emotional songs in the mix.
This time, it was all hype songs, so it was louder, freer, and a bit more chaotic, in a way that made the set feel spontaneous and playful. It wasn’t better or worse, just a different kind of fun.
By the time it ended, it felt like a very full day in the best way. I had gone for N.Flying, discovered new bands, wandered between halls, queued at booths, eaten, donated, and somehow ended up right near the barricade for the set I cared about most.
It was long, a little chaotic, and very local, but that’s what made it memorable. For my first festival in Seoul, it was a great experience and I would do it again.
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