We successfully wrapped up the third edition of the Portable Wave Audio Show this year.
Each year, the most challenging part of organizing the event has always been finding the right place. It's no easy task to secure a space that satisfies both the exhibitors and the attendees while staying within budget. Fortunately, this time, we were able to resolve that issue quite well. Thanks to getting that first piece in place, everything else flowed much more smoothly compared to previous years.
This year’s event took place at Aube Studio, located near Seongsu Station—an area often referred to as the mecca of pop-up stores. The venue consists of three main floors and an additional office building. The larger space, compared to our previous events, allowed exhibitors to showcase a much wider range of products. Some even mentioned they brought almost everything from their stores. We know that transporting all that gear and then reorganizing everything back at the shop afterward is no small task. We're deeply grateful for the enthusiasm and support.
Preparations kicked off early Friday morning, the day before the two-day event, as we moved quickly to begin setting up the booths. We put particular care into the first floor, which required extra attention—so much so that even meal breaks were sacrificed to get everything ready. One standout was the D.ACE booth, which greets visitors right at the entrance. Construction for that booth went on until the early hours of the next morning.
The result? A space that rivaled a mini version of the Munich show. The person who handled the Astell&Kern booth at Munich took charge of this one as well, and it really showed. Thanks to their work, we were able to welcome our guests in a much more premium setting.
As per tradition, Saturday was reserved for a guest-invitation format. The highlight of the event was undoubtedly the grand prize giveaway. The crowd that gathered on the first floor at 5 p.m. was truly impressive. We always strive to offer our visitors plenty to see and enjoy, but nothing seems to draw a crowd quite like a strong giveaway.
This was our very first two-day event, and it gave us plenty of insights—both strengths and areas for improvement. We'll be using those lessons to make next year’s event even better.
The show brought together many products that are rarely seen in one place, as well as hidden gems from lesser-known brands. Given the nature of our event, many of the showcased items naturally cater to more niche, enthusiast-level tastes. Among them were some truly obscure brands that even seasoned audiophiles hadn’t encountered before.
While walking around the venue, I had the chance to speak with a number of attendees. Many of them told me they were surprised to discover unexpected products that perfectly suited their personal tastes—products they wouldn’t have known about otherwise. Personally, I’ve always hoped to help introduce more high-quality gear to the domestic market, and I feel proud that this event may have contributed, even just a little.
And of course, there’s something just as special as seeing new products: the chance to meet people from overseas manufacturers in person. Unlike the products themselves, these kinds of face-to-face conversations are rare. I believe attendees had a valuable time speaking directly with the developers behind their favorite gear—sharing feedback on prototypes and discussing ideas. For the manufacturers as well, meeting passionate enthusiasts offered fresh insights and inspiration for future development.
One new addition to this year’s event was the music-themed flea market on the third floor, featuring LPs and other related items. We organized it in collaboration with the team at Annapurna, and to our delight, even more vendors participated than we had initially expected. While vinyl records and audio gear may differ in character, I firmly believe they ultimately belong together. As we continue aligning these elements in the future, I think it will help make the event even more vibrant and well-rounded.
Personally, I picked up a few LPs myself—including some city pop records—and I’m planning to spend the week spinning them on my turntable.
All in all, I feel we put together a well-prepared and smoothly executed event. That’s entirely thanks to the support of the participating brands and the many visitors who showed interest.
To everyone who attended, and also to those who couldn’t make it but still showed their support—thank you. If you have any feedback about areas we could improve, or suggestions for future events, we’d love to hear from you. Your input will help us create an even better experience next time.
