Convention - Paris Fan Festival 2023 : Asian cultures are invited to the Paris Fan Festival

By Mulder, 30 march 2023

"Pop culture in France has been greatly enriched by the influence of Asia, through music, literature, gastronomy, etc.," says Jonathan Dumont, director of the Paris Fan Festival. "Through this event, we want to give a new appointment to the lovers of Asian cultures where they can find everything they are passionate about in one place."

From its delicious gastronomy to its unavoidable video games, its lively music and its mangas or webtoon, the Asian culture is taking root in France every day. For its second edition, the Paris Fan Festival will be entirely reserved for Asian fans on April 15 and 16, 2023 at the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles with activities and shows planned for the occasion. A change of scenery guaranteed for a festive weekend.

From prints to manga or samurais to shonen heroes: at the Paris Fan Festival, there will be something for everyone, with :
- The Young Creators space: about twenty artists and craftsmen will come to present their creations inspired by the great themes of Japanese pop culture where you will find swords, figurines, illustrations...
- A big Food Court: where Japanese and Asian gastronomy will be proudly represented through its essential Ramen, Onigiri or Bubble tea...
- Cosplay Village: cosplayers from France and Europe will perform in the alleys of the Festival and on the big stage where they will participate in demonstrations. A cosplay contest will be hosted by Maul Cosplay, one of the most famous cosplayers in the world, accompanied by the famous Sikay and Stylouz.
  
Let's not forget the undeniable influence of the Japanese video game industry on the world. Nintendo and PlayStation novelties, retro-gaming and arcade terminals: several thousand square meters will be occupied by the Festival's gaming area.
The cradle of manga in Europe
The French are the biggest consumers of manga after the Japanese. Japanese comics fascinate and stimulate the minds of a large number of readers. Its captivating and inspiring stories are now rooted in Japanese culture.
At the Paris Fan Festival, manga fans will find :
- A dozen publishers and bookstores such as Kana, will come to present new releases in preview and will propose animations around mangas.
- The Konoha Express: the biggest fans of Naruto will be able to discover the Konoha Express but also to find all the volumes and derived products from the successful manga.
- An exceptional exhibition where figurines of the greatest heroes from the manga will be gathered: Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Academia, Dragon Ball Z, Pokémon...
- The French store Shinsekai where fans can find a large collection of high quality official figurines.

South Korea is also experiencing a wave of cultural explosion. It is called Hallyu (Wave in Korean) and it owes its success to its dramas, its webtoons or its K-pop. Webtoons are a new genre of digital comics that emerged in South Korea with the development of new reading media such as smartphones and tablets. Today, hundreds of millions of readers around the world are discovering new stories week after week, while successful adaptations are multiplying, as evidenced by the series Sweet Home or Hellbound on Netflix. The Paris Fan Festival will gather the best French authors of webtoons with Natacha (Sex, drugs & RER), Cécile Garcia (Mez & les filles de Sar), Asami (Disabled) and many others who will be present for signing sessions and to make discover their works. K-pop has also never been so popular in France, more than 30 years after its appearance. Singing, dancing and stage expression are emblematic arts of Korean pop, and fans will be able to step into the shoes of a pop star for a weekend by following demonstrations and initiations to these frenzied dances in the company of the best French groups.
Dance battles are also planned on Saturday and Sunday. The groups will compete in turn on the big stage of the Festival:
- The Risin' and the Bitchinas: battle planned on Saturday
- The Impact and the Young Nation : battle on Sunday

Practical information of the Paris Fan Festival :
- Date: April 15 to 16, 2023 - Press night on April 14
- Where : Paris Expo Porte de Versailles
- Metro: Line 12 - Porte de Versailles
- Tramway: Lines T2 and T3a - Porte de Versailles
- Ticketing

(Source : press release)