UAE: This fan club gathers over 4,000 pop culture lovers, acts as bridge of connection

Meeting like-minded individuals with a love for pop culture has never been easier for UAE residents. What began as a simple toy-swapping event in a restaurant ten years ago has evolved into one of the UAE’s most vibrant pop culture communities. Hobby Nation UAE has grown into a network of over 4,000 members, bringing together fans of anime, comics, video games, cosplay, and more. Its journey highlights the power of shared passions in fostering meaningful connections.

Humble beginnings

Hobby Nation’s story is rooted in friendship and a shared love of pop culture. Faisal Q, the founder of Hobby Nation, recalls: "Hobby Nation began as friends trading toys, hosting their first event in a restaurant, ten years ago. From humble beginnings, Hobby Nation has grown into a vibrant community celebrating every aspect of geek and pop culture."

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From these modest origins, the community expanded through strategic steps, such as live-streaming pop culture discussions in 2016 and partnering with brands like Laban UP in 2019 to create engaging experiences like a Marvel-themed meme game. By 2023, Hobby Nation’s collaboration with Rove Hotels resulted in its first one-day open event, which drew over 1,000 visitors.

A space for everyone

For Trina Angeles-Korb, head of operations and events at Hobby Nation, the club's mission is clear. She said: "Our long-term vision for Hobby Nation UAE is to create a welcoming and connected community for fans of pop culture. We want to bring people together, whether they love comics, anime, movies, TV, cosplay, tabletop games, or video games and help them form real, lasting friendships. Our goal is to support creativity, celebrate diversity, and make sure everyone feels like they belong. Through fun events and collaborations, we aim to build a space where everyone can share their passions and feel at home."

Trina adds that Hobby Nation measures its success not just in numbers but in the connections it fosters "We measure our impact by looking at community engagement and growth over time. Attendance numbers at events, participation in activities, and the feedback we receive from the community are all key indicators. It’s about seeing how our efforts bring people together and inspire creativity within the pop culture scene and we’re doing so in a sustainable manner."

The value of community

With the UAE’s diverse population, pop culture has become a bridge for connection. Kevin Sebastian, head of content, emphasizes that "fostering a pop culture community in the UAE is incredibly valuable, given the country’s unique status as a melting pot of cultures.

With people from all over the world living and working here, such a community provides a rare and much-needed platform where expats and locals can find common ground through shared passions like comics, anime, video games, and cosplay. It’s a way for individuals to connect, break cultural barriers, and form meaningful relationships in an environment that celebrates passion.

Part of what makes Hobby Nation so successful as a community is that we encourage different communities, be it video games, board games, cosplay, and more to collaborate and allow members across communities to feel more at home by finding ‘their people’ who share similar hobbies and passions. This not only strengthens the sense of belonging but also encourages a sense of mutual appreciation across diverse backgrounds in the region."

Community voices

For many members, Hobby Nation has become a cherished part of their lives. Oleksandra Neschetna, a community member, said: "The gatherings bring more and more people together. Everyone keeps wanting more events to pop up so that they meet like-minded people to hang out with."

Faisal reflects on the journey’s impact by saying: "One of the most important things that happened to me and probably others is the friends we made in this journey. Finding people and friends of similar interest creates a long-lasting friendship."

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