'KCON LA 2026' Becomes a Signature Annual Event in Los Angeles, USA

*This content was translated by AI.

CJ ENM's 'KCON LA 2026 (KCON Los Angeles 2026)' finally kicks off this week's festival.

Held over three days from August 14 to 16 local time at the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, 'KCON LA 2026' will connect with fans worldwide not only through in-person attendance but also via digital platforms such as Mnet Plus. Global Gen-Z audiences who love Korean culture, along with multinational corporations, Korean small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), artists, and agencies, are gathering in Los Angeles this week. The highly anticipated annual summer festival 'KCON LA 2026' can be enjoyed together from across South Korea and around the world through digital platforms.

Having firmly established itself as a unique global cultural industry hub, KCON has served not only as a stage for K-POP artists but also as a platform supporting the global expansion of various companies and brands. Since 2012, it has been held in 14 regions worldwide including Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, accumulating approximately 2.35 million offline attendees. It has grown into an experiential K-culture festival directly sought out and enjoyed by global Gen-Z fandoms. Notably, last year the City of Los Angeles officially designated 'KCON Day,' recognizing its symbolic value as a Hyeon Ji (CEO) cultural event.

This year, centered on the annual theme 'K-SOUL CITY,' KCON will realize an urban festival space that integrates K-lifestyle into a Hanbok-inspired LA setting, showcasing the essence of Every K Festival that encompasses not just K-POP but also K-BEAUTY, K-FOOD, and K-STORY. In addition to diverse stages where fans can enjoy their favorite artists by time slot, global K-POP artists gaining international attention will be featured on the M COUNTDOWN stage. Furthermore, key figures leading K-content and messengers from various fields will engage closely with K-lovers visiting the venue through a variety of programs, offering special experiences and fun exclusive to KCON.

Participation by domestic and international companies and brands, as well as intellectual properties (IPs), continues actively. Olive Young Festa serves as the title sponsor, presenting representative products from 55 K-beauty and lifestyle brands along with various experiential content through 'OLIVE YOUNG FESTA at KCON LA 2026.' In addition to 17 co-sponsors and approximately 40 domestic SMEs participating in 'K-COLLECTION with KCON LA 2026,' a total of 112 companies and brands will join, with dozens more expected to fill the venue. Collaborations with large-scale music festivals across various genres, including 'Lollapalooza,' along with programs like 'TOYOTA MUSIC DEN' that have supported new artist discovery and music education, as well as familiar global brand initiatives such as Sanrio, are set to further enrich 'KCON LA 2026.'

KCON's standing is also confirmed through participation from global media and platforms. Since 2020, when in-person performances became difficult due to the pandemic, KCON significantly expanded its reach via digital platforms. By introducing the event through various platforms, it has presented a festival model that allows K-culture fans worldwide to enjoy together without time or location constraints. KCON is also continuing collaborations with major global media outlets for the first time among K-POP festivals.

In 2023, it collaborated with iHeartMedia, a leading U.S. local media company, and in 2024, became the first K-POP festival to be broadcast nationwide during prime time on CW, one of America's five major terrestrial networks. Last year, for the first time, it partnered with digital streaming service Amazon Music, enabling live broadcasting not only across North America but also Europe, allowing fans worldwide to enjoy together via its official YouTube channel and various digital platforms.

This year, 'KCON LA 2026' will deliver the excitement of the Los Angeles event to audiences around the world through a global broadcast syndication involving major regional OTT services such as Mnet Plus (a global K-POP content platform), Japan's TELASA, and Korea's TVING, along with Samsung TV Plus and KCON's official YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, 'KCON LA 2026' will be held over three days from August 14 to 16 at the Crypto.com Arena and Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, USA, with Olive Young Festa participating as the title sponsor.

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*This content was translated by AI.