A Perfect Overture for AAA: The K-Pop Youth Energy That Captivated Taipei at 'ACON 2026' [Kim Soo-jin's Star Empathy]

*This content was translated by AI.

"Everything was perfect."

The pre-show festival 'ACON 2026, The Road to AAA 2026: Official Pre-show Cheongchun (Youth)' for the global awards ceremony 'Asia Artist Awards (AAA)', held on the 25th at Taipei's NTSU Arena, sold out all seats. It concluded successfully amid enthusiastic cheers from global fans of K-pop.

This performance has built anticipation to the highest level for 'AAA 2026', which will be held over two days on December 5 and 6 at Kaohsiung National Stadium. 'ACON 2026' received high praise as a perfect festival where youth united through music.

A total of seven acts, including MC Sung Han-bin, YENA, Xdinary Heroes (XH), KISS OF LIFE, MEOVV, NEXZ, QWER, and CLOSE YOUR EYES, appeared on stage.

◆Singing 'Youth,' with the surprise announcement of Sung Han-bin as the MC for 'AAA2026'

The main theme of 'ACON 2026' is 'Youth'. Sung Han-bin, who served as the sole MC, kicked off the event with a spectacular opening. Sung Han-bin instantly ignited the atmosphere at the venue with a special stage covering a song by Taiwanese R&B singer-songwriter Karencici. Throughout the hosting, Sung Han-bin showcased his versatile charm, captivating fans with his impressive dance performance skills and his smooth, quick-witted hosting abilities. In particular, Sung Han-bin's cover of ATEEZ's 'BAD' dance left the audience in the crowd ecstatic.

Additionally, the announcement that they would serve as the MC for 'AAA 2026' at the end of 'ACON2026' came as a surprise, drawing loud cheers from fans who filled the venue. Sung Han-bin is back!

▶[ACON 2026] SUNG Han-bin - Karencici - Hard to Say (Cover)

◆From local tribute songs to K-pop legend hits... a special stage packed to the brim

▶[ACON 2026] xdinary heroes - Intro+FIRE!+iNSTEAD!+ICU+Beautiful Life+Voyager

'ACON 2026' featured seven top K-pop artists who unleashed a variety of covers and joint performances, including their signature hits, that could be seen exclusively at 'ACON 2026'.

The local tribute stage unveiled at this performance delivered a special moment of unity with local fans. __NOUN_0000__ Choi Ye-na (YENA), who closed the evening's concert, showcased the OST stage from the popular Taiwanese drama "Meet You" that garnered tremendous love from local fans, leaving a deep impression and commanding the venue with a charismatic and captivating performance. The band Xdinary Heroes captivated local fans by presenting a solo concert-caliber stage through intense and thrilling __TAG_OPEN_0000__ live full band sound __ENT_0000__ with tracks including "ICU" and "Beautiful Life." The group KISS OF LIFE demonstrated hip and distinctive performances with hit songs "Igloo" and "Sticky" alongside a cover of BIGBANG's "BAE BAE." The girl band QWER reinterpreted Taiwan's national band Mayday's "Love in Love" with their signature upbeat and refreshing band sound, warming the hearts of local fans.

The stage, which also featured legendary K-pop and pop covers, brought unforgettable happiness. MEOVV (Miyao) flawlessly performed BTS's "Dynamite," while CLOSE YOUR EYES delivered a perfect rendition of EXO's "Love Shot." NEXZ and CLOSE YOUR EYES captivated the audience with an overwhelming joint performance reinterpreting Michael Jackson's songs. NEXZ showcased a powerful and sharp group dance to Michael Jackson's hit "Beat It," while CLOSE YOUR EYES presented their stage for "Dangerous." Following this, six members in total from both teams—three from each(NEXZ: Tomoya, Yuu, Haru / CLOSE YOUR EYES: Jang Yeo-jun, Song Seung-ho, Seo Kyung-bae)appeared, tearing up the stage with a custom dance collaboration performance of "Thriller."

The stage, featuring seven teams with seven distinct and colorful charms, heightened the excitement of the. NEXZ demonstrated overwhelming stage dominance through performances of "Want More? One More!" and "Mmchk." They even covered GOT7's "Hard Carry," a song by a senior figure in the K-pop industry, effectively carrying every performance on their own shoulders. Kiss of Life ignited the venue with charming stages including "Igloo" and "Sticky." Miyawaki showcased her unique presence with "DDI RO RI" and "HANDS UP." Close Your Eyes drew cheers with powerful performances of "POSE" and "CHIC." Finally, Choi Ye-na closed out ACON 2026 with adorable charm, performing global hits like "Catch Catch."

◆Explosive reactions from local media and fans... "Perfect"

The response from local and global fans has been a "great success." The audience, who filled the Taipei NTSU Arena to capacity, responded with massive sing-alongs whenever the artists performed famous songs from Taiwan, fully revealing the energy of "youth united by music."

Local media and online communities praised the event, stating that "K-pop artists delivered a heartfelt tribute performance meticulously prepared for Taiwanese fans that shone brightly" and calling it "the best pre-show that made AAA 2026, the main ceremony, even more anticipated." The 'ending stage,' where all participating artists appeared together on stage, also received acclaim for delivering an emotional experience that transcended language and national borders.

"ACON 2026" was evaluated not merely as a preliminary event but as a highly polished festival in its own right. The stage, which brilliantly illuminated the night of Taipei, instilled confidence in the massive scale and performances that the upcoming global festival "AAA 2026" will showcase.

▶[ACON 2026] NEXZ & CLOSE YOUR EYES - Beat It+Dangerous+Thriller

▶[ACON 2026] NEXZ - Intro+Beat-Boxer+Want more? One More!+HYPEMAN+GOT7 - Hard Carry (cover)+Mmchk

▶[ACON 2026] YENA - Shangjian Niost + I hate the word "kind" the most + Square by Square + 364 + Smiley + Catch Catch

▶[ACON 2026] KISS OF LIFE - Intro+Who is she+Igloo+BIGBANG - BAEBAE (cover)+chemistry+sticky

▶[ACON 2026] QWER - Intro+ceremony+holding back tears+May Sky - Love-ing (cover)+My Name is Clear+Worried Addiction

▶[ACON 2026] MEOVV - Intro+DDI RO RI+In My Hands+BTS Dynamite (Cover)+Hit 'Em+Hands Up

▶[ACON 2026] CLOSE YOUR EYES - intro+x+POSE+EXO-Infection (cover)+CHIC+SOB

▶[ACON 2026] Closing Stage: Sung Han-bin, Cye, QWER, NEXZ, MEOVV, Kiss of Life, Yena, and xdinary heroes

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*This content was translated by AI.