The global K-Pop festival, KCON, delighted millions of Korean wave, or hallyu, aficionados all over the world with its announcement on 17 March that fans would again be able to enjoy the thrill of seeing their beloved acts on the stage after a two-year Covid-induced hiatus.
The event was founded by Koreaboo and South Korean entertainment and mass media organisation, CJ E&M - now CJ Entertainment - and was first staged in Los Angeles, California in 2012. It has since expanded to New York, Tokyo, Bangkok, Abu Dhabi, and attracts more than a million fans.
Although the dates have yet to be revealed, according to yesterday's statement from CJ Entertainment, the festival - in what is its 10th anniversary - will be “packed with new content reflecting the taste of Gen-Z fans, and programmes tailored for local fans, as well as the better established of original favorites and panels unique to KCON”.
The convention will continue to stream online under the guise of KCON:TACT - a resource it was forced to establish two years ago because of the coronavirus outbreak which enabled K-Pop fans to attend their idols' concerts virtually.
CJ Entertainment did not divulge which acts would be lighting up the stage this year and the line-up is expected to be announced soon, but since 2012, KCON has attracted such brilliant stars from the K-Pop firmament as BTS, Girls’ Generation, MONSTA X, TWICE, ITZY and NCT.
KCON's official website added that: "No matter where in the world we are, our greatest honour is to spark the light of hallyu within you, our fans. Through KCON, we invite you to explore K-Pop, K-Beauty, K-Food and more through star-studded concerts, panels, and a festival overflowing with innovative products."