KCON JAPAN 2026, held in Chiba, attracted 120,000 attendees, showcasing K-POP, K-beauty, and K-food over three days.

From May 8 to 10, 'KCON JAPAN 2026' was held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, and concluded successfully. As the first KCON of the year organized by CJ ENM, 'KCON JAPAN 2026' attracted about 120,000 spectators over three days, achieving great success. Visitors to the venue experienced various K-lifestyles throughout the 'FESTIVAL GROUNDS' under this year's theme 'Walk in SOUL CITY.' They enjoyed stages according to their preferences at different times. Beyond K-POP performances, this year's 'KCON JAPAN 2026' covered K-beauty, K-food, and K-stories, establishing itself as a festival where fans and artists discover and enjoy their favorite 'K' together. A total of 33 groups participated in 'KCON JAPAN 2026,' showcasing approximately 36 K-POP performances and K-lifestyle programs. The event expanded the connection between fans and artists, completing a differentiated festival experience unique to KCON. Local media in Japan, including television, reported extensively on the activities of K-POP artists and the growing interest in Korean food and beauty trends. Additionally, live broadcasts through digital platforms like 'Mnet Plus' captivated not only Japanese audiences but fans worldwide. 'KCON,' which continues to evolve each year, centered around the expanded 'FESTIVAL GROUNDS' as an 'Every K Festival' that showcases the rich appeal of K-lifestyle. The venue operated continuously from 10 AM to 6 PM for three days, featuring 300 booths where attendees could experience various K-trends, including K-POP, K-beauty, K-food, and K-stories. The space branding aligned with the 'Walk in SOUL CITY' concept also attracted attention, featuring subway ticket gates, station name signage, and landmark structures symbolizing the streets, creating a themed experiential content. Walking along SOUL CITY, visitors encountered healing landmarks reminiscent of Cheonggyecheon, with stone walls and LED displays recreating an urban relaxation space. The stamp rally, which recorded the journey, was also a great success. The newly established 'K-STORY ZONE' provided an immersive experience of K-content through CJ 4DPLEX's SCREENX theaters. The 'K-CINEMA SHOWCASE' attracted high interest with next-generation works incorporating AI technology and press sessions exploring the future of the K-content industry. The expanded 'K-BEAUTY ZONE' hosted 'OLIVE YOUNG FESTA JAPAN 2026,' marking the grand start of OLIVE YOUNG's world tour, becoming a popular spot for visitors. The 'K-FOOD ZONE,' recreating the atmosphere of Korea's nightlife and gourmet alleys, accommodated about 1,000 people simultaneously, always filled with attendees eager to enjoy various street foods and K-desserts. Additionally, numerous brands exhibited at 'KCON JAPAN 2026,' promoting their products while interacting directly with Japanese audiences. Samsung Galaxy participated as the title sponsor for the third consecutive year, offering special experiences that combined product trials with various KCON content. A total of 16 sponsors, including OLIVE YOUNG, bibigo, TVING, Visa, KDDI, Travel Wallet, Samyang Foods (Buldak), Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, Isaac Toast, Seoul Tourism Foundation, Nongshim Japan, TEAZEN, KPC, and KOFICE, represented K-beauty, food, and stories. 'K-COLLECTION with KCON JAPAN 2026,' supporting the entry of small and medium-sized enterprises in collaboration with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Foundation for Cooperation of Large, Medium, and Small Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries, saw an increase of 10 companies compared to last year, with a total of 50 companies participating, covering beauty, food, fashion, and household goods, confirming the potential for entry into the global market. Over three days, stages featuring diverse concepts showcased special performances and participatory content unique to KCON. The 'M COUNTDOWN' stage, held every night during the event, began with the opening stage of Song Han-bin from ZEROBASEONE, the first 'KCON Global Ambassador,' expanding to daily headliner performances and pre-shows, delivering a deeper stage experience. This year, the headliner performances centered around approximately one-hour shows, combining special collaboration stages prepared exclusively for KCON with audience participation performances, providing an 'interactive show' that went beyond mere performances. The venue utilized trolleys and protruding stages to maximize the space, creating an immersive live environment where audiences could enjoy the artists' performances up close. Collaborative stages featuring members with different personalities, cover stages of iconic K-POP hits like f(x)'s 'Electric Shock,' TWICE's 'THIS IS FOR,' and Wanna One's 'Beautiful,' as well as 'DREAM STAGE,' which symbolizes KCON, raised the venue's excitement to its peak. Additionally, the 'X STAGE' 'SHOWCASE,' featuring 15 artists with limitless potential from various genres, and the 'DANCE STAGE,' where fans learned point dances directly from artists and enjoyed cover dance challenges and random play dances, received high acclaim for programs that fostered communication and empathy between fans and artists. The 'ARTIST STAGE,' where fans could watch solo performances by artists, expanded this year to approximately 7,800 seats, allowing more global fans to participate. Furthermore, actors Park So-ham from tvN's 'The Universe is Yours' and Lee Che-min from 'The Tyrant's Chef' also visited the venue, drawing attention. The newly launched 'Introducing Friends of KCON' as an original Mnet Plus content provided behind-the-scenes insights and the venue's excitement, adding a new layer of enjoyment. Shin Hyung-kwan, head of CJ ENM's Music Content Division, stated, 'This KCON, which expanded beyond K-POP to K-lifestyle, has become a fruitful platform that assures the infinite potential of a multi-cultural platform where global fans can experience and discover their favorite 'K.' CJ ENM will continue to expand KCON's role as a 'coexistence platform' that accelerates artists' global outreach and supports brands' overseas expansion.' KCON, which began in 2012 in Irvine, USA, has established a festival model that encompasses all aspects of Korean culture, including K-beauty, K-food, and K-content centered around music. As a representative festival of K-POP, KCON will continue its global journey through 'KCON LA 2026' in August, following Japan.