KMF, a major K-POP event, will conclude its 16-year run on October 6, 2024, after discovering many top artists like BTS and NCT.

Proud of Japan's number one history and tradition, the 'KMF', which has been called the gateway for newcomers in the K-POP world, has revealed that it will close its curtain on its 16-year history after the performance held at Yokohama Arena on October 6. Starting in 2008, during the dawn of K-POP in Japan, this year marks the 16th edition of 'KMF', which has attracted the interest and topics of K-POP fans and media every year, discovering newcomers like BTS and NCT. For this year's event, '16th KMF 2024', NiziU, NCT WISH, n.SSign, xikers, KISS OF LIFE, ALL(H)OURS, ONE N' ONLY, ICEx, and Kaito from Super Express have already been confirmed to perform. The NPO that hosts 'KMF', the Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Association, has expressed its views on recent K-POP events, criticizing the excessive proliferation of events and the soaring ticket prices, announcing that this year will be the end of the event. To convey the correct message about K-POP culture, 'KMF' has set a special ticket price of 5,000 yen for students and is inviting economically disadvantaged young students and young carers for free through various stakeholders and organizations as a response to the deepening wealth gap and social issues. The '16th KMF 2024', held at Yokohama Arena on October 6, is being prepared to be a special performance that will remain in the hearts of all fans, filled with love and gratitude. As KMF closes its curtain this year, it proposes a new suggestion for fans to enjoy an emotional stage at the Final KMF. Over the past 16 years, KMF has been loved by many fans and has created numerous topics, and it will close its curtain at Yokohama Arena on October 6. Since its inception in 2008, it has been known as a brand performance for the strongest newcomer festival, gathering the interest and topics of K-POP fans and media every year, discovering stars like BTS and NCT in their rookie days. Looking back over 16 years, there have been tough times in Japan-Korea relations, but with the love and support of fans and media who love Korean Wave and K-POP, it has been held regularly every autumn, creating wonderful memories that are truly happy and grateful. The Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Association, which has hosted KMF every year, has been leading cultural exchange between Japan and Korea since the dawn of the Korean Wave in 2004. One of these is the K-POP Festival, which has become an official sponsored event of the Sapporo Snow Festival held every February, and another is KMF, held every autumn. KMF has been widely known for supporting top-class K-POP stars during their rookie days, helping them to leap to become popular top stars not only in Korea but also in the world and Japan. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, especially since the end of last year, many broadcasting media have started leading an excessive proliferation of events, with ticket prices soaring to the 40,000 yen range, leading to a changing perception of K-POP in society. There has been a flood of criticism that the public opinion is shocking and unreasonable. The sad reality is that the image and status of K-POP, which has built a cultural ecosystem of the Korean Wave over the past 20 years despite the tough situation in Japan-Korea relations, is heading towards a rapid decline. Furthermore, next year, 2025, marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-Korea relations, a historical milestone that should be revived and directed towards a future-oriented direction. However, instead of reflecting on this year's disorderly events, it is expected that disorderly events will be held everywhere like bamboo shoots after the rain. Recently, there is a shared crisis awareness and strong concern that if this continues, not only the fan base but the entire cultural ecosystem will collapse together. In response, the Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Association, which has been preparing many meaningful plans for KMF in the future, has decided to bravely withdraw everything and close the curtain with a heavy heart. It is sincerely hoped that this will be an opportunity for all stakeholders, including broadcasters and media, to return to the starting line and reflect on the nature of music and K-POP. From the position of having led the Korean Wave and K-POP as a public cultural diplomacy mission for nearly 20 years, as the curtain closes on this history, I would like to make one request to all relevant agencies: when holding many Japan-Korea collaboration events expected next year, I hope there will be at least guidelines. At the very least, I hope they do not forget that the basic spirit of K-POP is based on the beautiful value of 'K-POP For All'. Fans are not fools. In other words, from the standpoint of revitalizing K-POP for fans, I hope that ticket prices will be kept below 15,000 yen, even if they are high. Even if upgrade seats are set, I strongly propose that they do not exceed 20,000 yen, and I sincerely hope that wise judgments will be made by each organizer and relevant agencies for the future value of K-POP. Especially in this economically difficult time, I sincerely hope that they will work on setting gentle ticket prices to exert the warm and good influence of music on young students who love music the most. Finally, as the Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Association celebrates its 20th anniversary, the strongest newcomer festival KMF, which boasts the best tradition in Japan, will close its final curtain at Yokohama Arena on October 6, after continuing for 16 years every autumn since the dawn of K-POP in Japan. I would like to express my deep gratitude to all the major media and relevant parties who have supported us with unwavering love and warm cheers. With such deep gratitude, and as the role of the NPO, this year's KMF has already set a special ticket price of 5,000 yen for students to convey the correct message about K-POP culture. Furthermore, as a response to the deepening wealth gap and social issues that prevent people's attention from reaching children, we want to invite economically disadvantaged young students and young carers to this performance for free through various stakeholders and organizations. We will also strive to provide some sustainable, albeit small, support to some students in the future. We hope that KMF will not just be something that passes by but will deeply root itself as music that continues to be loved widely by this society and its people. We also hope that K-POP will be respected and warm, not just liked, and we will seek a new path for KMF. The Final KMF 2024, to be held on October 6, will be prepared with the utmost effort to remain in the hearts of all fans as a wonderful and emotional performance filled with love and gratitude, sharing joy together as 'K-POP for All'. I sincerely thank everyone who has loved KMF until now.