XMF 2026 launched in Incheon with 24 acts, drawing about 40,000 fans over two days and showcasing Japan-Korea music exchange.

The Japan-Korea music festival “XMF 2026 (Xnterstellar Music Festival 2026),” co-hosted by the XMF Executive Committee and the NPO Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Association, was held for two days on Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4 at Paradise City in Incheon, South Korea. “XMF” is an international exchange event officially supported by the Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), the Federation of Music Producers Japan (FMPJ), and Incheon Metropolitan City. For this first edition, a total of 24 acts appeared, including 22 artists representing Japan and Korea, plus 2 opening DJs. A diverse lineup crossing generations, genres, and national borders was realized. About 40,000 people attended over the two days, and fans who love music gathered at the venue beyond borders and language. Amid Japanese and Korean being spoken everywhere, scenes were seen throughout the venue in which fans from both countries cheered for the same music and went wild at the same moments. In addition, a wide variety of artists spanning genres and generations gathered in one place, making it a venue where people could simultaneously enjoy the Japanese and Korean music scenes, which they do not usually have the opportunity to experience in the same venue. In recent years, interest in J-POP and Japanese band music has been rising in Korea, and in Japan attention has also been spreading to Korean bands and live artists. Against this backdrop, “XMF” was born as a new music festival aiming to become a place of exchange where artists, audiences, and people involved in the music industry can continue to connect. Going forward, it is planned to develop not into a one-off event, but into a platform that continuously creates Japan-Korea music exchange. It has already been decided that it will be held in Japan in 2027, and in the future it will create a continuous place for exchange through music as a circular festival held alternately in Japan and Korea. ◆ October 3 (Sat.) Live Report On the first day of “XMF 2026,” the one who opened the festival was the new band hrtz.wav, which debuted this year. Starting the stage with “Dream,” they performed bright and refreshing songs such as “NINETEEN” and “ALIVE” that matched the clear sky, instantly lifting the atmosphere of the venue. The Japanese loud rock band coldrain fully demonstrated the true appeal of a festival. As they relentlessly delivered powerful sound from the latest song “EX-HUMANITY” to their signature song “BLOODY POWER FAME,” the audience responded with ecstatic excitement, jumping in time with the music. ONEWE announced their 3rd full album “Face: Unknown Atlas,” which contains 17 songs, and moved away from their previous signature concept of “space” to transform into a new worldview of “fairy tales.” On this day’s stage, they passionately sang new album tracks such as “STAND UP,” “Laputa,” “피투성이 피노키오 (Pinocchio),” and “Scenario,” drawing loud cheers from the audience. The band PEOPLE 1, which has gained support from younger generations in Japan, performed “Flopnik,” the song that helped make their name widely known, the ending theme “DOGLAND” from the anime Chainsaw Man, and their latest song “Kintou” released this May, leaving a strong first impression on Korean fans. Novelbright opened their stage with the powerful rock number “Kaikaku Sengen,” which contains the band’s own story. They then performed bright and warm love songs such as “Ai toka Koi toka,” shaking the venue with explosive band sound, and then suddenly captivated the audience with a breathtakingly lyrical stage that moved their emotions at will. My Hair is Bad delivered a set list that let the band’s evolution be felt directly, from their early rough and straightforward love songs such as “Makka” and “Kokuhaku,” to “Kansei o Sagashite,” which expresses their feelings as a live band, and the warm, approachable song “Omoide o Kakenukete,” delivering both empathy and catharsis at once. When FTISLAND appeared with a stage centered on songs they released while active in Japan, the audience was once again filled with excitement. Lee Hong-gi said, “I want to show how cool Korean bands are,” and performed “tornado,” “primavera,” and “Stay what you are” one after another. They closed the stage with “THUNDERSTORM,” released last year. Japan’s songstress Mika Nakashima performed emotional hit songs such as “I Thought I Wanted to Die” and “Yuki no Hana” with her full-throated voice, further enhancing the mood of the deepening autumn night. The audience listened quietly to her singing, which carefully conveyed the world of each song, and the venue was wrapped in a calm, gentle atmosphere. YOUNHA presented a special stage that could only be seen at “XMF.” She sang the first verse of her signature song “Comet” in Korean and the second verse in Japanese, earning loud applause, and also energized the audience with Japanese songs “Touch” and “Hakanaku Tsuyoku.” She further said with humor, “If there were a Japan-Korea match in music too, that would be XMF,” drawing a big reaction from the audience. LUCY, whose refreshing band sound is characterized by violin melodies, performed their debut song “Gaehwa (Flowering),” as well as up-tempo songs such as “Dokkaebi Dance” and “Hot!,” and songs that prompted the audience to sing along in chorus, such as “You are right” and “Some Day in the 21st Century,” further accelerating the festival’s excitement. The headliner for the first day was Ado. Her powerful performance, combining overwhelming vocal ability with grand staging, brought the venue’s excitement to its peak. The audience responded with thunderous cheers and applause that filled the venue. In particular, the surprise stage prepared for Korean fans and for “XMF,” where she sang LE SSERAFIM’s “Blue Flame” and Heize’s “And July” in Korean, plunged the venue into a frenzy. ◆ October 4 (Sun.) Live Report The excitement continued on the second day as well. Splayit, who stood on a festival stage for the first time since their debut, chose “Celebration” because they wanted to enjoy the event together with the audience, whom they called “festival seniors.” They then showed a new charm by arranging Christopher’s “Bad” in Splayit’s own rock style. Splayit said with a hopeful voice, “It feels like a dream. I was very nervous at my first festival, but thanks to everyone listening warmly, my nerves eased.” The female band THE FIX, formed in 2021 through JTBC’s Superband 2, appeared carrying flags and instantly raised the heat of the stage. They captivated the audience with a variety of performances, including “Don’t Look Back,” the song that marked the band’s starting point, “RUSH,” with its heavy metal sound, and “Oddventure,” which stood out for its punk atmosphere. Hi-Fi Un!corn, composed of Korean and Japanese members, said with emotion, “We are honored and happy to be able to stand on the stage of a Japan-Korea music festival.” They created a stage in which they became one with the audience through pleasantly exciting songs such as the medium-tempo “Stay With You” and “Left or Right,” where YUTO’s saxophone performance stood out. Marcy, who visited Korea for the first time through XMF, greeted the audience in Korean, saying, “I’m glad we could come to Korea. We will do our best to leave a lasting impression on your hearts,” and received loud applause. Following “Present” and “Love Song,” which are marked by emotional melodies, they also performed “Pierrot,” which united the audience in the slam zone, and successfully concluded their first performance in Korea. Aぇ! group opened their stage with “Aぇ You Ready?” In particular, the harmonica performance shown in the middle of the song drew the audience’s attention. After continuing with band-style performances in “Break Through” and “Seishun Sanka,” they successively presented live dance performances starting with “《A》BEGINNING.” With a stage that freely crossed the boundary between band and idol, they left a strong impression on Korean fans. The Japanese three-piece mixed-gender band Saucy Dog opened their stage with the love song “Yui.” They captivated the venue with their overwhelming singing ability as they performed “Cinderella Boy” and “Itsuka.” Furthermore, they drew the audience’s attention by expressing their gratitude in Korean, saying, “I am truly happy to meet you all today. I am sincerely grateful. I will never forget today for the rest of my life.” Xdinary Heroes opened their stage with “Strawberry Cake” and unleashed the rough energy unique to hard rock with songs such as “ICU” and the alternative metal track “iNSTEAD!” They resonated with a powerful rock sound that freely moved between punk, hard rock, and alternative metal. Expressing thanks by saying, “Thank you for inviting us to such a wonderful festival,” and calling out, “We will work two or three times harder than you, so please jump and enjoy yourselves to the fullest,” they turned the outdoor venue into a time to enjoy together with the audience. UVERworld drew cheers from fans with a set list that covered the band’s history, from songs from their early days to the latest tracks “NO MAP” and “PHOENIX AX.” In addition to saxophone and harmonica performances, their powerful guitar sound and soaring high notes further heightened the festival’s excitement. In particular, they showed careful consideration so that Korean fans could fully enjoy the stage by displaying Japanese lyrics translated into Korean on the screen and even preparing video narration in Korean, delivering deep emotion. YB, a symbol of Korean rock, passionately sang a series of signature songs such as “Cigarette Girl” and “I Am a Butterfly,” greatly exciting the audience. On this day in particular, they premiered the unreleased song “Buoyancy” for the XMF audience. Even though it was a new song they were hearing for the first time, the audience listened intently in silence before sending loud cheers. During the stage of “Blue Whale” that followed, many audience members simultaneously turned on their smartphone lights and sang along, coloring the venue like the Milky Way. YB’s stage, loved across generations, made the XMF night shine even more brightly. ONE OK ROCK, appearing as a double headliner, captivated the venue with a performance worthy of their name. When “Wherever You Are” rang out, a huge chorus arose from all over the venue, creating a spectacular scene in which the entire venue became one. Then, an even more special moment arrived. The project group “YAO,” formed by ONE OK ROCK together with Awich, CHICO CARLITO, and Paledusk, made a surprise appearance. This was YAO’s first overseas performance, and on a stage prepared only for XMF, they successively performed “777,” “C.U.R.I.O.S.I.T.Y.,” and “At the End of an Ordinary World.” Even in the pouring rain, they brought the venue’s excitement to its peak. The finale was delivered by the other headliner, DAY6. Opening with “Welcome to the Show,” they instantly filled the venue with festival excitement. As hit songs such as “Time of Our Life” and “You Were Beautiful” followed, the audience sang along all at once, creating a huge chorus. DAY6’s warm sound gently embraced the hearts of the audience, who had thoroughly enjoyed the two-day festival. The members alternated between Korean and Japanese as they expressed their thanks, engaging in heartfelt exchange with audiences from both countries. Even after DAY6 left the stage, the audience remained for a while and continued applauding. In this way, “XMF 2026” came to a close, leaving a long afterglow. An XMF representative commented, “Despite this being the festival’s first edition, we are sincerely grateful that so many people came and gave us such generous support.” They continued, “It was a very meaningful time because we were able to confirm together with the audience the value of XMF, which unites people through music across borders, genres, and generations. Next year, we would like to respond with even more fulfilling stages.” Riding on this excitement, XMF plans to meet audiences in Tokyo next July and again in Incheon in October next year.