KCON will be back this year on Aug. 18 to 20 inside the Los Angeles Convention Center, with an additional third concert night for the city’s iteration.
KCON New York, meanwhile, will take place on June 23 and 24.
The expanding K-pop, K-drama and K-goods convention, which is now in its sixth year, began in Los Angeles before branching out to New York, Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, France and, as of this year, Mexico, according to organizers.
“Our core events in Los Angeles and New York have built the strong foundation for KCON’s rapid global expanding in the past few years,” CJ E&M Music Division President HK Shin said in a statement. “Each successful launch reinforces the idea that Korean pop culture is a worldwide phenomenon of which we are at the forefront.”
The convention has attracted an estimated 350,000 attendees globally since its launch — 10,000 to 40,000 from 2012 to 2014, 75,000 from 2014 to 2015, and finally, 118,000 just last year in the United States.
Seventy-six percent of convention attendees are aged 15 to 24, a reflection of K-pop’s appeal to the younger generation that stumbles upon the craze online and through social media.
Though it began as a K-pop and K-drama convention, however, the event has morphed into a center for all things Korean, from Korean beauty and Korean food to South Korean government-backed efforts to reach a broader audience with its science and technology.
Last year, the convention showcased not only vendors and sponsored booths, but demonstrative experiences, which included virtual reality technology.
KCON has yet to announce this year’s performers.
