33 acts and 300 booths kept fans entertained and in jubilant mood.
From May 8 to 10, KCON Japan 2026 toom place at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, which reaffirmed KCON’s position as the world’s largest K-Festival, as it celebrated everything Korean – ranging from music and beauty to food, story, and lifestyle.
Under this year’s theme Walk in Soul City, fans who love Korean culture, KLOVERs (K-Lovers), were invited to explore a vibrant city filled with K-SOUL, where every corner offers new discoveries of K-Lifestyle and the chance to create a personal “soul map.”
Over the three days, a star-studded lineup consisting of 33 acts, spanning from rookies to veteran K-pop artists and acclaimed actors entertained fans at the venue and around the world, who joined via livestreamed on global K-POP content platform Mnet Plus and YouTube.
According to Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM, who is behind the event, the three-day affair drew a total of 120,000 attendees.
“This year KCON’s K stood for Korean in every form – K-POP, K-Beauty, K-Story and beyond,” said Harry H.K. Shin, head of CJ ENM’s Music Entertainment.
“KCON JAPAN 2026 reaffirmed it as a cornerstone of global K-culture and as a platform where fans can experience Korean culture and discover what speaks to them. KCON is committed to providing new global opportunities for artists and supporting Korean business.”
At the festival’s M Countdown stage, it was lit up each night, which was opened by Sung Han Bin of ZEROBASEONE, who is the first-ever KCON Global Ambassador and expanded this year with bigger daily headliner sets.
Highlights included collaboration stages that brought together artists from different groups, plus K-pop cover sets spanning generations — f(x)’s Electric Shock, TWICE’s THIS IS FOR, and WANNA ONE’s Beautiful — alongside KCON signature Dream Stage, where fans get to have a chance to dance together with their favorite artists.
Beyond M Countdown stage, the Showcase on X stage introduced 15 rising artists across diverse genres, while the Dance stage drew strong crowds with point choreography taught directly by the artists, cover dance challenges, and random play dance sessions.
The Artist stage, meanwhile, let fans enjoy dedicated sets from their favorite artists, which expanded to roughly 7,800 seats this year to welcome even more fans.
Also aross all three days, the Festival Grounds came alive with 300 booths offering hands-on activities and immersive experiences.
Additionally, the special K-Collection with KCON Japan 2026 — held in partnership with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, alongside the Large and Small Business, Agriculture and Fisheries Cooperation Foundation — showcased 50 innovative Korean small businesses looking to tap into global markets, up from 40 last year.
OLIVE YOUNG, South Korea’s leading beauty and wellness retailer, made the festival the opening stop of its first-ever OLIVE YOUNG FESTA world tour, with interactive events tied to the OLIVE YOUNG Global App and on-site tips from beauty specialists.
A new K-Story zone spotlighted Korean dramas and films through SCREENX THEATER powered by CJ 4DPLEX’s three-sided panoramic screen technology and K-Cinema Showcase on AI in filmmaking.
In the K-Food zone, the energy of Korea’s nighttime streets and food alleys was recreated, with tasting corners for Korean street foods and K-desserts that have been generating buzz in Japan.
Since its launch in 2012, KCON has pioneered an integrated K-culture convention platform that seamlessly blends K-pop performances with hands-on Korean cultural and lifestyle content.
The festival’s next stop is KCON LA 2026, taking place at Crypto.com Arena and the Los Angeles Convention Center from August 14 to 16.