KCON, the Korean pop music and culture convention operated by Korea’s largest media conglomerate CJ ENM, will debut in Germany this September.

Organised by Karsten Jahnke in cooperation with AEG Presents and CJ ENM, the German premiere is slated for 28–29 September at the Messe Frankfurt complex, with artists to be announced.

The last European KCON was held in Paris, France in 2016, and the French edition of CJ ENM’s K-pop music chart show, M COUNTDOWN FRANCE, was held in 2023.

KCON was launched in the US in 2012 and has since been held in Japan, UAE, France, Mexico, Australia, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia.

“KCON Germany 2024 has much more to offer than fans would expect at a premiere”

Over the past 12 years, the brand has drawn around 1.83 million fans worldwide, earning the title of ‘The world’s biggest K-pop fan and artist festival’.

“We are very happy that KCON will be held in Germany for the first time – especially for the K-Pop fans in Europe who have been waiting for this for so long,” says Harry HK Shin, head of music Entertainment at CJ ENM.

“With spectacular stage shows and a diverse program, KCON Germany 2024 has much more to offer than fans would expect at a premiere. We will do our best to create and offer interactive and comprehensive experiences between fans and artists.”

KCON is due to hold five editions this year: Hong Kong and Japan editions have already taken place, a Los Angeles instalment is set for July, and Saudi Arabia is on the cards.

Germany previously hosted Europe’s first K-pop festival, Kpop.Flex festival, which sold more than 70,000 tickets in 84 countries.

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KCON, the Korean pop music and culture convention operated by Korea’s largest media conglomerate CJ ENM, will hold five editions in 2024.

This year, the world’s biggest K-pop festival will visit Hong Kong for the first time, before heading to Japan, the US, Europe and Saudi Arabia.

The Hong Kong edition will be held on 30-31 March at the AsiaWorld Expo, a 10,000-seater venue adjacent to the airport.

KCON will use the arena and conference facilities to create a multi-faceted event that features concerts and a full convention of exhibitor booths covering many aspects of Korean culture.

“Hong Kong ranks 6th in K-pop album sales and is emerging as a key location for K-pop stars to perform”

“Hong Kong ranks 6th in K-pop album sales and is emerging as a key location for K-pop stars to perform. [It is] a central hub for fans to experience KCON from more regions across Asia,” CJ ENM said.

KCON organisers say they plan to expand the scale of the K-pop festival in 2024 by reaching larger venues and building out stronger production.

The festival will take place in Japan on 10-12 May and in Los Angeles between 26–28 July, though locations haven’t been announced. Editions in Saudi Arabia and Europe will take place on unspecified dates in the second half of the year.

KCON began in US in 2012 and has since been held in Japan, United Arab Emirates, France, Mexico, Australia, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. Over 12 years, it has amassed an attendance figure of around 1.65 million in 9 countries.

In 2023, it toured four regions: Thailand (March), Japan (May), Los Angeles (August), and Saudi Arabia (October).

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