The celebrated World’s Largest K-POP Fan & Artist Festival went beyond music to give fans an immersive experience in K-beauty, K-food and K-culture
KCON, the world’s largest K-POP Fan & Artist Festival, brought its signature energy to Chiba, Japan from May 9 to 11, wrapping up a thrilling run of KCON JAPAN 2025. This year was an especially significant concert in the festival’s history as it celebrated the 30th anniversary of CJ ENM’s music business, a milestone underscoring three decades of musical innovation, global fandom and cultural influence in the entertainment industry.
As the curtain closed on yet another record-setting KCON JAPAN 2025, the event’s importance came into sharper focus — not merely as a dazzling musical showcase but also as a multifaceted celebration of all things K-culture. Since the festival’s debut in the U.S. 13 years ago, KCON has evolved into a dynamic ecosystem that fosters cultural exchange, promotes global partnerships and highlights both artists and labels.
A Decade of KCON: From California to the World
Initially launched in 2012 in Irvine, California, KCON has since come into full bloom, with more concerts held in Los Angeles, New York, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and more to come. KCON began with a simple yet ambitious goal: to connect adoring K-pop fans around the world with their favorite idols while introducing the rich cornucopia of Korean culture. The name encapsulates the festival’s triple focus — CONcerts, CONventions, and CONtent — and has since become synonymous with the worldwide spread of K-pop.
Today, KCON holds a reputation for launching talented artists into stardom, showcasing high-energy live performances and serving as a full-scale platform that bridges fans, creators and businesses. The success isn’t too surprising considering the festival’s exclusive collaborations and lineups have included superstar acts like ATEEZ, BTS, G-DRAGON, Girls’ Generation, ITZY, Missy Elliott, SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, TWICE, and so much more. With last year’s events being held in Los Angeles, Japan, Hong Kong and Germany, the offerings have grown each year, continuing to pioneer developments in the business. KCON LA 2024, for instance, broke new ground by becoming the first K-pop festival to be broadcast live nationwide in the U.S. during prime time through the CW Network.
The festival’s history in Japan began in Saitama in 2015, where over 15,000 fans gathered to watch performances by B1A4, Block B, GOT7, Kangnam, SISTAR, SUPER JUNIOR and other hit artists. KCON has since become a music staple in Japan, returning in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2025, highlighting Korea’s global cultural influence.
KCON has transformed from a simple K-pop concert into a global cultural phenomenon, spotlighting the full spectrum of Korean culture for audiences around the world. Beyond music and dance, attendees can experience an exciting wealth of K-food, K-beauty, K-fashion and the Korean language. The festival was even featured in a Harvard Business School publication as a case study that examined the successful international exporting of Korean culture to the West.
KCON JAPAN 2025: A Celebration of Culture and Collaboration
With headliners like ZEROBASEONE, BOYNEXTDOOR, DAESUNG of BIGBANG, HIGHLIGHT, Kep1er, TAEMIN of SHINee and more, the 2025 edition of KCON JAPAN fully embraced its role as a one-stop global hub for K-culture with the theme “KLOVER’S CLUB FAIR” — a nod to the flourishing synergy between K-culture lovers and creators. With 33 teams of artists and 74 performances and programs, this year’s event reaffirmed two of KCON’s cornerstone values: offering fan-first experiences and creating opportunities for emerging idols.
Coming back this year was the festival’s signature DREAM STAGE, where select lucky fans were able to train and perform live alongside their favorite artists to make truly unforgettable memories. And as a new installment this year, the X STAGE introduced rising acts across genres, giving newer artists their own time to shine as well as allowing fans to enjoy intimate interactions with their favorite artists, aside from various signature content including ARTIST STAGE and MEET & GREET.
Fans who couldn’t attend in person this year had an exciting alternative: watching the concerts in stunning high definition at SCREENX theaters across multiple countries. KCON JAPAN 2025 was the first K-pop festival to be broadcast live through the immersive experience of SCREENX, a multi-projection system that expands the screen to include the left and right walls of the theater, creating a 270-degree panoramic view. KCON JAPAN 2025 also expanded its global and digital reach through Mnet Plus. If you can’t be at the concert, then at least you can feel like it!
Altogether, this year’s event drew 110,000 on-site attendees over the weekend, contributing to a cumulative total of more than two million fans to date, breaking records and showing off KCON’s ability to merge digital and physical experiences seamlessly. Furthermore, sponsor participation increased from last year, reaching a total of 13, demonstrating KCON’s solid positioning as a prominent global platform gaining widespread attention.
This year’s KCON JAPAN also turned an eye toward revitalizing the K-culture ecosystem through collaborative and inclusive business models with 270 booths covering K-pop, food, lifestyle and beauty. At the lively “FESTIVAL GROUNDS,” attendees could break away to explore dozens of merchandising and interactive booths, offering a hands-on experience for fans and business opportunities for creators. One such booth, “K-Super Rookie with Young,” showcased up-and-coming K-beauty brands handpicked by Olive Young, highlighting the company’s commitment to discovering and nurturing brands to boost them into the global market. CJ Foods’ bibigo, on the other hand, targeted Japan’s Gen Z with its “bibigo School” booth, offering K-food tastings from a food truck-style setup alongside interactive events like TikTok and Instagram challenges. Furthermore, CJ ONSTYLE also drew huge crowds with its own booth.
The overwhelming size and success of the festival led to coverage by local media outlets, such as NHK’s popular music program Venue101, which aired a special segment on KCON JAPAN 2025. And of course, countless celebrities and influencers had their say too, creating content on their own channels across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, generating millions of impressions and amplifying KCON’s reach.
More Than Just a Music Festival
The wild success of KCON JAPAN 2025 reaffirms that KCON is no longer simply a music festival; it’s a global K-culture brand and economic catalyst that bridges communities and continents, staying true to its vision of building a strong cultural ecosystem powered by collaboration, innovation and fandom.
As CJ ENM marks 30 years in the music business, the company remains committed to leading the field and sharing the beauty of K-culture with the world. KCON’s phenomenal growth each year stands as a testament to CJ’s pioneering spirit and transformative influence in the entertainment industry.
