ATEEZ, TWS: KCON Hong Kong 2024 unveils first star-studded lineup
What's the story
KCON, the renowned festival celebrating all things K-pop and K-culture, is set to debut a new edition in Hong Kong.
Scheduled to take place at AsiaWorld-Expo on March 30 and 31, Hong Kong will mark the first leg of its expansive journey this year.
Anticipation soared on Wednesday as the star-studded lineup for Hong Kong was unveiled, featuring sensational boybands like ATEEZ and TWS.
Context
Why does this story matter?
KCON organizers plan to make the festival bigger and better in 2024 by securing larger venues and enhancing production quality.
Over its 12-year history, KCON has reportedly attracted around 1.65M attendees across nine countries, including the US, Japan, UAE, France, Mexico, Australia, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia.
In 2023, the festival toured four regions: Thailand in March, Japan in May, Los Angeles in August, and Saudi Arabia in October.
Highlights
Full list: VIVIZ, ZEROBASEONE, and more to perform
ATEEZ and TWS aside, the lineup for Hong Kong includes performances by HIGHLIGHT, ZEROBASEONE, and Japanese group JO1.
Joining them on stage will be the girl group VIVIZ and soloist Choi Yena.
Expect more artists and performance details to be announced soon.
Following the Hong Kong event, KCON is set to continue its tour with stops in Japan in May and Los Angeles in July, with additional events planned for Europe and Saudi Arabia later in the year.
Twitter Post
Take a look at the announcement post here
[#KCONHONGKONG2024]
— KCON OFFICIAL (@KCON_official) February 7, 2024
📢 KCON 2024 HONG KONG ARTIST 1st LINEUP 💖
The 1st LINEUP for KCON is finally out!
Please look forward to the fantastic experience in HONG KONG! 🎉
🔔 Detailed performance dates for the artists will be announced soon.
第一輪陣容終於揭曉了！… pic.twitter.com/9pCc23wD6F
Details
Why KCON picked Hong Kong as its host city?
CJ ENM reports that Hong Kong ranks sixth in K-pop album sales and is becoming a key location for K-pop stars to perform.
The Hong Kong edition will be held at the 10,000-capacity AsiaWorld-Expo, which has previously hosted the MAMA Awards from 2013 to 2018.
Joon-beom Sim, head of CJ ENM, said KCON aims to "promote K-culture and K-lifestyle while providing a platform for global K-pop fans to unite and interact."
Establishment
History: When was KCON first established?
Lauded as the epitome of "all things Hallyu," KCON stands out as a premier Korean pop culture convention and music festival, reigning as one of the world's largest K-pop gatherings.
This global phenomenon unfolds annually at various locations worldwide.
The first KCON in 2012 was a single-day extravaganza held in Irvine, California.
The event attracted over 10,000 fervent fans, featured 55 guests, and showcased six artists participating in 25 outdoor programs.