PROJECT 1004

Tag: from20

  • KCON LA 2026: Exciting Things To Look Forward To, Special Performances, and Artists

    KCON LA 2026: Exciting Things To Look Forward To, Special Performances, and Artists

    KCON is the largest US Korean Convention that is held in Los Angeles every August. Thousands of people travel to LA to attend the event. The event brings some of the most popular and/or up-and-coming K-pop artists together. Fans can attend the convention during the day to check out Korean brands (cosmetics, food, etc.) and get freebies. Or they can also get the chance to attend close up stages to see their favorite artists live, participate in fan meetings, or interact with their favorite artists. In the evening, fans can go to the night concert at the crypto.com arena and watch the concert line up. With KCON LA 2026 quickly approaching, KCON and other organizers are finalizing their events in preparation for the big day and have been making big announcements on their social media. Check out what to expect and look forwards to for KCON LA 2026.

    KCON Special Stages

    KCON recently announced more special stages for this year’s M Countdown stages. The special stages are something that fans have always look forward to when it comes to big events like the end of year shows or KCON.

    The new stages include a special collaboration stage with Park Gun Wook, Kyehoon, and So Jung Hwan. Park Gun Wook became a member of ZEROBASEONE from the popular survival show “Boys Planet“. ZEROBASEONE has been participating in KCON since their debut in 2024. Kyehoon is the oldest member of JYP’s up and coming boyband KickFlip. This will be their first time participating in KCON LA. So Jung Hwan is from Treasure. Treasure debuted in 2020. This will be their second US event. They held their first US tour last year. The collaboration song between the three groups has not been announced yet. Fan are excited about what kind of performance they will give.

    ZEROBASEONE will be performing a special stage of ‘Exotic’ from their new mini album 「𝘼𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙙-」.

    Kim Tae Rae from ZEROBASEONE will be performing a solo cover stage of ‘Love Wins All’ by IU.

    MEOVV will be performing a cover of BLACKPINK’s ‘뛰어(JUMP)’. MEOVV has been dropping hints about this special stage in their fan calls. And fans were excited that hey guessed correctly when the stage was confirmed this week. This will be MEOVV’s second time performing at KCON.

    ALPHA DRIVE ONE (AD1) and Wing will have a collab stage for AD1’s pre-debut song, ‘Formula’. ALPHA DRIVE ONE was formed through “Boys II Planet” (the second season of Boys Planet). Wing is a well-known beatboxer who has produced viral songs like ‘Dopamine’. This will be both of their first time participating in KCON LA.

    KCON also announced that NCT 127 will also have a special stage at M Countdown. They will be performing one of their new songs for the first time at the evening concert. NCT is an evolving group formed by SM Entertainment. This year, many of the member’s contracts have expired/will expire. Members Mark, TEN, and WINWIN have decided not to renew their contracts with SM Entertainment and have chosen to start their own solo journeys. NCT 127 performed at KCON LA last year. They will be performing again this year with the return of members TAEYONG and JAEHYUN from their military service. Taeyong will be dropping a new solo album and NCT 127 will be releasing a new album to celebrate their 10 year anniversary.

    KCON Special Performer + Added Line Ups

    A new announcement is the inclusion of Wanna One as a special performer for the M Countdown Stage on Day 1 of KCON. Wanna One was the first boyband produced by the popular survival program, “Produce 101”. The band debuted in 2017 and had many hit songs like ‘Energetic’ and ‘Boomerang’. Their contract ended in 2018 and they have been pursuing solo careers in music, variety shows, and acting since their group contract ended.

    This year, they recently held a reunion variety show. Members Kang Daniel and Lai Kuan-Lin will not be participating in the special stages and comeback as Daniel is currently serving his mandatory military service and Lai Kuan-Lin is currently focusing on his new career path. Lai Kuan-Lin was able to make a short appearance in their comeback variety show and fans were thankful to see him and get an update on how he has been.

    Outside of the special stages, KCON has also announced that the “X-Stage” will be referred to as the “Toyota Music Den Stage” this year. They added new line ups to the previously announced lineup. The X-Stage was the stage where smaller or up and coming artists could perform. The performances were filmed and later broadcasted on YouTube. The stage is strategically placed in the convention so it could attract passerby and introduce the bands to a larger audience. The new lineup for the stage can be seen above. H//PE Princess, K01KEYZ, cosmosy, MODYSSEY, and NEXZ were added to the lineup.

    Artists will also be participating at the dance stage this year. KCON announced a dance stage sponsored by SANRIO. Artists stopping by this stage include H//PE Princess, Cosmosy, MODYSSEY, and RESCENE.

    KPOP NARA Fan Sign Events

    This year, KPOP NARA has partnered with many K-pop artists to bring a fan sign event to fans visiting LA for KCON LA 2026. The artists they have announced collaborations with include &TEAM, SANTOS BRAVOS, and TAEYONG of NCT.

    The &TEAM fan sign event allows for 50 lucky winners to attend a fan sign with &TEAM and get a ‘We on Fire’ album signed. The event entry runs from June 24th, 2026 – July 7th, 2026. The winners will be contacted and announced on July 20th. The event is expected to take place on August 15th, 2026 in LA. To enter for the &TEAM events, fans must:

    1. Purchase one of &TEAM’s ‘We on Fire’ albums from KPOP NARA. There is a limit of 1 entry per person. The event page can be found here.
    2. Fans must create and upload a public video explaining why they should be chosen for the fan sign and also include the necessary tags: #andTEAM #KPOPNARA #KPOPNARASUMMERFANTASY
    3. Submit the video on the video submission form.

    There is also the possibility that KPOPNARA may invite 50 more participants to be viewers and watch the fan sign event take place.

    The SANTOS BRAVOS fan sign is similar to the &TEAM fan sign. Fifty lucky fans will be able to attend the fan sign and get their album signed. Entries can be submitted from June 24th, 2026 until July 7th, 2026. The luck winners will be announced and contacted on July 20th, 2026. The event will be held in LA on August 12th, 2026. To enter for the SANTOS BRAVOS fan sign, fans must:

    1. Purchase one of SANTOS BRAVOS – Dual deluxe album. There is a limit of 1 entry per person. The event page can be found here.
    2. Fans must create an original drawing and publish it publicly online with the tags: #SANTOSBRAVOS #KPOPNARA #KPOPNARASUMMERFANTASY
    3. Submit the drawing using the drawing submission form.

    The TAEYONG fan sign event is scheduled to take place in LA on August 16th, 2026. Different from the &TEAM and SANTOS BRAVOS entry, it allows for multiple entries and has different ways for fans to participate. It is a raffle system. The event runs from July 1st, 2026 until July 14th, 2026. Winners will be announced on July 23rd, 2026. To enter fans can:

    1. Purchase a TAEYONG – The 1st Album ‘WYLD’ OR participate in the “Free Entry” option. For the Free Entry option, fans MUST purchase the album on-site upon arriving for the fan sign OR bring their own copy of the exact album. More information can be found here.
    2. Fill out the required entry form for the entry type you are making.

    KEYVITUP 1st FANNECT in LA

    Arise recently also announced that they will be holding a fan connect for new rookie boyband KEYVITUP. KEYVITUP is a 5-member boyband under iNKODE — the company created by famous TVXQ member Kim Jae Joong. They recently debuted this year and has already made waves with their stable live vocals. They recently participated at KCON Japan. The fan connect will take place at The Eastwood Mainstage at Eastwood Performing Arts Center on Thursday, the day before KCON begins.

    Are you excited for KCON? Every year, KCON changes a little bit. This year, it seems like it will be bigger than ever. With reunions of Wanna One, the first performance for many artists like &TEAM and TREASURE, and the big fan events taking place in the same weekend.

    Check out the full line up below.

  • KCON Drops 2026 KCON LA Line Up

    KCON Drops 2026 KCON LA Line Up

    KCON recently announced their KCON LA 2026 lineup and fans were not disappointed. Many K-pop fans announced their excitement at this year’s line up. KCON is a yearly 3-day event in LA where some of the biggest K-pop artists come to the US to perform. In the day time, KCON hosts a convention that gives fans an opportunity to interact with K-pop idols, discover Korean brands, and see their favorite artists perform. In the evening, the fans can attend a popular K-pop music broadcast called M Countdown.

    For this year’s line up, fans can see many returning artists (ex. TXT, NCT 127, izna, ALLDAY PROJECT, JO1, MEOVV, from20 & HELLO GLOOM, and P1HARMONY) and some new artists (ex. &TEAM, So!YoON, ONE PACT, KEYVITUP, RESCENE, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, and KickFlip). &TEAM has performed at KCON Japan before but this will be their first time performing at KCON LA. It will also mark their first official performance in the US. Usually more artists are announced as the date draws closer. So, if you are disappointed because your favorite artist has not been announced, don’t give up! There may still be a chance that they may attend KCON LA.

    The official schedule has yet to be released. Usually, this is released a week or two before the convention begins. However, KCON did announce their first round of artists which stages they will be performing at.

    This year, it looks like KCON has three stages. The three stages are the X Stage, Artist Stage, and M Countdown. Last year they had the Busking Stage outdoors. They have not announced the stage so their may be a possibility that there is no Busking Stage this year.

    The X Stage is a stage in the convention where newer artists can perform. This stage is meant to give exposure to newer or up-and-coming K-pop bands. Strategically placed in the heart of the convention where attendees are walking around and waiting in line at the booths at the convention, this stage allows fans to find and see new artists. The artists rotate to and from this stage.

    The Artist Stage is usually for artists from bigger companies. This stage is more like a festival stage where artists perform the entire day in ~45 minute sets. With upgraded tickets, convention attendees can go to the front stage access area. With GA, convention attendees can watch the stages from behind the premium ticket holder’s location. Artists like &TEAM, YEONJUN, P1HARMONY, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, ILLIT, izna, etc. will be performing here.

    And lastly, the M Countdown Stage is held at the Crypto.com Arena (right next to the LA Convention Center). It is the celebration that ends the day. Fans can watch their favorite artists perform live on a big stage. There are various types of seats available for all fans to watch and enjoy the performances. From standing pit to sitting sections, fans from all ages can watch and enjoy the performances of their favorite artists.

    Which artist are you excited to see at KCON LA 2026 this year?

  • WAY BETTER Announces North American Dates and Cities for their “Global Warming” Tour

    WAY BETTER Announces North American Dates and Cities for their “Global Warming” Tour

    ANKR Entertainment, WAY BETTER, and Red Crown recently announced the upcoming cities and dates for the North American tour “Global Warming“. The tour will feature artists from20, HELLO GLOOM, and KANG YUCHAN from WAY BETTER. WAY BETTER is an all-male music label that was created by artists from20 and HELLO GLOOM. They both originally debuted as K-pop idols from the bands BIGSTAR and IMFACT. After they left their previous company, they started the label WAY BETTER. Since starting their own label, they have released many catchy songs like “MAMACITA”, “Blue”, “Chemical”, and “WEOL”. They have been working hard on creating their own music and producing other artists. Many fans are thankful to WAY BETTER as they have been signing other Kpop idols like KANG YUCHAN from A.C.E and LIM SEJUN from VICTON.

    Outside from their promotions in Korea, WAY BETTER came to the US last year for KCON LA 2025. KANG YUCHAN and LIM SEJUN was scheduled to attend and perform. But, due to health-related reasons, KANG YUCHAN and LIM SEJUN had to pull out of the festival. Even though WAY BETTER lost half of their performers, the audience could still feel and see how much talent and fun the artists were having. By the end of the festival, the WAY BETTER artists had large crowds following them from the X Stage to the Busking Stage. Fans can be seen dancing and singing along to their songs throughout their performances. from20 and HELLO GLOOM also performed at the M Countdown Pre-Show Stage on Day 2 of KCON LA 2025.

    Since their KCON performance, from20 has released the song “Social”. This features a more sexy and mature feel. KANG YUCHAN has released his first EP ‘REBEL’ featuring his title track, “Close to You”. And LIM SEJUN just released his digital single, “Pray For God” this week.

    We are excited to be seeing WAY BETTER performing in the US again. The “Global Warming” tour will will begin in Houston, Texas and end in Los Angeles, California. There will be 12 stops to the tour and it will run from April 27th until May 15th.

  • KCON LA 2025 Recap: A Celebration of K-Culture in the Heart of LA

    KCON LA 2025 Recap: A Celebration of K-Culture in the Heart of LA

    Hundreds of fans lined up early Friday morning outside the LA Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, eagerly waiting for wristbands to access GA or to enter the convention for Day 1 of KCON LA. Held every year in early August, KCON is the largest Korean convention in the U.S. Starting as a small 1 day event, KCON has grown to become a three day convention that brings thousands of fans to downtown LA. This year, the city of LA even officially declared August 1st as KCON Day.

    From morning until evening, fans immerse themselves in Korean culture. In the day time, fans can attend panels, visit booths, attend fan meetings, or watch performances at the LA Convention Center. In the evening, fans head over to the Crypto.com Arena to see the M Countdown concert.

    Way Better artists from20 and HELLO GLOOM performing at X Stage.
    NEWBEAT holding a fan event on the Busking Stage.

    This year, KCON LA featured three stages for fans to enjoy throughout the convention: the X Stage, Busking Stage, and Artist Stage. The X Stage and Busking Stage showcased smaller, up-and-coming artists, giving them a platform to connect with new audiences. Strategically located in the main hall and by the food trucks, these stages were designed to maximize exposure and draw in crowds, helping rising artists gain the attention of passing by fans.

    The Artist stage was placed in a different hall. Bigger or more senior artists like Hwasa, Zerobaseone (Zb1), IZNA, and Lee Young Ji performed at this stage. The Artist stage was like a short concert. Fans could watch their favorite artists perform their biggest hits in 45 minute sets. Fans can purchase different tiered tickets to get better views. Those with 1Day Plus tickets were allowed to go to the front area to see the artists perform up close.

    One of the panels this year featured renowned dancers Brian Puspos, Keone Madrid, and Aaliyah Flournoy. Brian is a famous choreographer and dancer who has choreographed dances for BTS, Justin Bieber, and Chris Brown. Keone Madrid has choreographed for Jungkook, Justin Bieber, BTS, NCT, SHINee, Enhypen, etc. Aaliyah has danced and performed with Jennie, TXT, Stray Kids, and Jungkook. They talked about choreographing for K-pop artists, fun stories with K-Pop idols, and their dance journey. After their performances finished, Keone introduced Full Circle Boys and they performed on stage. After their performance, Full Circle Boys spent time with fans by taking photos with them.

    Aespa performs on the M Countdown Stage for KCON LA 2025 – Day 2.

    After the convention completed, fans walked to the building next door to watch the M Countdown stage. This year, Crypto.com Arena had a strict bag policy. Any bags bigger than 5″ x 9″ x 1″ was not allowed in the arena. Fans must pay to store their bags outside or go back to their hotel/car to store their items.

    KCON LA opened up M Countdown this year with a special guest appearance from popular actor Lee Byung-hun. Lee Byung-hun was recently in popular Netflix series, “Squid Game”. He also played the voice of Gwi-Ma (the demon king) in “KPop Demon Hunters”. Fans screamed in excitement from his surprise appearance.

    Ricky and Hanbin from Zerobaseone (ZB1) emceeing for the night.

    Hanbin from Zerobaseone continued as the main emcee for M Countdown. M Countdown is a music program in South Korea. It allows the top popular artists in Korea to perform their songs live on stage and broadcast throughout the nation. Hanbin has been the emcee for the show since 2023.

    Each night, M Countdown ended with a special stage. This special stage allowed fans to dance on stage with the headliner of the day. The headliners for each night differ each night. This year NCT 127 headlined Day 1, Monsta X headlined Day 2, and Hoshi and Woozi (HxW) of Seventeen headlined Day 3.

    Other artists that performed at M Countdown include JO1, NEWBEAT, 82 Major, Way Better artists from20 and HELLO GLOOM, IVE, Aespa, IZNA, NMIXX, Baby DONT Cry, MEOVV, Jackson Wang, KEY, Roy Kim, Zerobaseone, Hwasa, and Lee Youngji. A full list of artists who attended and performed at KCON LA can be found on the official KCON site.