KCON returns to Los Angeles with expanded festival experience

An initial lineup of 11 artists to perform at CJ ENM's "KCON LA 2025" festival (CJ ENM)

CJ ENM announced Monday that the world’s largest K-pop fan and artist festival, KCON, will be back in Los Angeles this summer with an upgraded experience.

"KCON LA 2025" will take place at Crypto.com Arena and the LA Convention Center from August 1 to 3, combining large-scale concerts with convention programs celebrating K-pop culture and entertainment.

This year’s festival will feature performances by 11 artists in its initial lineup, including HxW (Seventeen’s Hoshi and Woozi), Ive, Izna, Lee Young-ji, Nmixx, P1Harmony and Zerobaseone.

This year’s KCON promises a reimagined festival atmosphere with several new attractions. Highlights include the Festival Grounds, designed to feel like a lively club fair rather than traditional exhibition booths; the X Stage, a newly introduced performance space; and the Artist Stage, offering solo performances throughout the day.

First launched in 2012 in Irvine, California, KCON has played a pioneering role in spreading Korean culture worldwide through its unique festival model, centering on music while embracing TV dramas, films and more. The event has since been held in 14 regions across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America.

Meanwhile, CJ ENM is also preparing for "KCON Japan 2025" scheduled for May 9-11 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture.