K-pop’s aggressive expansion into the Western mainstream is set to hit a new milestone this summer with a historic broadcast deal in the United States. The CW Network has announced it will air the KCON LA 2024 music festival live on Sunday, July 28, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This marks a significant moment for the genre, bringing the electrifying atmosphere of the world’s largest K-pop fan festival directly to national primetime television.
Harry H.K. Shin, Head of Music Entertainment at CJ ENM, described the partnership as a “testament to the incredible community of K-pop fans who have made these groups global sensations,” expressing excitement about bringing the “M Countdown” concert stage to a wider American audience.
A Weekend of Festivities
KCON, which began as a single-day event in Irvine, California, in 2012, has evolved into a massive global platform celebrating Korean culture. The 2024 Los Angeles edition runs from July 26 to 28, sprawling across the LA Convention Center, Gilbert Lindsay Plaza, and the Crypto.com Arena. While the broadcast focuses on the Sunday finale, the festival spans three days of fan activities and nightly concerts produced by CJ ENM.
The broadcast will feature a star-studded lineup including NCT 127, Zico, Zerobaseone, Stayc, Jeon Somi, and the debut group from I-LAND 2. Hosting duties for the weekend are split among high-profile stars: Rowoon takes the stage Friday, followed by Jeon Somi on Saturday, with Kim Soo-hyun closing out the event on Sunday. Beyond the televised Sunday lineup, the festival weekend will see performances from a deep roster of artists including Taemin, P1Harmony, Bibi, Boynextdoor, Kep1er, and NMIXX.
This US broadcast is just one leg of the festival’s ongoing tour; having already visited Hong Kong and Japan, the event series is scheduled to make its debut in Germany later this year on September 28 and 29.
Breaking Barriers in Brazil
While KCON solidifies the genre’s hold on US television, girl group NMIXX is making history in South America. The group is set to become the first K-pop act to participate in Brazil’s legendary Carnival. NMIXX will appear as special guests at a “Block Party”—a traditional street festival—hosted by Brazilian pop superstar Pabllo Vittar in São Paulo on February 16.
The performance represents a symbolic fusion of K-pop and Brazilian pop culture. The collaboration traces back to last August when the two acts released the joint track “MEXE.” The song, which blends NMIXX’s signature “MIXX POP” style with Vittar’s energetic Brazilian sound, features lyrics in both Korean and Portuguese alongside Latin-inspired choreography. After six months, the artists will reunite to perform for local fans, adding a distinct Korean flair to one of the world’s largest cultural celebrations, which runs from February 14 through 18.
Boosting Tourism at Home
Back in South Korea, the government is leveraging this surging global interest to drive local tourism. The Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF) has secured 200 million won in state funding after being selected for the Korea Tourism Organization’s “2026 K-Pop Concert Support Business.” This project aims to attract global Hallyu fans and extend their stay in the region through experience-based content.
The competition was stiff, with 14 local governments vying for the grant. JIMFF, having narrowly missed the cut last year, retooled its strategy to analyze previous outcomes and better align with global tourism demands. Their winning proposal, “JIMFF One Summer Night with K-Pop Season 2,” intends to combine the identity of a music film festival with the drawing power of a K-pop concert.
Jang Hang-jun, chairman of the festival’s executive committee, emphasized the potential of this convergence. “We will combine the solid music content planning capabilities of the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival with the global competitiveness of K-pop to provide unforgettable experiences for tourists,” Jang said. The initiative plans to use popup exhibitions and complex cultural experiences to cement Jecheon’s reputation as a “Music Film City” and a key hub for Hallyu tourism in the central region.