KCON JAPAN 2026 Unveils 1st Lineup of Performing Artists
- KCON JAPAN 2026 Set to Take Place from May 8 to 10 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan
- &TEAM, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, CORTIS, INI, JO1 and TWS – Six Diverse K-Pop Acts Will Take KCON JAPAN 2026 Stage
Seoul, South Korea - Jan 22, 2026 - Leading entertainment company CJ ENM has officially announced the first set of performing artists who will take the stage at KCON JAPAN 2026. KCON, the world’s largest K-POP Fan & Artist Festival, will kick off its 2026 season in Japan from May 8 to May 10 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, bringing together K-pop artists and fans for another unforgettable experience.
The first round of confirmed performing acts at KCON JAPAN 2026 is as follows (in alphabetical order): &TEAM, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, CORTIS, INI, JO1, and TWS. The diverse lineup features rising rookie groups and global K-pop stars, showcasing the breadth of today’s K-pop’s landscape. Additional artist lineup announcements will be made in the coming weeks, followed by ticket sales, stage programming and other activities.
KCON JAPAN 2025 wrapped with phenomenal success, surpassing the milestone of 2 million cumulative on-site attendees since its inception. Over three days, KCON JAPAN 2025 drew 110,000 attendees and also expanded its global and digital reach through Mnet Plus, bringing the KCON experience to audiences worldwide.
Building on this momentum, KCON JAPAN 2026 promises to deliver even more immersive and engaging experiences for attendees to enjoy and share. Meanwhile, KCON LA 2026 will be held from August 14 to August 16. Further information will be released at a later date.
Since launching in 2012, KCON has been at the forefront of K-pop’s evolution. KCON is a K-culture festival combining masterfully produced K-pop performances with a convention where attendees can experience every aspect of Korean culture – from music and fashion, to beauty and food.
About CJ ENM
CJ ENM is a leading entertainment company founded in Korea in 1995. Since then, CJ ENM's entertainment division has been continuously shaping the next chapter of K-culture within the global entertainment industry, spanning media content, music, film, and performing arts. CJ ENM has created, produced and distributed globally-acclaimed content, including Oscar-winning film Parasite, Tony Award-winning musicals such as Kinky Boots, hit TV series such as Queen of Tears, globally successful music competition show I Can See Your Voice and more. CJ ENM is further pursuing opportunities to develop talent such as leading K-pop 5th generation boygroup ZEROBASEONE. United under the slogan We live to discover Untold Originals, CJ ENM has three major production and distribution studios: a drama production powerhouse Studio Dragon, U.S.-based studio Fifth Season, and K-OTT content production studio CJ ENM STUDIOS. It also operates Korea’s leading online streaming platform, TVING. CJ ENM also presents KCON, world’s largest K-POP Fan & Artist Festival, and MAMA AWARDS, world's No.1 K-POP Awards, in order to bring K-culture experiences to people all over the world. To learn more about CJ ENM, please visit: http://www.cjenm.com
About KCON
KCON is the world's largest K-POP Fan & Artist Festival celebrating Korean culture and music. Since launching in 2012, it has been leading the expansion of K-culture across the globe and broadened its reach, holding KCON in 14 regions across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America. In recognition of KCON’s cultural, social and economic contributions, the City of Los Angeles officially designated August 1, 2025 as “KCON Day.” KCON has established its footing as a flagship event, providing the largest forum for fans to directly connect with each other, artists and professionals from the Korean entertainment industry.