Korean pop’s KCON moves to Staples Center, adds third day

Los Angeles K-pop fans now have an extra day and a whole new venue for the annual KCON festival.

The concert and fan exhibition focusing on South Korean pop culture announced a move and an expansion for its planned July 31-Aug. 2 installment in L.A., its fourth in Southern California. The concert will move from the L.A. Memorial Sports Arena and surrounding grounds into L.A. Live and Staples Center.

For the two-day 2014 edition, more than 42,000 fans turned out for performances by K-pop staples like Girls Generation, G-Dragon, CN Blue and BTS, along with rising acts like SPICA and Teen Top. This year’s fest will add a third day of events, with a two-day concert set for Aug. 1-2. No music lineup has been announced yet.

Last year Angela Killoren, co-project manager of KCON, told The Times that “A lot of [K-pop] acts have met with the top U.S. booking agents, but they couldn’t afford the cost of giving up tour dates in Asia... Festivals like KCON are a great way for them to meet fans and perform without committing to the infrastructure of a full tour.”

The fest has been such a success in L.A. that it’s setting a precedent in Asia. On Wednesday, the inaugural KCON Japan will hit the Saitama Super Arena with acts like BIGFLO and Block B. With the success of events like KCON and Nickelodeon’s new K-pop show “Make It Pop,” it’s clear that South Korean pop culture has nothing left to prove in America - now it just needs to keep fans’ interest sated.

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