From Rain's 'GANG' to Cortis Singalongs... A Cross-Generational K-pop Festival Overcomes Protests Outside the Tent

HYBE's '2026 WeverseCon Festival'

Global fans gather at Olympic Park on June 6-7

27th Anniversary Tribute Stage for Rain

30 acts including TWS and LE SSERAFIM heat up the festival

About 34,000 people join on-site and online

Cortis is performing on July 7 at the '2026 Weverse Con Festival' held at the KSPO Dome in Olympic Park, Seoul. Photo by HYBE

The past and present of Korean popular music met in the heart of Seoul. The music festival '2026 WeverseCon Festival' hosted by HYBE was held on June 6 and 7 at the KSPO Dome and 88 Lawn Field in Seoul Olympic Park, Songpa-gu.

This year marked the fourth edition of the event, with a total of 30 acts taking the stage, ranging from Rain (Jung Jihoon), who debuted 27 years ago, to the currently trending group Cortis. The festival, themed 'NEWTOPIA'—meaning a paradise within the city—has established itself as an independent popular music festival that bridges generations and genres.

The indoor concert, 'WeverseCon,' focused on artists' songs and performances. The boy group P1Harmony opened the KSPO Dome stage on the 7th with songs like 'L.O.Y.L.' and 'Work.' The audience erupted in cheers when Cortis, known as the 'Young Creator Crew,' appeared.

Cortis delivered a free-spirited performance, singing 'TNT,' 'ACAI,' 'YoungCreatorCrew,' and 'FaSHioN' in succession. When their chart-topping hit 'REDRED' began playing, the crowd sang along loudly to the chorus. Geonho said, "It was my first time on the WeverseCon Festival stage, so I was really looking forward to it," adding, "I'm happy to have received such a great response."

TWS performed 'I'll Be All Your Possibilities' and 'Today We Meet Again.' LE SSERAFIM energized the crowd with performances of 'CRAZY,' 'Smart,' and 'Perfect Night.' Other artists including &TEAM, Kim Jaejoong, and Highlight also took the stage and greeted the audience.

The highlight was the 'Tribute Stage,' which honors artists who have left a mark on the history of Korean popular music. Since 2021, WeverseCon has annually featured tribute performances for symbolic artists such as the late Shin Hae-chul, Seo Taiji, Uhm Junghwa, Park Jinyoung, and BoA. This year's featured artist was Rain, who became the first K-pop solo artist to embark on a world tour in more than 12 countries, laying the foundation for global success. Rain, who first gained recognition in 1998 as a member of the group 'Fanclub,' made his solo debut in 2002 with 'Bad Guy' and is now a 27-year veteran artist.

Rain is performing on the tribute stage at the '2026 Weverse Con Festival' held on the 7th at KSPO Dome in Olympic Park, Seoul. Provided by HYBE

Before the main stage, junior artists performed covers of their senior's hit songs. The group aoen and &TEAM sang Rain's 'Let's Change Me' and 'Love Song,' respectively. Soobin of Tomorrow X Together performed 'Ways to Avoid the Sun' and 'Bad Guy.'

Rain shouted, "Are you ready?" as he kicked off his set with 'GANG,' which was a huge hit six years ago, followed by his other hit songs including 'It's Raining,' 'Hip Song,' and 'Rainism.' He showcased high-level choreography and outstanding dance skills. Rain said, "I prepared a lot for today," and added, "Thank you for inviting me as the tribute artist."

While the indoor concert focused on dance, the outdoor stage 'Weverse Park,' set up at the 88 Lawn Field, aimed to provide a relaxing urban festival experience. Throughout the performances, a live band played, enhancing the lively atmosphere of the outdoor event. During the daytime, acts such as Japanese group Cutie Street, aoen, Yoon Sanha, Touched, and Kwon Jinah took the stage in turn. Touched performed 'Nightscape' and 'Love Is Dangerous.' Kwon Jinah sang 'I Was Lucky' and 'Something Went Wrong,' among others.

The nighttime performances featured &Double, Lee Changsub, and ZICO, who kept the energy high. Lee Changsub showcased his vocal prowess with 'Heavenly Fate' and 'Our Fairy Tale.' ZICO wrapped up the outdoor festival with performances of 'Any Song,' 'New Thing,' 'Turtle Ship,' and 'Okey Dokey.'

Additional facilities around the venue also welcomed festivalgoers. Interactive programs such as photo booths and DIY experience zones were available. There were also food zones selling chicken gangjeong, shrimp, and shaved ice, as well as sponsor booths offering more attractions.

'2026 Weverse Con Festival' Weverse Park view. Provided by HYBE

There were external variables on the day of the event. Since June 5, a large-scale rally demanding a re-election due to a ballot paper shortage in the June 3 local elections had been ongoing for four consecutive days near the Handball Gymnasium (Ticketlink Live Arena), close to the venue. Concerns arose over the risk of a major safety incident as crowds of concertgoers and protesters mingled.

The organizers revised their operational plans. The location for distributing and exchanging audience wristbands, which was originally scheduled to be at the Handball Gymnasium, was moved to a safer area. A metal fence was installed between the main venues, KSPO Dome and 88 Lawn Field, and the Handball Gymnasium to separate the movements of protesters and spectators. Additional safety personnel were deployed at major bottleneck areas, enabling the event to conclude without any incidents.

A representative from HYBE stated, "Including both on-site attendees and online streaming viewers, about 34,000 people participated this year," and added, "This marks the largest scale in history, based on the total on-site and online count."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.