Global Fandoms to Gather in Seoul... The 'Korean Coachella' Expected to Generate 1 Trillion Won in Economic Impact

Large-Scale K-pop Festival "Fanomenon" to Make Debut
Coming Next December at Seoul Arena and KINTEX
Concerts, Games, Webtoons, and Food All in One Place
520,000 Visitors and Over 1 Trillion Won in Economic Impact Expected
Four Major Entertainment Agencies to Establish Joint Venture

On the 27th, at the press conference of the Public Culture Exchange Committee for the '2027 Phenomenon Promotion Plan Announcement' held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Park Jin-young, CEO and chief producer of JYP Entertainment, is speaking. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

"I want to see a scene where, every December, the attention of fandoms around the world turns to Seoul."

This is the blueprint laid out by Park Jinyoung, singer, producer, and co-chair of the Public Culture Exchange Committee, for "Fanomenon." Instead of awarding artists or works, a prize will be given to fandoms, and a large-scale K-Culture festival integrating K-pop performances, games, webtoons, films, food, and beauty will make its debut in Seoul and Goyang, Gyeonggi Province in 2027. The vision is to establish fans not as mere consumers, but as key players nurturing and spreading K-culture, thereby positioning Korea as the global center of the fandom industry.

The Public Culture Exchange Committee held a press conference in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 27th and announced the “2027 Fanomenon Promotion Plan.” The event will take place over 11 days, from December 2 to 12, 2027, at Seoul Arena in Chang-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul, and KINTEX Exhibition Center II in Goyang. Beginning with a pre-opening event on December 2, there will be performances, award ceremonies, and exhibition and experience activities across two weekends.

"Fanomenon" is a term that combines "fan" and "phenomenon." Park stated, "K-pop fans don't just consume music; they also directly participate in the promotion and marketing of their favorite artists," adding, "We want to see fans not as consumers, but as partners, and to analyze this from the perspective of a fandom industry." He continued, "This resulted from thinking about how to pass the opportunities gained by K-culture on to the next generation," and, "Instead of creating policies first, the government asked what is needed in the field, and over the past ten months, the industry has provided answers."

At Chang-dong Seoul Arena, large-scale K-pop centric performances will be held over two consecutive weekends, covering six days in total. The participation of top international artists is also being explored. Park said, "We asked foreign artists about participating and received highly positive responses."

During the weekends, a fandom award ceremony will be held between the Saturday and Sunday concerts. In the inaugural year, approximately four categories will be set, and the committee is considering selecting ten fandoms per category that have shown the greatest passion and influence throughout the year. Among these, one will be chosen as the top fandom, equivalent to a grand prize. The recipients of the awards will be the fandoms, not the artists or actors. Artists or brands will accept the awards on behalf of their fans on stage.

Award recipients will be determined based on data. Consumption and activity data will be collected and analyzed from platforms such as Spotify and YouTube that are jointly used by users worldwide. External professional institutions will be selected through a bidding process to conduct the analysis. Park emphasized, "We will conduct an incredibly thorough investigation so that everyone can agree, 'This fandom was the hottest this year.'"

Some have expressed concern that quantifying fandom passion and influence may not align with the purity of culture. Park cited the Academy Awards and Grammy Awards as examples, acknowledging, "Although measuring art and granting awards can seem at odds with the idea of purity, if the positive effects outweigh the negatives, it is worth pursuing." He also noted, "It's unlikely that artists would not attend when awards are given to their fandom, so the fandom awards can serve as a motivator to attract top artists."

The Seoul Arena convention space will feature exhibitions introducing the nominee fandoms and artists, as well as fan participation activities. In the medium-sized halls, performances taking place on the main stage will be broadcast live. Seoul Arena is scheduled for completion in May 2027. Choi Huieyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and co-chair of the committee, said, "After checking the construction progress, we have determined there will be no issues in preparing for the event."

Five halls at KINTEX Exhibition Center II will be used. Two of the halls will host a music festival for approximately 20,000 people over six weekend days, showcasing not only K-pop but also world music, jazz, electronic dance music (EDM), rock, R&B, hip-hop, and gugak (traditional Korean music). During weekdays, they are considering fan meetings with singers and actors, production presentations, film screenings, game performances, esports tournaments, original soundtrack performances for films and dramas, seminars, and business forums.

The remaining three halls will serve as corporate exhibition and experience spaces. Game, webtoon, animation, film and drama production companies, as well as food, fashion, and beauty brands, will participate. Examples include K-food tastings and new product launches, as well as the release of games or animations utilizing K-pop intellectual property. The committee is also in discussions with the Seoul Metropolitan Government about holding side events in central Seoul areas such as Gwanghwamun and City Hall.

On the 27th, at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Choi Huieyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and co-chairman, is speaking at the press conference of the Public Culture Exchange Committee for the announcement of the '2027 Phenomenon Promotion Plan'. Photo by Yonhap News.

Provided by the Committee for Cultural Exchange in Popular Culture

The Korea Culture & Tourism Institute estimates that hosting Fanomenon could attract a total of 520,000 visitors, including 200,000 foreign visitors, and generate over 1 trillion won in economic effects. These are provisional figures based on the daily capacity of Seoul Arena and KINTEX, as well as reference cases such as BTS’s Gwanghwamun concert.

There are plans to offer both combined and individual passes for Seoul Arena and KINTEX. As the capacity and programs for each venue differ, individual tickets will be sold, but combined passes will also be available for fans wishing to enjoy multiple events.

The four major entertainment companies – SM, Hybe, YG, and JYP – are preparing to establish a joint venture to organize the festival. They are currently proceeding with procedures related to business combination regulations. The major agencies will take the lead in attracting audiences and attention through the participation of their artists and overseas promotions. Park said, "These companies have spent decades building expertise in drawing interest and people," adding, "The four of them have decided to work together as one team towards a single goal."

Park refuted concerns that the festival would be dominated by major agencies and their affiliated artists. He stated, "The aim is to empower other K-pop companies and up-and-coming artists," and, "Even if big-name artists play a leading role in gathering crowds, we will ensure opportunities for rookies and smaller companies through various performances and events."

The total project budget has not been disclosed. The committee is considering a structure in which revenue is generated through paid tickets and corporate sponsorships, while the government supports public-interest projects related to tourism, immigration, safety management, and participation of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Park stressed the importance of ensuring profitability as well as public benefit for the festival’s longevity. He said, "It is impossible to get companies and artists to participate if an event is not profitable," and, "Allowing the private sector to generate profit, while ensuring the event does not stray from its public-interest goals with government funding, is crucial." He added, "Initially, artists may have to adjust their schedules, but the aim is to quickly turn Fanomenon into an event that artists are eager to attend."

Choi said, "It wasn’t the government that raised K-pop to a global standard," and, "The government’s role is to ask those on the ground what is needed and then support those needs based on their answers." He added, "Rather than being greedy for results at the beginning, the primary goal is to earn the trust of the global entertainment industry and make this an event everyone wants to join."

The committee also plans to hold "Fanomenon Festivals" overseas. Park revealed that he is considering holding the first overseas event in Los Angeles, USA, in May 2028. Additional plans include establishing K-Culture Centers in major cities abroad, which would combine K-pop performance venues with exhibition and sales spaces for Korean companies.

Park concluded, "Looking solely at next year's profits, it might make more sense for each company to pursue its own business. But the vision of seeing Seoul filled with fans from all over the world, and of every fandom focusing on Seoul every December, was so appealing that I wanted to make it a reality."

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