KCON LA 2026 draws record 142,000 fans to Los Angeles

KCON LA 2026, held from August 14th to 16th at the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, drew a record-breaking 142,000 attendees. The festival, themed ‘K-SOUL CITY’, featured 36 musical acts and showcased various aspects of Korean culture, including beauty, food, and lifestyle.

CJ CheilJedang utilized the event to strengthen its global food brand, Bibigo, by integrating K-pop content with culinary experiences. Through the ‘K-Flavor Arcade’, more than 10,000 attendees sampled products such as mini wontons and spicy kimchi ramen. The company leveraged the intellectual property of the group Alpha Drive One to create digital content and themed zones, aiming to convert K-pop fans into long-term consumers of K-food.

This marketing push follows a period of significant growth for CJ CheilJedang, which reported overseas food sales exceeding 1.5 trillion KRW in the second quarter of the year. The company continues to expand its global footprint through strategic products like mandu (dumplings) and Hetbahn (instant rice) across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.