First time going to KCON LA? Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, even the most experienced attendees may need a little guidance on the events and activities at KCON LA 2023.
KCON is global convention and music festival for K-culture fans featuring Korean vendors for beauty, food, activities, and entertainment. Last year, the KCON LA had over 90,000 attendees, with both concert nights selling out.
This year’s KCON LA is set to begin Friday, August 18 through Sunday, August 20. Keep reading to discover who’s performing, activities to check out, and tips to help you enjoy the convention and concerts.
Artists performing at KCON LA 2023
With three nights of music at Crypto.com Arena, the lineup varies from veteran Korean idols to fourth generation superstars to newly debuted groups.
- Friday: Cravity, IVE, NMIXX, Shownu x Hyungwon (Monsta X), Taemin, Taeyong, and WayV.
- Saturday: ATEEZ, INI, Kep1er, Rain, xikers, and Zerobaseone.
- Sunday: Everglow, (G)I-DLE, Itzy, JO1, Lapillus, Stray Kids, The Boyz, and ATEEZ.
Artists are given about 20-30 minutes per set, with the bigger acts given up to 45 minutes.
In-between performances, the MCs, Wonyoung of IVE (Friday), Rain (Saturday), and Stray Kids’ Bang Chan (Sunday), will chat with the groups while on stage as well as interact with the audience.
What are Artist Engagements at KCON LA?
Artist Engagements offer the opportunity to be close and possibly interact with them. KCON LA offers both free and paid opportunities to meet and greet idols.
- The DREAM Stage: is a section in the South Hall convention center that will have a few idols pop up on stage–whether to perform or just chat with a KCON LA host. The times will be random, but should be in the schedule.
- The Selfie Music Video Stage: is a small gated area where idols will be given cell phones and will walk around taking selfies and videos of themselves with the fans around them.
- The SHOWCASE: NICE TO MEET YOU Stage: will have the newer groups come on stage to perform and chat with a host for a little interview.
External vendor will have activations booths for fans to participate in and potentially win prizes. For K-Dramas lovers, TV and film vendors such as Rakuten Viki and Kocowa will be in attendance. Their booths are located in the K-STORY section of the convention.
Activities, shopping and food
For those going to the convention, there are many fun activities to do throughout the day while waiting for the concerts.
Activities to check out
- Letter writing: Want to write a fan letter to your idol? KCON LA provides an opportunity to write letters to them and there will also be a wall for fans to write all their thoughts on at the MESSAGE PLAYGROUND.
- Dancing: There is the Dance All Day area which consists of Random Dance Play and K-Pop dance workshops from renowned choreography studios. Be on the lookout for the schedule to see who could be teaching what.
- Dancing: There will also be an one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to Dance With Your Idols as KCON LA is bringing back the DREAM STAGE Auditions where IVE (Friday), ZEOBASEONE (Saturday), and ITZY (Sunday), will perform alongside fans during the concert at the Crypto.com Arena.
- Contests: Look out for several contests whether online or in person on the convention floor. Featuring various photo zones and interactive activities, KCON Square will have opportunities to win prizes just by taking a photo of yourself in front of the booth. To discover more contests, check out KCON’s Official Instagram.
- Panels and Workshops: Throughout the convention, there will be panels and workshops held in-between the South Hall and West Hall at the LA Convention Center. Panels include talks from influencers, journalists, choreographers, and many in the industry surrounding K-Culture.
- Recharge: Tired from all the running around during KCON LA, rest and relax at the Lifestyle Plaza where there will be comfy chairs and bean bags for attendees to sit and recover. There will also be phone chargers for those who need a little pick-me-up for their devices.
Shopping and food at KCON LA
- Shopping: Several well known brands like Olive Young, Aritaum, and independent K-beauty shops will be selling their products. Additionally, the Market Place and K-COLLECTION will have small and medium-sized Korean companies selling many K-products for beauty, fashion, and some official K-Pop merchandise.
- Food: There is no celebrating K-Culture without celebrating its food. Located between Crypto.com Arena and LA Live, the K-Food festival is set up like an outdoor street market. There are many local Korean and Asian restaurants participating in the event. KCON sponsor Bibigo have also set up a dining area for patrons to sit and eat.
- Food: There are a few food options inside the LA Convention Center, including the KCON Cafe, which will feature exclusive KCON merchandise and specialty drinks.
Tips for KCON LA Convention
- Be sure to bring an extra bag for the free swag or purchases.
- Stay hydrated. Bring a bottle of water. There are fountains around the convention center for refills. It gets really hot, especially when you go outside for K-Food.
- Pre-plan your schedule beforehand so you don’t miss a thing, especially if you want to be in the front or near the front of a stage area for the Selfie Stage or Dream Stage.
- If you want opportunities to win prizes, be sure to follow KCON’s Instagram. They update constantly during the convention.
- Pace yourself and have fun. Unless you are only going for one day, there is no need to rush through the convention hall to get to everything. The same vendors will be there all three days.
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