The Korea Herald

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KCON to hit Saudi Arabia on Oct. 6-7

By Choi Ji-won

Published : Sept. 15, 2023 - 17:53

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Poster of Poster of "KCON Saudi Arabia 2023" (CJ ENM)

The world's biggest Korean culture festival KCON is set to take place in Saudi Arabia next month, CJ ENM said Friday.

KCON will take place on Oct. 6-7 in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, the second KCON to happen in the Middle Eastern country, organizer CJ ENM said in a statement.

K-pop stars set to perform at the two-day concert are Everglow, Highlight, Hyolyn, Kard, Riize, Super Junior D&E (Donghae and Eunhyuk) and 8Turn on Oct. 6 and Dreamcatcher, El7z Up, Evnne, Oh My Girl, Super Junior, Tempest and TNX on Oct.7.

Officially titled "KCON Saudi Arabia 2023," the first edition was launched in September 2022 after a memorandum of understanding was signed that June between CJ ENM and the Saudi Arabian Culture Ministry to promote Korean content there.

The iconic K-pop show of the annual festival, which combines concert and convention, will be held at the Mohammed Abdu Arena inside Boulevard Riyadh City, the central entertainment and commercial complex.

The The "KCON Saudi Arabia 2023" lineup (CJ ENM)

Riyadh will be the fourth stop for KCON this year. Beginning in Thailand in March, the event moved to Japan in May, where it drew a record-setting 123,000-strong crowd over the three-day run on May 12-14. It broke its own record in August when over 140,000 people flocked to its latest edition held in Los Angeles.

CJ ENM in 2012 started KCON to promote Korean culture overseas and to provide a forum for foreign fans to immerse and experience it in person. Starting off in California in the US, the event has been held in several countries across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and has played a key role in the global expansion of Korean music, dramas, food and beauty.