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K-pop festival honors global fandoms | The DONG-A ILBO

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K-pop festival honors global fandoms

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“We see fandom as an industry in its own right. If South Korea can lead that industry, it will become a lasting

Park Jin-young, co-chair of the Popular Culture Exchange Committee, made the remarks July 27 while unveiling plans for FANOMENON 2027, a new festival envisioned as South Korea’s answer to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Speaking at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s Seoul Education Center, Park said the event could also help connect young people around the world through popular culture.

The name FANOMENON blends the words “fan” and “phenomenon.” Organizers say the festival is built on the idea that fans are more than consumers of music and entertainment. They are partners who champion artists, amplify their work and help build global audiences. When the presidential Popular Culture Exchange Committee was launched last October, it pledged to create a K-pop festival capable of rivaling Coachella in both scale and international influence.

FANOMENON 2027, a large-scale K-culture festival centered on a global fandom awards program, will make its debut next December in Seoul and Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The inaugural festival will kick off Dec. 2 and run through Dec. 12. Seoul Arena in Chang-dong will host major concerts featuring South Korean and international artists, along with the fandom awards ceremony. KINTEX Exhibition Center 2 in Goyang will host a separate music festival, exhibitions and industry events highlighting K-culture businesses.

The awards will recognize fandoms rather than artists. Organizers will name the year’s Top 10 fandoms from around the world based on their passion and influence throughout the year, with one selected for the grand prize. The winners will be determined through an analysis of data tracking each fandom’s activities and impact, rather than by fan voting alone. Although the awards belong to the fandoms, the artists they support will accept them on their behalf.

The committee projects the festival will attract about 520,000 visitors and generate nearly 1 trillion won in economic impact. Co-chair Choi Hwi-young, who also serves as South Korea’s culture minister, said the event is being structured as a self-sustaining business, with revenue coming from ticket sales and corporate sponsorships.

사지원 기자 4g1@donga.com

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