Major gov’t-hosted ‘hallyu’ festival to kick off this week

Fans of Korean cultural content and global industry leaders will gather in Seoul this week for a large-scale, government-hosted festival celebrating the Korean Wave, or “hallyu.”

The inaugural “MyK Festa” will begin Thursday for a four-day run at Olympic Park and nearby venues in southeastern Seoul, according to organizers.

Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and its affiliate, the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, the festival will encompass K-pop concerts, a global content industry conference, exhibitions, hands-on experiences and business programs aimed at supporting Korean companies seeking to expand abroad. It will also help promote regional tourism, officials said.

The event will kick off with a K-pop concert at KSPO Dome on Thursday, featuring N.Flying, WayV, Lee Young-ji, aespa, ILLIT, Hearts2Hearts, Ahof and Newbeat.

Another K-pop concert is scheduled for Saturday with ITZY, NCT’s Ten, Chungha, Heize, Lyn, Lee Mu-jin, BE’O and Tnx.

The final concert Sunday will spotlight Korean traditional music with performances by groups, such as ADG7 and Uheeska, known for blending heritage and modern sounds. Admission is free with a reservation via a concert ticketing platform.

On Friday, an international conference on the future of the global content industry will be held at the same venue.

From Thursday to Sunday, the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium will host a large exhibition and interactive booths for visiting fans of hallyu content. Around 100 domestic companies across various sectors, including music, television, webtoons, food and lifestyle, will participate, showcasing their content and products.

A business matching event for 160 Korean firms seeking to enter foreign markets and around 170 international buyers will take place at a plaza in the park Thursday and Friday.

Yune Yang-su, director of international cultural affairs and public relations at the ministry, said, “We hope this event provides new experiences and inspiration to fans around the world who love hallyu content, and also serves as a practical opportunity for our industry to expand overseas.”