Mexico, Australia stops added to Hallyu showcase

(CJ E&M)

KCON, an annual global Hallyu convention held since 2012, will open in total five regions this year, expanding to Mexico and Australia for the first time, its organizer CJ E&M said Monday.

The culture convention will kick off in Mexico City on March 17-18, then head to Chiba, Japan, on May 19-21, New York, on June 23-24, Los Angeles on Aug. 18-20 before winding up in Australia in September. The detailed dates and venue for the Australian event have not been settled yet.

(CJ E&M)

The March event in Mexico will feature a star-studded lineup for its evening concerts: Bangtan Boys, EXID, NCT 127 for the first night and Astro, Monsta X and Red Velvet for the second night.

Apart from the K-pop concerts, the convention will also feature Korean food tasting, K-pop dance classes and meet-and-greet events with Hallyu stars.

Started as a one-day event in Irvine, California in 2012, the convention has grown to attract some 350,000 attendees for its five year run. In 2016, it reached Europe and the Middle East for the first time with events in Paris, France, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

(CJ E&M)

By Kim So-yeon (syk19372@heraldcorp.com)