#KINTEX

Maroon 5 to Perform in Korea in January 2027 — Meeting Korean Fans After About Three Years

Pop rock band Maroon 5 will meet Korean fans again with a concert in Korea next January. The band is visiting Korea as part of an Asia tour. "Maroon 5 Asia 2027 in Seoul" at KINTEX Organizer Live Nation Korea announced on August 4 that Maroon 5 will hold the concert "Maroon 5 Asia 2027 in Seoul" at KINTEX Exhibition Center 1 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on January 27, 2027. It marks Maroon 5's first concert in Korea in about three years, since March 2024. The band is visiting Korea as part of an Asia tour that begins in Taiwan next January. Making a Name with "Songs About Jane" Maroon 5 is a band anchored by frontman Adam Levine (vocals). It made its name in 2002 when its studio album "Songs About Jane" reached No. 6 on the "Billboard 200," and it created a stir with an original, refined sound blending rock and R&B. Over the past 20-plus years, Maroon 5 has enjoyed huge popularity, placing "Makes Me Wonder," "Moves Like Jagger," "One More Night," and "Girls Like You" at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard main singles chart, the "Hot 100." Among these, "One More Night" took the No. 1 spot on the "Hot 100" in 2012, edging out PSY's mega-hit "Gangnam Style." A Record of 100 Million Sales and 34 Billion Streams Maroon 5 has sold over 110 million albums to date. On Spotify, it has recorded more than 34 billion cumulative streams, with 12 songs each surpassing 1 billion streams. It has also earned recognition for its artistry, with 13 nominations and 3 wins at the "Grammy Awards." Based on such achievements, the U.S. music magazine Billboard named the band the "Greatest Band of the 21st Century" and No. 11 among the "Greatest Artists of the 21st Century." An Eighth Studio Album That Drew Buzz with Lisa's Feature Last year, Maroon 5 released its eighth studio album "Love Is Like" and took on a new musical style. The album track "Priceless" drew attention with a feature from BLACKPINK's Lisa. Anticipation is gathering among fans over what kind of live show Maroon 5 will deliver on the stage of its return after about three years.

LE SSERAFIM, KiiiKiii, XLOV, Hi-Fi un!corn Join "2026 K-World Dream Awards"

Acts leading K-pop with their distinctive music have joined the global Hallyu festival "2026 K-World Dream Awards" in force. The stage of this year's ceremony, marking its 10th anniversary, is set to grow even more varied. The Additional Lineup Revealed The "2026 K-World Dream Awards" organizing committee announced an additional lineup on August 4 that includes LE SSERAFIM, KiiiKiii, XLOV, and the band Hi-Fi un!corn. LE SSERAFIM posted strong, even results across major platforms—Apple Music's global chart, Spotify, and YouTube—with "BOOMPALA," the title track of its second studio album "PUREFLOW pt.1," released this May. With the album, which carries the message that knowing fear is what makes you stronger, it showed a more mature musical color. XLOV , a group with a "genderless" concept, reached No. 6 on Billboard's "25 Best K-pop Albums of 2026" with its second mini album "I,God," released the same month. Member Umuti handled production while Hyun and Haru took part in the songwriting, completing the team's own identity. After recently wrapping a North American fan meeting, it has been on an Asia tour starting with a Seoul concert. KiiiKiii topped major domestic music charts with "404 (NEW ERA)," the title track of its second mini album "Delulu Pack," released this January, and also landed at No. 1 on Billboard's "Best K-pop Songs of the First Half of 2026." With distinctive house-based music and performance, it has established itself as a next-generation representative girl group. Hi-Fi un!corn is a five-member band active across Korea and Japan. It has steadily released new songs through the monthly digital single project "H!dden Color" and recently wrapped an Asia tour in Seoul. This month, it has a new Japanese single "Telescope," a livehouse tour, and appearances at major Korean and Japanese music festivals ahead. A Ceremony Marking Its 10th Anniversary This ceremony launched in 2017 as the "Soribada Best K-Music Awards" and has grown alongside K-pop through name changes. Marking its 10th anniversary this year, it has been set up as an occasion to look back on past achievements while presenting a milestone toward a new leap for K-pop and K-culture. The organizing committee said that, under the principle that everyone who made K-pop's present is a contributor, it honors the contributions of all who led K-pop's growth—artists, production crews, staff, and industry figures—rather than sorting out rankings, placing meaning on harmony over competition. With the goals of realizing an era of 20 million tourists visiting Korea through K-pop and Korea's leap into a K-culture powerhouse, it also plans to expand its role as a global Hallyu platform. Schedule and Existing Lineup The "2026 K-World Dream Awards" will be held on August 27 at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Earlier, ATEEZ, P1Harmony, RIIZE, AHOF, and AND2BLE, along with SeeYa, QWER, ILLIT, RESCENE, JAY B, Sungri, EVAN, and Park Ji-hyeon, were confirmed to perform. This latest addition has made the lineup even richer. Broadcaster Jun Hyun-moo and comedian Jang Do-yeon will host for the fourth consecutive year. The popularity award vote, which fully reflects global fans' choices, is underway on the fandom platform FanderONE. Winners are chosen across four categories—male and female groups, and male and female soloists—with the top 30 in each category that cleared the preliminaries competing in the finals. (The popularity vote rankings change in real time.) The "2026 K-World Dream Awards" is hosted by the organizing committee and organized by the Hallyu specialist agency YJ Partners. The ceremony will be livestreamed worldwide via OTT for global fans, with the streaming platform to be announced later.

Karina's Solo Stage at Waterbomb Seoul 2026 — Six Songs Reaffirm Her "Waterbomb Goddess" Status

aespa's Karina filled the Waterbomb Seoul 2026 stage with overwhelming command. Taking the Waterbomb stage solo again this year after last, Karina once more showed the presence of a heavyweight on the summer-festival stage. A Solo Stage at KINTEX on the 25th Karina took the stage at Waterbomb Seoul 2026, held on the afternoon of July 25 at the outdoor Global Stage of KINTEX in Ilsan, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. She appeared in a refreshing green swimwear look layered with a sporty white mesh top — a stage look well suited to the summer-festival mood that defines Waterbomb. From Solo Tracks to aespa Hits: A Six-Song Setlist That day, Karina performed six songs in a row spanning her solo tracks and aespa's signature hits. She opened with her solo song "GOOD STUFF," followed by "UP," then packed in aespa hits "Next Level," "Supernova," "Whiplash," and "Lemonade." With a setlist that had, quite literally, no skippable songs, she pushed the energy on-site to its peak. Making eye contact with the audience and firing water cannons as she reveled in the festival, she combined with Waterbomb's signature water-based staging to draw an explosive response. Waterbomb's official social media added to the buzz, posting stage videos with captions like "the ruler of Waterbomb" and "final weapon Karina Rocket Puncher enters." "Waterbomb Goddess" Two Years Running Last year, Karina took the Waterbomb stage solo for the first time and created what many called a "legendary stage" with songs like "Next Level," "Whiplash," "Supernova," "Spicy," and "UP." This year she carried that momentum forward, once again proving the labels "Waterbomb Goddess" and "ruler of Waterbomb." Notably, with more solo tracks now in her catalog, the setlist has grown richer too. "Waterbomb Seoul 2026," Across Three Days Waterbomb Seoul 2026 ran for three days, from July 24 to 26. On the 24th, acts including KISS OF LIFE, Lee Young-ji, and Taemin opened the festival; on the 25th, Karina was joined by Jay Park, Loco, BIBI, and Shownu X Hyungwon, among others. On the final day, the 26th, top-tier K-pop artists including Park Jin-young, Sunmi, Zico, Rain, Taeyong, RIIZE, H1-KEY, and 82MAJOR came out in full force to close the festival. aespa, Karina's group, has major dates ahead in the second half of the year — Lollapalooza in Chicago, USA, on August 2, and a new world tour kicking off August 7–8 at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome. It'll be worth watching whether she carries the command shown at Waterbomb onto those next stages.

Sunmi Takes the Waterbomb Seoul 2026 Stage — Heats Up KINTEX with Flawless Chemistry Alongside Cha Hyun-seung

"Summer Queen" Sunmi took the stage at Waterbomb Seoul 2026, rounding out a scorching summer. Coming not long after her comeback with the new song "Forever July," the performance was all the more welcome. A Stage at KINTEX on the 26th Waterbomb Seoul 2026 was held from July 24 to 26 at the outdoor Global Stage of KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Sunmi took the stage on the final day, the 26th, lifting the atmosphere with her signature aura. For this stage, Sunmi wore a mini outfit with mint-colored corset detailing paired with a white lace top. Voluminous wavy hair and sharp features combined for a doll-like impression — a stage look well suited to the summer-festival mood that defines Waterbomb. Sunmi is an artist counted among the so-called "first generation of Waterbomb," having performed there every year since its early days. The seasoned command she's built on summer-festival stages was on full display in this performance too. The Talking Point: A Duet Stage with Cha Hyun-seung The biggest draw of the day was the duet stage with actor and former dancer Cha Hyun-seung. Cha made a surprise appearance as Sunmi's partner dancer, and the steady chemistry between the two elevated the stage even further. The day after the show, on the 27th, Sunmi posted a short video filmed backstage with Cha on social media. The clip opened with Sunmi affectionately patting Cha's head, and the two went on to dance naturally to "Forever July." Their flawless synergy — reminiscent of their earlier days as singer and backup dancer — drew admiration from fans. It came with Sunmi's message: "Thank you for singing along with me." Comeback with the New Digital Single "Forever July" Sunmi made her comeback on July 15 with the new digital single "Forever July." It's her first new music in about eight months, since her first full-length album "HEART MAID" last year. "Forever July" looks at summer — long remembered for blazing sun and refreshing coolness — from an entirely different angle. It likens a love that arrives suddenly to a monsoon crashing into a season that ought to be bright and clear, delicately capturing emotions where flutter and confusion coexist. What stands out is how it twists the familiar "summer equals refreshing" formula. Through motifs that evoke the humid air of summer — wet hair, umbrellas, rain-soaked scenes — it built up the song's emotional texture. With her comeback and the Waterbomb stage arriving side by side, Sunmi is clearly showing a presence worthy of her "Summer Queen" title this summer as well. The next stages she'll bring through her new single are ones to look forward to.

BIBI Takes the Stage at Waterbomb Seoul 2026 — Reactions Split Over the Performance

Singer BIBI drew attention with a bold performance at Waterbomb Seoul 2026. This time, though, the stage itself came with an accompanying debate over how far the performance went. Here's a rundown of what happened. What Happened on Stage BIBI performed at Waterbomb Seoul 2026, held on July 25 at the outdoor Global Stage of KINTEX in Ilsan, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. She took the stage in a form-fitting white jumpsuit and ran through hits including "Bam Yang Gang" and "나쁜X (BAD SAD AND MAD)." The moment that got people talking came mid-set. Partway through, BIBI lowered the zipper of her jumpsuit to reveal a bikini top worn underneath, then knelt surrounded by male dancers and continued singing into microphones they held. Clips of the scene spread quickly across social media and online communities, generating heated reactions right after the show. "Fitting for the Festival" vs "Too Far" Given the attention, reactions split sharply. Those who viewed the performance positively called it "a stage that suits the character of a festival like Waterbomb," "BIBI's own daring direction," and "something to be seen as an artist's mode of expression." Waterbomb has, after all, built its brand on the free-spirited, boundary-pushing stages characteristic of a summer outdoor festival. On the other side, negative views were just as vocal: "the movements and staging were too explicit," "even for a festival stage, it went too far," and "I'm not sure this kind of direction was necessary." With the question of where to draw the line between freedom of expression and the limits of a stage very much in play, outlets themselves gave this debate significant coverage. Rather than declaring either side right, it may be best read as a case that showed how people's social sense of what's acceptable in festival staging differs from person to person. Waterbomb, BIBI, and an Empty Spot Waterbomb is a festival that has generated buzz year after year with the powerful stages of its female artists. Kwon Eun-bi, once counted among the marquee stars of that stage, did not appear at this year's event. With attention on who would fill that gap as the new "Waterbomb star," BIBI effectively inherited the spotlight. BIBI is an artist who has repeatedly drawn notice for her daring concepts and candid way of speaking. She has carved out her own space through a distinctive personality and command of the stage. Recent Activities and What's Ahead BIBI released her new song "Beompa" on May 20. First unveiled at her 2022 solo concert "Would You Come?", the track drew strong responses at each stop of her world tour, and ongoing fan requests for an official release eventually led to its arrival. She has been active in broadcasting as well. She was a regular cast member on EBS1's "The Last Humans," which premiered last month, and is set to appear on the confirmed third season of "Sixth Sense: City Tour." Meanwhile, Waterbomb Seoul 2026 ran through July 26. On the final day, artists including Park Jin-young, Sunmi, Zico, Taeyong, WJSN's Dayoung, RIIZE, H1-KEY, and 82MAJOR took the stage.

SEVENTEEN V8 Sells Out 15,000 Fans at Their Very First Solo Concert — And Now They're Taking the Heat to Hong Kong

SEVENTEEN unit V8 (Vernon & The8) has successfully wrapped up their first-ever solo live concert and is now bringing that incredible energy straight to Hong Kong! From their very first unit stage, they packed out a massive venue and totally proved their power. Two all-standing days, 15,000 fans V8 held '2026 VERNON THE 8 [V8] LIVE - GOYANG' on the 11th and 12th at KINTEX Hall 1 in Goyang, Gyeonggi. It was the first-ever all-standing format concert by a SEVENTEEN unit, drawing around 15,000 fans over two days. The online livestream also brought in fans from 63 countries and regions worldwide, showing just how massive the love is! From new tracks to solo stages — a packed setlist At the concert, every track from their debut mini album 'V8' was performed, along with the first-ever live stages for The8's Chinese EP tracks 'Friend', 'girlsnboys', and '54321 (Lift Off)'. They also served up a fresh arrangement of 'Bad Influence (Prod. by Pharrell Williams)' from SEVENTEEN's 5th full album, plus fan favorites like 'HIT' and 'Eyes on you'! Both members also brought their own individual solo stages. Vernon pre-released unreleased tracks 'Get Me Off' and 'I'LL BE BACK' alongside 'MIA', while The8 performed '裂痕 (AWAKE)', '8DM', 'Skyfall', '不见了(Love is gone)' and more. The8 even threw in a DJ performance mid-show that had the whole crowd hyped up to the max! "V8 will be back" After the show, V8 shared: "We put so much thought and ideas into creating a new kind of concert experience. Seeing the fans enjoying the stage gave us the confidence that we can do even better. V8 will be back." The heat moves to Hong Kong V8's stages aren't over yet! From the 17th to the 19th, they'll be performing at Asia World-Expo Hall 10 in Hong Kong. The originally planned two shows sold out immediately after tickets went on sale, so a third show was added — proving once again just how hot this unit is right now!