Europe’s first K-pop festival, Kpop.Flex, sold over 70,000 tickets in 84 countries and took place at the Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany in May. Due to the high demand, a second edition has already been announced for June 2023. K-Pop Europa, the organizers, plan to expand to new dates and locations in partnership with Live Company Group and Explorado Group in the coming year. The event featured live performances from popular K-pop acts like EXO member Kai, AB6IX, NCT Dream, and more, along with a Korea Festival arranged by the Korean Tourism Organisation.
While the physical event is over, there will be a ticketed global live stream on 29 May for fans who want to experience the event digitally. K-pop is gaining popularity in Europe, with more promoters bringing K-pop festivals to the continent. HallyuPopFest, previously held in Singapore, is scheduled for July at OVO Arena Wembley in London, with significant forecasted attendance. South Korea is also preparing for growing demand, with the development of two new K-pop arenas in Seoul that are expected to open in the coming years.
The K-pop wave is showing no signs of slowing down, with huge demand for tickets and increasing audiences for the genre around the world. Acts like BTS, Tomorrow X Together, and Enhypen are projected to draw millions of concertgoers outside of Korea. With new arenas being built and more festivals planned, the future looks bright for K-pop in Europe and beyond.