KCON:TACT 2020 SUMMER: Air date, lineup, where to watch and all you need to know about the virtual K-pop fest featuring Monsta X and Loona
Earlier this year, K-pop fans were left brokenhearted after it as announced that the world's biggest K-pop festival 'KCON:TACT' would be canceled this year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But fans can now rejoice again because it appears KCON 2020 is back on. However, this time, things will be slightly different.
KCON is an annual convention and concert series that brings the world of K-pop to a global audience. The event began as a one-day festival in Los Angeles back in 2012 following the viral fame of Psy's 'Gangnam Style'. The first KCON attracted 12,000 fans despite them not fully knowing what to expect and has since grown to be a multi-day festival featuring meet-and-greets with top K-pop acts as well as panels featuring Korean culture influencers. The event also expanded its borders over the years, holding festivals in France, Japan, Mexico, Australia, UAE, and Thailand. Last year's event drew around 100,000 fans to the Staples Center and this year was set to be even bigger until the event had to be canceled.
But luckily for fans, KCON announced earlier in May that KCON:TACT 2020 SUMMER would return as a virtual streaming event instead. The festival will go on for an entire week and will feature some of the most popular K-pop acts, including a few who were forced to cancel their own concerts and tours on account of the pandemic. Read on to find out more about when the event begins, who will be participating this year, and how you can participate in the virtual extravaganza.
Streaming dates
Originally scheduled for June 12 to 14 at the Javits Center in New York City and August 27 to 30 at the LA Convention Center, KCON:TACT 2020 SUMMER will now run as a marathon streaming event from June 20 to 26 via Mnet.
What to expect
The event will include a mix of live and pre-recorded content streamed as part of a 24/7 event which is set to include a daily 4-hour concert and meet-and-greet as well as backstage and behind-the-scenes content, artiste and influencer collaborations, influencer panels, and a 'Real Idol 24hr' segment which will allow fans to virtually follow select K-pop acts for 24 hours. Additionally, the festival will have state-of-the-art stages crafted for each night of the event and will take the virtual experience to the next level with the inclusion of VR and AR technology.
The festival will feature around 30 artistes and influencers, including ones who will help educate their global audience about Korean culture, as part of interactive segments during which will include live video chats, live polls, and more.
Who will perform
KCON 2020 will feature performances from Monsta X, LOONA, The Boyz, GFriend, AB6IX, Golden Child, Pentagon, IZ*ONE, Nature, and TOO. Mnet will continue to announce more additions to the lineup over the next few days. Monsta X's summer arena tour and AB6IX's first US tour both had to be postponed due to the pandemic, so their appearances at KCON this year will be the perfect consolation for fans who missed out on the chance to see them live in concert. Monsta X also just dropped their latest mini-album 'Fantasia X' following the success of their all-English album 'All About Luv' which released in February, so fans can definitely expect to see them perform their new songs at the event.
Trailer
Where to stream
The entire event, including live interactions with the artistes, will broadcast exclusively via the Mnet K-Pop YouTube channel and will include English subtitles. For more updates on lineups, event passes, and schedules, follow the official Twitter account for KCON USA.