Cynthia Littleton Business EditorTen years ago, organizers of the first KCON fan gathering had plenty of faith in the appeal of K-pop and South Korean pop culture, but there was nervousness about how many people would show up to celebrate it in Southern California.In October 2012, executives at CJ ENM were pleasantly surprised when about 10,000 aficionados turned out for a daylong conference and evening concert at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in Orange County.
At the time, KCON was the biggest real-world expression of CJ ENM vice chair Miky Lee’s determination to promote Korean content and culture on the world stage.A decade later, the seeds Lee and her team planted with KCON and other events are delivering a bountiful harvest.
KCON 2022 is expected to draw about 100,000 fans to the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena as it unfolds Aug.
19-21. “We’re past an inflection point for Korean content,” says Angela Killoren, CEO of CJ ENM America, who was part of the team that launched KCON in 2012. “This is more than a bubble.”The popularity of Korean movies and TV shows has spread far beyond the country’s borders.The CJ ENM-produced “Parasite” made movie history by winning the 2019 best picture Oscar.
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