HallyuPopFest In London Prepares For K-Pop Festival & Korean Business Exhibitor Market

London will soon welcome some of the biggest K-pop stars and open itself up for big business from Korea.

HallyuPopFest 2022 is coming to the OVO Arena Wembley on July 9 and 10 for a two-day festival to honor all aspects of the K-pop industry.

Fans will get over a dozen artists led by headliners Kai and Chen of long-running boy band EXO.

As well, HallyuPopFest London will welcome six boy bands (SF9, ASTRO, CIX, ONEUS, CRAVITY and P1Harmony), three girl groups (EVERGLOW, Weeekly and Ke1per), as well as soloists Paul Kim, Sam Kim and Hwa Sa of girl group MAMAMOO).

In addition to the performances, UK fans will be treated to a “hi-wave meet and greet sessions” (that will coincide with COVID guidelines) and a red carpet to get closer to the stars.

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For the more business-minded who may be looking to network or connect with the booming industries coming out of South Korea, the festival will also hold a marketplace called “HallyuTown” open to the public to support Korean businesses finding their way into the global market. Leading Korean TV and radio broadcaster Munhwa Broadcasting Company (MBC) hosts the HallyuTown during HallyuPopFest.

In an effort and opportunity to promote small-to-midsize enterprises (SMEs) from Korea, MBC and HallyuTown share that they will have approximately 60 businesses presenting on the grounds.

HallyuPopFest also hopes local businesses in town for the festival can also network to find ways to connect their brands to the influential world of K-pop stars whose excitable fanbases can reach millions in impressions and activations. Attendees will see that influence firsthand with the promise of artist visits to HallyuTown to “serve as ambassadors to introduce and promote the exhibited products to the audience,” as shared in a statement from MBC.

The HallyuTown can act as a full display of one of the unique ways globally adored K-pop stars interact and work alongside local businesses to help boost not only its music but also other various industries.

More casual visitors can come to sample Korean cuisine, learn more about the country’s culture, and participate in activities with books promoting beauty, lifestyle, food and more. MBC has joined hands with the Korea Foundation for Cooperation of Large & Small Business, Rural Affairs (KOFCA) and the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) to help make HallyuTown a reality.

After HallyuPopFest first took place in Singapore in 2018, this first stop in London in July will mark a unique chance for local K-pop fans and those interested in Korean industries and culture at large.