After announcing their return to live venues in 2 years, on 17th March, the world’s biggest celebrative festival of all things Korean, KCON, sparked much hype and excitement among fandoms all around the world. 

Known for bringing in top K-pop acts to stages worldwide and putting up iconic performances, the K-culture festival is finally back for their 2022 series. Their premiere will be kicking off in not one but three countries, including Korea, Japan, and the US.

KCON 2022 Premiere in Seoul TIMETABLE

📅5/7(토) ~ 8(일)
Meet us at KCON 2022 Premiere!
KCON 2022 Premiere에서 만나요!
KCON 2022 Premiereで会いましょう！
Let's KCON💜#KCON #KCON2022Premiere pic.twitter.com/vSmIDkGrLB

— KCON official (@KCON_official) May 5, 2022

From rising rookies NMIXX to 12-year industry veterans Highlight, and special stages from the Queendom S2 lineup, here are all the K-stars gracing the KCON 2022 Premiere! 

Highlight 

Date: 7 May (Seoul, Korea)

Named by global superstars BTS as their role models in the industry, Highlight has one of the most prolific choreographies from their famous feet-sweeping ‘Fiction’ dance move to the addictive chorus routine of ‘Shock’. Most recently, the four-piece dropped their first full-length album in 5 years with the titular track ‘DAYDREAM’. 

MONSTA X 

Date: 7 May (Seoul, Korea) 

Slated for their 11th mini-album this coming 11 April, the ‘MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT’ hitmakers are coming to dominate the stage of KCON. As winners of the Mnet Asian Music Awards for Best Stage in 2020, these third-generation idols are definitely ones to look forward to for a fiery hot performance. 

NMIXX

Date: 7 May (Seoul, Korea), 20 May (Chicago, USA) 

As the first group to debut under JYP’s 4th Artist headquarters, the dynamic rookie girl group is already making their rounds in the K-pop industry as ones to look out for. Composed of 7 multi-faceted starlets, the ‘O.O’ act has grown on many of its listeners, with the song climbing approximately 170 spots since its chart debut. 

TO1 

Date: 7 May (Seoul, Korea), 21 May (Chicago, USA) 

After being formed under the 2019 Mnet survival competition To Be World Klass, the 10 members of TO1 finally debuted on 1 April 2020. The boy band also featured on the programme Road To Kingdom alongside 6 other teams and most recently, returned with their second mini-album RE:ALIZE. 

Queendom S2 Cast (Brave Girls, LOONA, VIVIZ) 

Date: 7 May (Seoul, Korea) 

The first season of Queendom proved to be a commercial success with (G)-IDLE’s finale song ‘Lion’ charting up to #19 on Korean charts. Thus, the news of season 2 happening with a star-studded cast led many fans to grow hyped over what the new season might bring. KCON 2022 offers a special look into the abilities of this season’s lineup, with Brave Girls, LOONA, and VIVIZ taking the stage for a special performance. 

SHINEE's Key 

Date: 8 May (Seoul, Korea) 

Multi-talented SHINee member Key has dabbled in singing, rapping, dancing, songwriting, acting, fashion-designing, and hosting on television. As the third member of his team to go on into a solo career, his studio album Face peaked at #9 on the US World Albums Chart as well as #5 on the Gaon Album Chart. 

STAYC

Date: 8 May (Seoul, Korea), 21 May (Chicago, USA) 

Produced by one of South Korea’s top songwriting and producing duo Black Eyed Pilseung who are responsible for hits like TWICE’s ‘TT’ and SISTAR’s ‘Touch My Body’, STAYC has yet to disappoint the public with the release of catchy hits like ‘ASAP’, ‘Stereotype’, and ‘RUN2U’ that have almost always received virality among listeners. 

NiziU 

Date: 8 May (Seoul, Korea) 

9-piece Japanese girl group NiziU will also make an appearance at KCON 2022. Formed on the programme Nizi Project, they recently dropped their debut studio album, U, in 2021, showcasing the youthful colour of the band. 

THE BOYZ

Date: 8 May (Seoul, Korea) 

The ‘THRILL RIDE’ hitmakers are also slated to perform a fraction of their discography at the opening ceremony of KCON 2022. After winning the programme Road To Kingdom, The Boyz reached further public recognition when they emerged second in the spin-off survival competition Kingdom that featured other senior K-pop acts. 

Queendom S2 Cast (HYOLYN, Kep1er, WJSN) 

Date: 8 May (Seoul, Korea) 

Following the previous day’s special Queendom stage, ex-SISTAR vocalist HYOLYN, Girls Planet 999 winners Kep1er and spirited performers WJSN are slated to make a unique performance, ringing in the festival’s first physical events in 2 years. 

円神 (ENJIN)

Date: 14-15 May (Tokyo, Japan) 

Merging into a charming fusion of song, dance, and drama, the nine-piece recently came back with their single ‘Far Away’ in January. As alum of Produce 101 Japan, ENJIN is a collaborative stage project that is described by the creators and team as, “with the possibility of more being added to the group’s lineup”. 

INI 

Date: 14-15 May (Tokyo, Japan)

Having debuted on 3 November, the group is managed by LAPONE Entertainment after being formed from Produce 101 Japan Season 2. Comprised of Ikezaki Rihito, Ozaki Takumi, Kimura Masaya, Goto Takeru, Sano Yudai, Xu Fengfan, Takatsuka Hiromu, Tajima Shogo, Nishi Hiroto, Fujimaki Kyosuke, and Matsuda Jin, the rookie boy band skyrocketed to popularity, allowing them to clinch the Favourite Asian Artist award at MAMA in 2021. 

JO1 

Date: 14-15 May (Tokyo, Japan) 

Crowned as the winners of the first-ever season of Produce 101 Japan, the team was made out of the top 11 contestants from the popular reality show. The ‘PROTOSTAR’ act is slated to take the stage on both 14th and 15th May with their sound that is described as “a mixture of K-pop and J-pop”.

OCTOPATH 

Date: 14-15 May (Tokyo, Japan) 

8-membered boy band OCTOPATH are no small acts to overlook. Despite their debut in November last year, the team holds a mature stage presence from their time on reality competition programme, Produce 101 Japan Season 2, and are definitely not ones to miss on the Japan leg of KCON 2022 Premiere. 

OWV 

Date: 14-15 May (Tokyo, Japan)

Comprised of Produce 101 Japan Season 1 alum, Honda Kosuke, Nakgawa Katsunari, Urano Shuta, and Sano Fumiya, OWV demonstrates their ambition to dominate the world stage with their unique individuality in their band name, an acronym representing “Our only Way to get Victory”. ‘You’, the team’s latest music release, highlights the classy, elegant side of the four-piece. 

BToB

Date: 20-21 May (Chicago, USA) 

Vocal powerhouse BToB has proven to be the master of every genre with earworm-catchy hits like ‘Beep Beep’ and emotional ballads such as ‘Missing You’. Their most recent drop ‘The Song’ showcases the producing and composing prowess as the epitome of an all-rounder group. 

CRAVITY 

Date: 20 May (Chicago, USA) 

After winning the New Artist of The Year (Male) at the Melon Music Awards in the year of their debut, CRAVITY has continued to impress and exceed expectations of fans all across the world. From their recent release ‘Adrenaline’ to the announcement of their first-ever concert to be held in beginning April, the team, on a definite upward trajectory, takes on the global stage at KCON 2022 Premiere.