K-pop’s biggest labels plot global festival to challenge Coachella

South Korea’s leading K-pop agencies confirmed plans to establish ‘Fanomenon’ – a festival aimed at showcasing Korean popular culture
South Korea's leading K-pop agencies are reportedly in discussions to launch a major global music festival, an ambitious endeavour that local media are already likening to a "Korean Coachella ." This potential collaboration aims to unite the industry's biggest stars on one stage.

HYBE, SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment confirmed in a joint statement their preparations to establish a venture for "Fanomenon," a large-scale festival aimed at showcasing Korean popular culture to a global audience.

These discussions also include the government's Popular Culture Exchange Committee, highlighting a strategic shift towards industry-wide collaboration.

The companies seek to broaden K-pop's global reach through collective efforts, rather than relying solely on individual company initiatives.

Fanomenon - a term ​combining "fan" ⁠and "phenomenon" - was unveiled last year by ‌JYP founder Park Jin-young, who co-chairs the committee.

At its launch in October, Park said the ambition was to create a recurring ‌mega festival starting in South Korea ‌and eventually touring cities worldwide, with the aim of rivaling leading international music festivals such as Coachella.

Under Park's vision, the festival could begin as early as 2027 ⁠in South Korea, followed by overseas editions from 2028, featuring a broad lineup spanning Kpop and other elements of Korean popular culture.

The discussions come amid a broader push by President Lee Jae Myung to promote the Kpop industry, after assigning Park to spearhead those efforts and pledging strong government backing while staying out of ‌artistic decisions.

The companies stressed, however, that discussions remained at an ​early stage and no concrete business plans, schedules ‌or operating structures had been finalised.

⁠They said the joint venture was being considered as ⁠a possible model for cooperation and that required procedures, including filing with the Fair Trade ‌Commission, were under ​way.

Decisions will be made cautiously ‌as talks continue, the companies said, ​taking into account market conditions and views across the industry.

Meanwhile, Coachella 2026 is preparing to kick off its second weekend, welcoming back highly anticipated performances from over 160 artists.

The popular desert music festival , which returned to the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, last weekend, will run again from Friday, April 17, to Sunday, April 19.

This year’s headliners include pop star Sabrina Carpenter , fresh off her Short n’ Sweet tour; Justin Bieber , in the midst of a major comeback; and Colombian superstar Karol G , the first-ever Latina artist to headline the festival.

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