KCON Will Be Held In Japan In April 2015

On February 16, CJ E&M announced that KCON would be held at the Saitama Super Arena as part of KCON 2015 Japan. The event is scheduled to take place on April 22.

KCON 2015 Japan will include a special taping of M Countdown in Japan along with specialized programming which will include a focus on Korean fashion, beauty, and food.Japan was selected as the latest destination for the convention for the nation's role in actively promoting the spread of Korean entertainment.

The term Hallyu Wave initially described an artist or group's success within Japan and Asia but now holds relevance for promotions throughout in regions including South America or the United States.

KCON was first held in October 2012 in Irvine, California. The convention was attended by 10,000 fans who traveled from throughout the United States to see performances by K-pop artists including EXO-M, 4Minute, B.A.P, VIXX, NU'EST, and G.NA. The event has since developed into significant gathering for Hallyu fans throughout North America.

In 2013, KCON moved to the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena where 20,000 Hallyu fans were present for acts which included G-Dragon, EXO, Crayon Pop, f(x), Missy Elliot, Super Junior-M's Henry, and Teen Top.

The Hallyu convention remained at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in 2014 but presented an expanded lineup which included K-Drama stars Yoo In Na and Lee Seung Gi. The third assembly of KCON was attended by 40,000 Hallyu fans. The expansion of the convention provides context for the impact of Korean pop culture beyond Asia.

The artist lineup for KCON 2015 Japan has yet to be announced. However, Kangnam of the group M.I.B has been selected to serve as an ambassador for the event. Kangnam is of Japanese-Korean descent and has openly spoken about his heritage.