The atmosphere at Incheon International Airport was electric today as celebrities from the K-pop and entertainment world departed for KCON LA 2023. Fans, photographers, and media gathered to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars ahead of the three-day festival in Los Angeles.
KCON LA 2023 is being held for three days from August 18 to August 20, 2023, at the Crypto.com Arena and the LA Convention Center, like every year.. The annual event, which celebrates K-pop and Korean culture, is one of the biggest conventions of its kind in the U.S.
This year’s lineup includes IVE, Stray Kids, ITZY, NMIXX, Taemin, Taeyong, ATEEZ, Kep1er, ZB1, and more. Hosting duties are also split among big names, with IVE’s Wonyoung, RAIN, and Stray Kids’ Bang Chan serving as MCs across the three days.
RIIZE
Among those departing today was SM Entertainment’s rookie group RIIZE, set to debut next month.
Even without an official debut, members Wonbin, Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Seunghan, Sohee, and ANTON have already built a strong fanbase.
Hundreds of fans crowded the airport to cheer for the members, making their first KCON appearance a significant milestone. The members waved and smiled, clearly moved by the support as they began their international journey.
Stray Kids
Right after kicking off their Dome Tour in Japan, Stray Kids were also spotted at Incheon before their flight to LA. The group is scheduled to headline Day 3 of KCON on August 20.
Fans, known as STAYs, gathered with banners and gifts, filling the terminal with chants and cheers. Their airport departure reflected the massive anticipation for their stage, which will also feature a special “Hi My First” performance.
Taeyong
Taeyong of NCT was another standout figure at the airport. He will take the stage on Day 1 of KCON, August 18, alongside acts like Taemin, IVE, NMIXX, CRAVITY, MONSTA X (Hyungwon and Shownu), and WayV.
NCTzens turned out in large numbers to send him off with encouragement and excitement. Taeyong’s KCON LA performance comes hot on the heels of his solo debut album, Shalala, in June.
The send-offs at Incheon Airport captured the passion of fans and the growing global reach of K-pop, as stars boarded their flights to one of the year’s biggest stages.
