KCON LA 2025 Debuts X STAGE With SHOWCASE Platform To Spotlight Rising K-Pop Acts

KCON LA 2025, one of the world’s largest and most influential K-Pop fan festivals, is leveling up its legacy of introducing future stars with the launch of a brand-new performance platform: X STAGE. Announced today, the newly introduced SHOWCASE at X STAGE aims to shine a global spotlight on a fresh wave of K-Pop rookies, giving international fans early access to the genre’s next breakout talents.

Set to take place from August 1 to 3, 2025 at the LA Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, KCON LA 2025 promises to be a weekend to remember—especially for those with their eyes on the future of K-Pop. The new SHOWCASE will provide a dedicated space for rookie acts to perform live, many for the very first time on a global stage.

Among the artists slated to perform are 82MAJOR, a six-member boy group turning heads with their high-energy performances; HITGS, a recently debuted five-member girl group; and ifeye, a six-member team whose name reflects the spirit of “Imagine & Find, Energetic Young Eyes.” Also joining the lineup are NEWBEAT, a seven-member boy group; Kik5o, a solo artist making waves with a distinctive sound; and So SooBin, a singer-songwriter nurtured by CJ Cultural Foundation’s Tune Up initiative.

Fans can also look forward to performances by a powerful collective of soloists from the WAY BETTER label, including from20, HELLO GLOOM, Lim SeJun, and Kang YuChan.

The X STAGE debut isn’t just a platform—it’s part of KCON’s ongoing mission to connect artists and fans through unforgettable live experiences. In fact, the festival has a track record of introducing global audiences to what would later become some of K-Pop’s biggest names. Notably, BTS performed one of their earliest U.S. stages at KCON LA in 2014—a historic moment that foreshadowed their worldwide success.

The SHOWCASE schedule is broken down across all three days of the event:

CJ ENM

The X STAGE performances will be held in the West Hall of the LA Convention Center, offering a more intimate and immersive setting for fans to connect with these rising stars. Tickets for KCON LA 2025 are now available via AXS, with further updates on special stages, surprise guests, and convention programming expected in the coming weeks.

For fans eager to say “I saw them before they were famous,” the X STAGE at KCON may just be the place where K-Pop’s future takes flight.