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According to Yonhap News,

(LOSANGELES=Yonhap News)When the idea was first floated, everyone was skeptical as to whether KCON, organized by CJ E&M, could be a success. Even though the idea of combining a concert and convention deserves praise, it was aimed at the United States, where the Korean Wave is a fairly new concept.

However, KCON has gone on to become the biggest Korean Wave festival in the United States, with more than 20,000 fans attending the show and sharing it through SNS channels including Facebook and Youtube. KCON has emerged as the new icon of the Korean Wave.

KCON 2014 was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on August 9 and was filled with tens of thousands of people from the early morning onwards.

The audience ranged from teenagers to people in their mid-30s and included people of various races.

There were more than 100 exhibition booths around the Arena where visitors could experience Korean food, fashion and other cultural products.

KCON 2014 grew in every aspect. The convention became a two-day affair and the number of participating companies increased by 150%.

CJ E&M, the Small and Medium Business Administration and the National Commission for Corporate Partnership invited 36 small-and-medium sized companies (SMEs) to carry out PR and marketing activities.

"We plan to hold KCONs in other countries, including ones that have not yet been affected by the Korean Wave. KCON will help overseas consumers to experience the Korean culture, which will eventually lead to an interest in Korean brands and businesses,” said CJ E&M's Managing Director Shin Hyeong-gwan.

gorious@yna.co.kr

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Source Text

Source: Yonhap News (August. 10, 2014)

** This article was translated from the Korean.