Photo Credit: ModernShoot
“Fanomenon,” the South Korean government-backed K-pop festival born from a joint venture between Hybe, SM, JYP, and YG Entertainment, is slated for December 2027.
Fanomenon, the South Korean joint venture formed by Hybe, SM, JYP, and YG Entertainment to run a government-backed K-pop festival, was officially registered on October 26, according to its corporate registry. The 11-day festival is slated for December 2-12, 2027, at Seoul Arena in Changdong and KINTEX in Goyang, combining K-pop concerts, fandom awards, and corporate exhibitions.
Fanomenon was launched with 4 billion won ($3 million) in paid-in capital, consisting of 800,000 common shares at 5,000 won each. Its articles allow for up to 5 million shares, leaving room to raise capital of up to 25 billion won.
Park Yun-suh will head the newly established company as CEO and sole inside director. Park previously worked at Hybe and JYP Entertainment. Each of the four agencies has placed a non-executive director on the board, which also includes an auditor.
The company says its goals will take it well beyond staging a festival and include operating and acquiring rights to performance venues, selling and brokering tickets, producing and distributing food, fashion, and merch, investing across the culture and entertainment industries, and licensing intellectual property.
Attendees of the bespoke festival will have access to “immersive showcases” and “hands-on experiences” across music, cuisine, beauty, fashion, gaming, and more. Additionally, some of the biggest names in K-pop are expected to take the stage, but Park has also indicated plans to book prominent international artists.
Fanomenon’s launch follows a dispute over the company’s trademark, which JYP filed on its own. On October 7 at a parliamentary audit, Park, who co-chairs the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange, said JYP’s team had registered the name at his own expense to keep it from being taken, planning to transfer the rights once the project’s responsible entity was created. On October 23, a revised contract was submitted to the National Assembly and reportedly splits the trademark rights evenly between the Culture Ministry and the joint venture. Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said the ministry would review taking a more direct role in the company.