KPEX Wants to Build a New York Home for Korean Pop Culture

New York is getting a new convention built specifically around the growing reach of Korean pop culture.

KPEX: Korean Pop Culture Expo will debut at the Javits Center from May 29–31, 2027, bringing K-pop, K-dramas, Korean comics, games, food, beauty and other corners of the Korean Wave together under one roof.

Rather than positioning KPEX strictly as a music festival, its organizers describe it as a “comic con for the Hallyu Generation.” Plans for the inaugural weekend include concerts, screenings and premieres, panels, autograph sessions, interactive experiences and an expo floor. Concerts are also planned for each of the event’s three nights.

The team behind KPEX has considerable convention experience. The event was founded by Greg Topalian, co-founder of New York Comic Con; Robert Khoo, co-founder of PAX; and Peter Tatara, co-founder of Anime NYC. KPEX is part of LeftField Media, which also produces Anime NYC, Anime Frontier, Awesome Con and Rose City Comic Con.

The Korea Creative Content Agency, or KOCCA, is among KPEX’s initial supporting partners alongside Korean comics and novels publisher Ize Press. Organizers say the event is intended not only as a gathering place for fans, but also as a market for exhibitors and a platform for publishers looking to expand Korean culture in the United States.

No K-pop lineup has been announced yet, leaving one of KPEX’s biggest questions unanswered. Guests, additional partners and programming are expected to be revealed as the inaugural event takes shape, with tickets scheduled to go on sale September 18.

If KPEX delivers on that scope, its significance could extend beyond another stop on the convention calendar. Korean music, television, comics, gaming, food and beauty have often built their American audiences through separate events and communities. KPEX is betting there is now enough overlap to give those audiences a shared home.