K-pop group Kandis to perform at Comic Con Astana after viral Kazakh song cover

Kandis, which gained widespread recognition in Kazakhstan after competing in the international televised vocal competition Silk Way Star, will take the stage on August 9, the festival's closing day. The group is also scheduled to hold an autograph session with fans on the same day.

Representing South Korea in the Silk Way Star competition, Kandis rose to prominence after performing the song Kesh Meni by Kazakhstani band Orda in Korean. During that stage of the competition, contestants were required to perform a Kazakh song in their native language. Kandis' Korean rendition earned the group first place in the round, while the performance quickly became one of the show's most talked-about moments, going viral on social media and introducing thousands of Kazakhstani viewers to the group's music.

The group also performed a Kazakh-language cover of Dem Alam by Kazakhstani singer Marhaba Sabi as part of the competition.

Kandis is a South Korean girl group known for its strong vocal performances and live stage presence. Drawing inspiration from 1990s R&B and hip-hop, the group blends those influences with contemporary pop to create its distinctive musical style.

Comic Con Astana 2026 will take place in Kazakhstan's capital from August 6 to 9. The festival's headline guests include Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, best known for portraying Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones, as well as Iñaki Godoy and Taz Skylar, stars of Netflix's live-action One Piece, who play Monkey D. Luffy and Sanji, respectively. All three actors will appear on the festival's main stage, take part in autograph and photo sessions, and meet with fans.

Other featured guests include internationally renowned cosplay duo Kamui Cosplay, content creators SuperCrastan (Danya Kraster), Jane Kravitz, Karrambaby, Dobryak, Dalbek, FixEye, and Egor Shkred.

Italian comic book artist Paolo Pantalena, whose work has appeared in publications by Marvel, DC, Image Comics, and other major publishers, will also attend the festival. From August 7 to 9, visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artist, receive an autograph, and order a custom sketch at the booth of Drugoye Izdatelstvo and the Kryptonite Comics store.

Comic Con Astana is the largest contemporary pop culture festival in Central Asia, bringing together fans of film, television, anime, comics, video games, cosplay, and pop culture from across the region and beyond. This year's event will once again be held across two venues - Barys Arena and the Alau Ice Palace, and will feature its traditional international cosplay competition with a prize fund of 20 million tenge.

Tickets for Comic Con Astana are available via the festival's official website and the Yandex Afisha ticketing platform.

The festival's partners for 2026 include Yandex Go, Yandex Food, Kinopoisk, Yandex Afisha, BIGBON, Chupa Chups, and a number of other local and international brands.

Earlier, Qazinform reported Netflix’s One Piece star Iñaki Godoy had been confirmed as the second major headliner for Comic Con Astana 2026.