South Korea brings K-Culture Expo to Los Angeles for the first time

The five-day "K-Expo USA 2026" will run from May 23-27 in the U.S. entertainment capital, marking the first time the event is held in the United States, following stops in countries including Vietnam, Thailand, France, Canada, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.

Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with several other ministries, the expo aims to boost overseas expansion of Korean firms by linking cultural content with related industries, such as agriculture, fisheries and cosmetics.

The Los Angeles City Council has designated the event an official city program, reflecting growing local interest in Korean culture.

Major companies and institutions will showcase the latest trends in Korean cultural industries and the cutting-edge technologies behind them, according to the ministry.

Netflix will present food products developed from its intellectual property alongside an exhibition featuring images from its Korean original TV series and films as well as photos of popular Korean stars.

Naver Webtoon will run an exhibition of its webtoon content themed on food and beauty while the Korea Football Association will host a pavilion focused on the national team.

Visitors will be able to take part in Korean food tasting events and a K-pop concert featuring Jay Park and boy band P1Harmony, among others. Business matchmaking sessions involving 63 companies in the content and beauty sectors are scheduled for May 26 and 27.

Vice Culture Minister Kim Young-soo noted that the event holds additional significance because it takes place in the United States, the center of the global entertainment industry, and coincides with preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America.

"The government will continue to work across ministries to support companies related with Korean culture in expanding their presence in the North American market," he said in a release.

Earlier, it was reported that BLACKPINK had set the first-week sales record for K-pop girl group.