CJ E & M to begin 2018 KCON in Japan SEOUL , Jan . 22 ( Yonhap ) -- Japan has been designated the first country to host South Korea ' s largest convention of Korean pop music and culture for this year , organizers said Monday . First launched in Irvine , California , in 2012 , KCON is hosted by CJ E & M and held in multiple countries throughout the world . Attending the event has become an annual pilgrimage for K - pop fans around the globe , with more than 566 , 000 fans taking part throughout its seven - year run . CJ E & M is the media and entertainment unit of the South Korean conglomerate CJ . KCON Japan began in 2015 and has expanded in size every year to reach a three - year cumulative total of 96 , 000 visitors . This year ' s KCON is to kick off at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba , Japan , from April 13 - 15 . The lineup for the event is not yet available . " CJ E & M is playing a pivotal role in establishing the Korean lifestyle as one of the mainstream cultures within Japan by continuously hosting KCON , where visitors can experience Korean culture in a comprehensive way , " Shin Hyung - gwan , who is in charge of the company ' s music content business , said in a press release . " We will take a step forward this year to revitalize cultural exchanges between Korea and Japan . " sshim @ yna . co . kr ( END )