Busan, South Korea – On July 5th, the city of Busan announced the initial lineup for the 2023 Busan One Asia Festival (BOF), a flagship celebration of Hallyu, the “Korean Wave,” that proudly represents South Korea on the international stage.
Set to take place on October 21st and 22nd, the festival promises two days of immersive Korean culture and music. The first day will see the Busan Asiad Main Stadium buzzing with energy, as a K-POP concert featuring various artists with passionate international fanbases takes center stage. The following day, a community-focused park concert is slated to unfold at Busan Port Pier 1, inviting locals and tourists alike to participate in the festivities.
The BOF holds a special place in the heart of Hallyu enthusiasts, marking its seventh year in 2023. Since its inception, the festival has grown into a central hub for the global Hallyu fandom, garnering attention from every corner of the world. The event’s significance stretches beyond the boundaries of Korea, serving as a testament to the growing international influence of Korean culture and music. Over the years, it has featured a lineup of the top K-POP acts, showcasing the dynamism and diversity of the Korean music scene to an international audience.
However, the journey has not always been smooth. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the BOF to shift gears, leading to the festival’s outright cancellation in 2020 and a transition to a virtual format in May 2021. In a further blow to fans, a K-POP concert scheduled for October 30th last year had to be canceled as the date coincided with a national mourning period for the Itaewon disaster.
Despite these challenges, the festival is poised to return to an in-person format after a hiatus of four years. The Tourism Board anticipates a significant uptick in international tourists keen to participate in the live K-POP concerts. Historically, international attendees have constituted 20-30% of the K-POP concert audience at the BOF. In fact, last year, 7,000 out of the 32,000 cancelled concert seats (21.9%) had been reserved by overseas travel agencies, underscoring the international appeal of the festival. Attendees represented a diverse array of nationalities, hailing from Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
This year’s K-POP concert is expected to accommodate 35,000 attendees, with the park concert planning to host between 5,000 and 8,000 participants. In anticipation of the event’s popularity, the Tourism Board will offer early-bird tickets for the K-POP concert as part of a comprehensive Busan tour package, catering to both domestic and international travel agencies and online travel platforms (OTAs).
With its seventh iteration in sight, the BOF aspires to be a leading K-POP festival that unites young people from around the world through a shared love for Korean music and culture. The first round of performers includes Hallyu idols NCT 127 and Fantasy Boys, with the announcement of the second round eagerly anticipated. In addition, the 2023 event will feature promotional videos and exhibition booths for the 2030 Busan World Expo, seamlessly integrating the festival’s festivities with a broader cultural agenda.
