K-LIVE FESTIVAL BAND:AGE draws 34,000 visitors to Thailand and Vietnam

The K-LIVE FESTIVAL BAND:AGE attracted approximately 34,000 visitors across Thailand and Vietnam during the "2026 Korea Season" project. While the October 17 performance in Bangkok at UOB Live was a sold-out event for 6,000 spectators, the free outdoor concert in Hanoi drew 28,000 people over two days.

The K-LIVE FESTIVAL BAND:AGE, held as part of the "2026 Korea Season" global cultural exchange project hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and co-organized by KOFICE and the Korean Cultural Centers in Thailand and Vietnam, has successfully concluded, recording a cumulative total of approximately 34,000 visitors.

"2026 Korea Season" is an annual project that selects a target country each year to intensively introduce various Korean cultural arts; this year, it is presenting diverse programs including dance, music, and media art in the target countries of Thailand and Vietnam. Among these, the K-LIVE FESTIVAL was organized as a stage to introduce Korean live music to the local regions.

The performance held at UOB Live in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 17, drew approximately 6,000 spectators with all seats sold out. The event held at the outdoor stage by the back gate of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Vietnam in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 24 and 25, attracted a total of approximately 28,000 visitors over the two days.

The festival holds significant meaning in that it went beyond K-pop to introduce the currently prominent Korean bands and live music culture to the local regions, providing an opportunity for cultural exchange where Korean and Thai/Vietnamese artists and audiences could discover each other's music.

From Bangkok to Hanoi... Live stages created by Korean and local artists together

Planned under the theme "The Era of Bands Now (BAND+AGE)," this festival featured live stages introducing various Korean bands and indie music alongside the music of local artists.

The Bangkok performance on October 17 featured Korean artists HYUKOH, ONEWE, Minsu, and EVAN, along with the Thai band PAPER PLANES. The artists delivered performances reflecting their unique identities in rock, indie, and pop, drawing enthusiastic responses from the audience. In particular, the event garnered high interest even before its opening as tickets sold out quickly on the day they were released.

Following this, in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 24 and 25, QWER, Silica Gel, and TOUCHED, along with DjembeCola, Mijinee, and The Shepherd Bois, took the stage. Additionally, Vietnamese singer-songwriter Hoàng Dũng and the Màu Nước Band participated, showcasing a diverse array of Korean and Vietnamese music.

The Hanoi performance was organized as a free outdoor concert open to anyone, providing local audiences with an opportunity to broadly experience Korean band and indie music.

Introducing the diversity of Korean live music... Cultural exchange that broadens mutual understanding

This "BAND:AGE" was structured to introduce various Korean bands and indie music to the local regions while simultaneously allowing Thai and Vietnamese artists to participate so that audiences could experience each other's music.

Through this, it provided an opportunity to broaden mutual understanding between Korean and local audiences through music and to create a momentum for continuous cultural exchange. This aligns with the purpose of "2026 Korea Season" to introduce various Korean cultural arts to local regions and expand cultural exchange.

Meanwhile, "2026 Korea Season" will continue its diverse programs following this K-LIVE FESTIVAL. On November 5, "SM CLASSICS LIVE in HANOI," featuring SM Classics and the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, and in Thailand, the media art exhibition "Landscape of Wind," which reconstructs immersive content from the National Museum of Korea, is scheduled to meet audiences starting November 16.

Detailed information regarding the various cultural events of "2026 Korea Season" can be found on the official website (https://koreaseason.co.kr) and official SNS (Instagram, Facebook).

Korea Season: https://koreaseason.co.kr

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