The event, tentatively dubbed "Fanomenon," will run from Dec. 2 to 12 next year at Changdong in northern Seoul and KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, featuring headliner concerts, a fandom-focused awards show and industry exhibitions.
Those plans were presented at a press event in Seoul by Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young and JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin-young, who co-chair the committee.
A 20,000-seat arena in Changdong will host concerts and awards ceremonies, while KINTEX will hold a music festival, showcases, screenings and other exhibitions spanning the food, fashion, gaming, webtoon, animation, film and television industries.
Organizers expect the event to attract more than 520,000 visitors including over 200,000 from overseas, based on preliminary estimates by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute.
But Park dismissed the concern, saying the four major agencies would be responsible for drawing global attention, while the wider program would provide opportunities for rising artists and smaller labels.
He nevertheless admitted that the headliner concerts would require major acts, but said the accompanying performances, fan meets and showcases are intended to support newer artists and companies.
No artist lineup has been decided yet. Organizers said talks are underway with performers at home and overseas, while Park said foreign artists approached so far have responded positively.
Park said Fanomenon must quickly build enough prestige for leading artists to seek participation, citing Stray Kids' appearances at Lollapalooza and Rock in Rio as examples of South Korean acts performing at globally recognized festivals.
Organizers plan to identify the world's 10 most active fandoms across several categories using data analysis rather than fan voting. However, the selection criteria and weighting system have yet to be finalized.
Park said the committee was examining data from platforms such as Spotify and YouTube and expected to select a specialist company through a competitive bidding process to help establish the evaluation system.
The event's total budget, ticket prices and division of costs between the government and private companies also remain under discussion. Organizers said revenue would come from paid admission and sponsorships, while public funding would support the event's broader cultural objectives.
Officials also said the Changdong arena, scheduled for completion in May 2027, remains under construction. They added that an alternative venue would be considered if construction is delayed.
The upcoming event is separate from a traveling Fanomenon festival expected to begin in Los Angeles in May 2028. Park said the overseas festival, rather than the Seoul awards event, would more closely resemble global music festivals such as Coachella.
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