Legendary hard rock band Deep Purple, Japanese rock band One OK Rock, My Bloody Valentine, and The xx are among the diverse artists who have performed in Incheon this year, all at Paradise City.
The music events kicked off on April 18 with Deep Purple's solo concert, followed by the Asian Pop Festival in May, the One Universe Festival in July, the Sound Planet Festival in September, and the XMF 2026 festival this month. Notable artists such as Kim Chang-wan, Onuki Daeko, YB, and Ado have taken the stage.
◆From Deep Purple to XMF: Musicians Gather in Yeongjongdo
This year's music events at Paradise City began with Deep Purple's solo concert on April 18. Formed in 1968, Deep Purple is a British rock band that has been active for over five decades. They chose Paradise City Culture Park for their first concert in South Korea in 16 years.
On May 30-31, the Asian Pop Festival 2026, hosted by the Paradise Cultural Foundation, featured 51 teams from seven countries, including Kim Chang-wan Band, Onuki Daeko, and the Japanese band Gururi.
The One Universe Festival 2026, held on July 25-26, included performances by My Bloody Valentine, The xx, Turnstile, and Pendulum, showcasing a variety of genres from shoegaze to indie pop, hardcore, and electronic music.
On September 5-6, the Sound Planet Festival 2026 featured artists such as YB, Young K, Kim Junsu, Jang Beom-jun, Cherry Filter, and Gugakasten, along with Japanese acts Uberworld and Zutto Mayo. Performances took place across five stages at Culture Park, Studio Paradise, Chroma, Chroma Square, and Plaza Square.
The XMF 2026 festival took place on October 3-4, featuring 22 teams of Korean and Japanese artists over two days. The first day included performances by Ado, Lucy, Younha, FT Island, and Mika Nakashima, while the second day featured Day6, One OK Rock, YB, Uberworld, and Xdinary Heroes.
Ado headlined the first day, while One OK Rock and Day6 served as double headliners on the second day, with Day6 closing the festival. According to the organizers, approximately 42,000 attendees visited XMF over the two days.
◆Festival Experience from Outdoor Stages to Hotels
Paradise City features various venues, including the outdoor Culture Park, Studio Paradise, Club Chroma, the live music lounge Rubik, and the Plaza. The multiple performance spaces allow for flexible use according to the scale and nature of each festival.
During last month's Sound Planet Festival, five stages were utilized, and the Plaza Square busking stage was open to visitors without tickets.
With hotels, restaurants, and cafes located near the performance venues, attendees can conveniently enjoy meals and relaxation before and after shows. Guests can return to their rooms shortly after late-night performances. For the resort, this creates opportunities to connect concertgoers with dining and lodging needs. The variety of entertainment options, including performances, exhibitions, and gourmet experiences, has broadened visitors' choices.
The Incheon City and Incheon Tourism Organization have supported efforts to link music festivals with local tourism. During the Sound Planet Festival, shuttle buses connected the venue with major cities in the metropolitan area and provided lodging support. A tourist information desk was set up at the event to offer information about Incheon attractions and travel.
The Incheon Tourism Organization anticipates that over the next three years, the Sound Planet Festival will attract more than 150,000 visitors to Incheon, with an estimated economic impact of approximately 81 billion won across related industries, including tourism, lodging, dining, and transportation.
Paradise City plans to continue attracting performances and festivals featuring both domestic and international artists, building on the success of this year's music events.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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