MU:CON 2026: Connecting K-Music to Global Business and New Industries
Three days of music, business, ideas and new connections in Seoul
MU:CON 2026 successfully concluded on September 4 after three days of showcases, conferences, business meetings and networking that brought together artists and music and entertainment professionals from Korea and around the world.
Held from September 2–4, 2026, the business and conference programs took place at the Sangam CUBE Convention Center, while showcases were presented at Sangam CUBE on September 2–3 and at Yongsan Children’s Garden on the final day.
Now in its 15th edition, MU:CON has developed into one of Korea’s key global music business platforms, supporting Korean artists and music companies in building international networks and exploring opportunities beyond the domestic market.
This year, however, the conversation extended beyond music itself.
From K-Music to Global Business
MU:CON 2026 brought together different parts of the music ecosystem through its conference, business matching, networking, workshops and global showcases.
Across the three days, conversations addressed some of the most important questions facing today’s music industry — from international market entry and fandom development to AI, copyright, technology, content, investment and new business models.
Opening the conference, Kim Jaejoong, founder of iNKODE Entertainment, delivered a keynote on how smaller K-pop companies can compete globally.
Drawing from his experience as both an artist and entrepreneur, he emphasized that global expansion should not simply mean following the strategies of larger entertainment companies with smaller budgets. Instead, companies need to understand individual markets, audiences and consumption patterns and develop strategies specifically designed for them.
His message reflected a broader theme running throughout MU:CON 2026: there is no single formula for taking Korean music global.
Music Meets Other Industries
Another important direction for MU:CON 2026 was the expansion of music business conversations into other industries.
Music today exists far beyond traditional albums, streaming platforms and concerts.
It is increasingly connected to gaming, AI, technology, mobility, content, brands, platforms, tourism and fan experiences.
MU:CON explored these intersections by bringing perspectives from music together with professionals and companies from adjacent industries, creating opportunities to discover partnerships that may not emerge within the traditional music ecosystem alone.
The objective was simple: to create more opportunities for people from different industries to meet, exchange ideas and find new reasons to work together.
Because some of the most interesting collaborations begin when people who would not normally meet find themselves in the same room.
Business Matching: Turning Conversations into Opportunities
At the heart of MU:CON remained its B2B business program.
Artists, labels, publishers, distributors, promoters, platforms and other industry professionals were able to meet through business matching and networking throughout the event.
MU:CON 2026 also expanded the scope of these conversations by connecting music companies with professionals from adjacent sectors including advertising, gaming and brand marketing.
Rather than treating networking as a side program, business exchange remained one of the central purposes of MU:CON — creating an environment where an introduction could potentially develop into a distribution agreement, performance opportunity, content collaboration, partnership or entry into a new market.
42 Artists, One Global Stage
Music itself remained at the center of the event.
A total of 42 artist teams were announced for the MU:CON 2026 global showcase program, representing a broad spectrum of Korea’s contemporary music scene — from idol groups and bands to singer-songwriters and crossover artists.
Performances took place across Sangam CUBE Convention Center before the showcase moved to Yongsan Children’s Garden for the final day.
Artists including SAY MY NAME, KIIRAS, BAYON, KARDI, ODD YOUTH, YOUNITE, Stella Jang, SEODO BAND, Redoor and Na Sanghyun씨Band, among many others, took the stage during the three-day program.
For emerging artists in particular, MU:CON was not simply another performance opportunity. The showcases existed alongside an international business environment where artists could be discovered by industry professionals and potentially connect their music to opportunities outside Korea.
The Conversation Continues
MU:CON 2026 officially ended on September 4.
But the real outcome of an event like MU:CON cannot be measured only by what happened during those three days.
It will also be measured by what happens next.
A conversation that began over coffee may become a partnership. A business meeting may become an overseas project. A showcase performance may lead to a new market. And a meeting between people from completely different industries may become an idea that did not exist before MU:CON.
That is ultimately what a global music business platform should create: connections that continue after the venue closes.
W KOREA was proud to be part of bringing together the people, ideas and opportunities behind MU:CON 2026.
To all the artists, speakers, delegates, industry professionals, partners, production teams and everyone who joined us in Seoul — thank you for being part of MU:CON 2026.
The event may be over, but we hope the collaborations that started here are only beginning.
See you at the next MU:CON.
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