The Journey of K-pop Performance ⑥ K-pop Africa, in Search of the Future of K-pop - sports.khan.co.kr

In Sports Kyunghyang’s column “The Journey of K-pop Performance” No.6 (by Leo Kang, published Sep 17, 2026), the author surveys how K-pop is spreading across Africa and what that suggests for K-pop’s future. Citing a Korea-Africa Foundation finding that Hallyu fan-club membership in Africa rose 196-fold from 2014 to 2023, the piece gives concrete examples—ITZY at Mawazine in June 2026, the 2025 Ubuntu with Korean Culture Festival in Pretoria where K-pop met South Africa’s Amapiano, and grassroots events in Nigeria—and characterizes regional trends as market, fusion, and participation.