Indian critic says Weverse Con's mix of K-pop and local stars could attract audiences beyond established K-pop fandom
Hybe is betting on a mix of K-pop stars and Indian artists, including rapper King and Tomorrow X Together (TXT), to attract a broader audience as it brings its Weverse Con Festival overseas for the first time next year, choosing a multi-artist format over a standalone K-pop concert.
The two-day Weverse Con Festival India will take place March 27-28, 2027, in New Delhi. Organized by Weverse Company, a Hybe subsidiary that operates the global fandom platform Weverse, the event will bring together Korean and Indian performers as the entertainment company expands into India's live music market.
"We will maximize Hybe's global concert planning and production capabilities to create performances where Korean and Indian music come together and fans can share the excitement," a Hybe India official said.
The lineup includes TXT, Enhypen and Le Sserafim, alongside Lara Raj, an Indian-American member of Katseye, the multinational girl group formed through a partnership between Hybe and Geffen Records. Lara Raj will perform as a solo artist at the festival in India, rather than with her group. Solo artists Eric Nam, Hwasa and Dayoung will also take the stage.
Indian rapper King and Indian American singer-songwriter Rhea Raj, Lara Raj's older sister, will also perform, bringing Indian hip-hop and pop influences to the festival.
Other performers include Reble, DJ Zelo, Ranj & Clifr and Gini.
The festival's expansion into India marks a departure from Hybe's previous approach of holding Weverse Con in South Korea, where the event has brought together artists from different labels and musical backgrounds.
Rather than launching its Indian concert business with a standalone performance by a single K-pop group, Hybe is introducing the multi-artist format, designed to appeal to different fan bases.
An Indian culture critic, Reeti Roy, said the decision reflects a calculated strategy to reach a broader audience while reducing the financial risks associated with staging a large-scale concert by a single artist.
"By choosing a festival model, Hybe isn't just selling tickets to a concert; they are exporting an entire infrastructure of fandom," she said.
The critic added that TXT, Le Sserafim and Hwasa are likely to draw strong interest from Indian K-pop fans, while the inclusion of local artists could broaden the festival's appeal beyond the genre's established audience.
"Artists like King bring an immense, cross-format mainstream pull," Roy said. "He bridges the commercial hip-hop and pop space effortlessly, drawing crowds who go to festivals for the overall scene rather than a specific geopolitical allegiance."
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com