Giant Korean Culture Expo KPEX to Debut in New York in 2027
KPEX: Korean Pop Culture Expo is preparing to open its doors for the first time in New York City in 2027. Behind the event are some of the most experienced figures in the American expo industry: Greg Topalian, co-creator of New York Comic Con, Robert Khoo, co-creator of PAX, and Peter Tatara, founder of Anime NYC. The trio coming together is seen as the clearest sign that KPEX will be a professional-scale expo far bigger than an ordinary fan gathering.
The expo, whose exact date and venue have not yet been announced, is planned to cover all aspects of Hallyu, the Korean wave. According to the organizing team's initial statements, KPEX will bring together K-Pop concerts and fan meetings, K-Drama screenings and actor panels, manhwa and webtoon publishing, Korean cuisine, the beauty and fashion industries, and the gaming world under one roof. KPEX is expected to be especially significant for the manhwa and webtoon sectors, which have experienced a global boom in recent years.
The timing of this move is no coincidence. Korean pop culture has gained incredible momentum in the Western market over the past five years. K-Dramas such as Squid Game and All of Us Are Dead breaking records on Netflix, groups like BTS and BLACKPINK dominating North America with stadium tours, and manhwa adaptations such as Solo Leveling, True Beauty, and Wind Breaker shaking up anime charts have taken demand for Korean content to its peak. Even Anime NYC alone hosted more than 100,000 attendees in 2024, proving just how large the audience is. Industry analysts believe KPEX will fill this gap and take its place alongside giants like New York Comic Con and Anime NYC as the first large-scale American expo dedicated to Korean culture.
The experience of the organizing team also raises expectations. Greg Topalian is the figure who turned New York Comic Con, which he launched in 2006, into a giant with more than 200,000 visitors. Robert Khoo, meanwhile, has made PAX one of North America's largest gaming expos since 2004. Anime NYC, founded by Peter Tatara in 2017, quickly became the second-largest anime expo in the U.S. The combination of these three figures' strengths shows that KPEX will be a major meeting point for both industry professionals and fans. Participant companies, ticket sales, and venue announcements are expected in the coming months ahead of the expo's 2027 launch. It seems only a matter of time before Korean culture gets its own Comic-Con in New York.
