Right in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, the smell of delicious ramen fills the air outside, while familiar K-pop hits echo from within.
This is the scene at L.A. Live in downtown LA, California, where “2026 K-Expo USA” officially opened on the afternoon of May 23 (local time).
Unlike typical trade fairs that focus solely on industry, K-Expo is a comprehensive event that introduces culture, industry, and lifestyle to the public through content. It is also closely linked to the government-led K-Initiative.
Fans can enjoy familiar foods often seen in K-dramas, such as Han River ramen and convenience store snacks, via two outdoor food trucks and six booths. Inside, various booths for K-beauty, dramas, webtoons, and sports allow visitors to dive deep into Korean content.
The K-beauty zone saw the longest lines of the event. Local visitors waited eagerly for personal color diagnosis and point makeup demonstrations.
An official from the Small and Medium Business Corporation’s LA booth explained, “Since skincare products are highly popular locally, 12 out of the 19 brands we featured focus on skincare.” They added, “It’s not just a display; visitors can scan QR codes to be taken directly to Amazon to purchase the products.”
There were plenty of spaces to experience Korea not just with the eyes, but with the taste buds too.
The Nongshim booth offered “Ramen-ttang” (ramen with sauce eaten like a snack), while the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation booth handed out seaweed snacks.
Even though some foods might have been unfamiliar, visitors who had already encountered them through K-content were more than happy to try them.
Actor Ryu Soo-young, who attended for a K-food demonstration, shared, “Since the year before last, I’ve been cooking rice all over the world through K-food events and broadcasts.” He emphasized, “Whether it was on Amazon, a small island next to Fiji, or in Spain, I’ve realized one thing: K-food truly resonates globally.”
At the back of the venue, the K-pop cover dance finals took place, with cheers filling the air. Seeing the winning team’s joy, it was clear how deeply Hallyu has permeated LA.
Kim Young-soo, the First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, who toured the event, stated, “The most important aspect of K-Expo is that it’s an in-person event.” He added, “It allows the world to directly experience Korea’s content, fashion, beauty, and food industries, while providing global opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.”
The event is co-hosted by five ministries—including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups—along with six agencies, including the Korean Cultural Center in LA and the Korea Creative Content Agency. It runs for five days from May 23 to 27.
Separately, a general meeting of the K-Initiative consultative body was held the previous day, hosted by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles, making it nearly a week of exploring the present and future of Hallyu in LA.
The K-Initiative meeting involved 24 public institutions with overseas offices, local governments, collaborating agencies, local Korean community organizations, and companies. They discussed various public-private partnership plans to expand interest in Hallyu content into industries like K-food, beauty, and tourism.
