Paradise City emerges as a premier music festival destination

Kim Chang-wan, Taeko Onuki, Deep Purple, rock band One Ok Rock…

World-class musicians from across the globe are flocking to Paradise City, the integrated resort on Yeongjongdo, as the venue has grown into a globally recognized concert destination through a string of music festivals.

According to Paradise, four major festivals took the stage at Paradise City this year: Asian Pop Festival 2026 (May 30–31), One Universe Festival 2026 (July 25–26), Sound Planet Festival 2026 (Sept. 5–6) and the Korea-Japan music festival XMF 2026 (Oct. 3–4).

Asian Pop Festival 2026 featured performances by Kim Chang-wan, widely regarded as the godfather of Korean rock, Japanese city-pop legend Taeko Onuki, and Quruli, a band with a 30-year career — all leading figures in Asian music. One Universe Festival 2026 brought together shoegaze legends My Bloody Valentine, internationally acclaimed indie-pop band The xx, Turnstile and Pendulum. Sound Planet Festival 2026 drew 73 acts, including Korean artists YB, Kim Junsu, Jang Beom-june, Cherry Filter and Guckkasten, alongside Japanese acts Uver World and Zutomayo.

At XMF 2026, held last weekend, One Ok Rock — a band that has spearheaded the global spread of Japanese rock — drew particular attention. Ahead of the festival, hard rock legends Deep Purple performed a standalone concert at Paradise City's Culture Park in April to a packed crowd.

The draw for musicians is Paradise City's differentiated infrastructure as a five-star integrated resort. The sprawling outdoor Culture Park, Studio Paradise, Club Chroma, live music lounge Rubik and the large open-air Plaza can all be configured as large-scale performance venues. An added strength is that hotel lobbies, restrooms, and a wide range of food-and-beverage and entertainment facilities remain accessible throughout performances.

Paradise City's festivals are evolving into a "stay-and-travel" experience — catching outdoor performances during the day, moving to indoor venues and clubs at night, then resting at the hotel. The events are also energizing the surrounding community. The Incheon Tourism Organization estimated the economic ripple effect of Sound Planet Festival over the next three years at around 81 billion won ($59.6 million).

"We will strengthen our position as a must-visit destination for world-class artists and music fans from home and abroad," a Paradise City official said. "Through high-quality content, we will contribute to revitalizing regional tourism and expanding the reach of culture and the arts."