Provided by Melon
By participating as an official sponsor of ‘The 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026’, Melon will provide tailored content that lets fans enjoy the festival in advance and in greater depth.
Kakao Entertainment(co-CEOs Go Jeong-hee and Jang Yoon-jung) said on the 7th that its music platform Melon(Melon) will join ‘The 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026(The 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026)’ as an official sponsor and run integrated online and offline events.
With this sponsorship, Melon is unveiling special Melon Magazine features and social media events, expanding touchpoints with music fans both inside and outside the festival grounds.
Launched in 2007, the Seoul Jazz Festival marks its 18th anniversary with the 2026 edition. By narrowing the distance between jazz and the public through a variety of genres and presenting high-caliber performances, it has built a devoted fandom, drawing around 60,000 attendees each year, and has established itself as the top music festival in Korea.
On Melon, a special feature spotlighting 10 key artists who will shine at the 2026 Seoul Jazz Festival, ‘Seoul Jazz Festival Lineup TOP 10’, is now available through Melon Magazine. The feature offers detailed introductions to the musical worlds of artists spanning jazz, pop, soul, hip-hop, and rock, along with key viewing points. It also includes the official mood playlist of the festival so fans can feel the excitement in advance.
Tied to the Melon Magazine special, Melon is also running an ‘SNS Favorite Proof’ event. After reading the ‘Seoul Jazz Festival 2026: Even More Fun When You Know’ feature in Melon Magazine, participants who, via Melon Instagram, tag a friend they want to go with along with a screenshot of the artist they most look forward to will be entered into a drawing to receive Seoul Jazz Festival tickets.
The 2026 Seoul Jazz Festival is heightening anticipation among fans as appearances by top domestic and international artists are confirmed. On the first day, May 22, performers include Janelle Monáe, whose performances fuse soul, funk, and hip-hop; legendary jazz trumpeter and 10-time Grammy winner Arturo Sandoval; the ‘Meboz’ unit DxS Dokyeom X Seungkwan from K-pop group Seventeen; and singer-songwriter Jang Beom-jun, known for candid lyrics delivered with an unadorned voice.
On May 23, the lineup features Jon Batiste, a seven-time Grammy winner who transcends genres such as jazz and pop; Epik High, a hip-hop group in its 23rd year; singer-songwriter Baek Yerin, recognized for a robust musical world; and two NCT members, Taeyong and Haechan, who will each bring their own distinct colors to the stage.
On May 24, jazz legend Herbie Hancock, with a 65-year career and 14 Grammy wins; Medeski Martin & Wood, who layer experimental sounds onto straight-ahead jazz; Hyukoh, who delicately probes emotion with unembellished music; and Silica Gel, with psychedelic textures and explosive energy, will bring the festival to a close on the final day.
A Melon representative said, “The Seoul Jazz Festival is the premier music festival in Korea where you can experience high-caliber performances by top artists from Korea and abroad in one place,” adding, “Through this sponsorship, Melon will actively help music fans preview the excitement of the festival online and, in turn, enjoy an even richer celebration on site.”
