XMF Organizing Committee

A music festival bringing together top bands from South Korea and Japan is set to take place. The music industries of the two countries are joining forces to stage ‘XMF 2026’ in Incheon this October.

A global music festival that brings together top artists representing South Korea and Japan is about to kick off.

The XMF Organizing Committee (Chair David Lim) announced that it will hold ‘XMF 2026 (Xnterstellar Music Festival 2026)’ in Incheon over two days, October 3-4.

‘XMF 2026’ is an international exchange festival co-hosted by the XMF Organizing Committee and the NPO Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Association, and, for the first time, officially sponsored by the Cultural & Entertainment Industry Promotion Association of Japan (CEIPA) and the Federation of Music Producers Japan (FMPJ).

Over the two days, 22 top bands and artists representing South Korea and Japan will meet audiences. It will be a rare stage where top lineups from both countries, normally hard to see together, appear at a single festival.

The festival name ‘Xnterstellar’ was created by combining ‘X’ and ‘Interstellar’. Here, ‘X’ symbolizes crossing, connection, and expansion. The name reflects the aim of XMF that when different musical backgrounds and sensibilities meet within one festival, new possibilities open. It expresses a commitment to link rather than split boundaries, and to broaden horizons together rather than compete.

Organizing Committee Chair David Lim said, “XMF is the first-ever joint brand nurtured together by South Korea and Japan; rather than a one-off event that ends after a single outing, we aim to develop it into a sustainable cultural ecosystem platform built collaboratively by the music industries of both countries,” and added, “In line with this purpose, we plan to present the festival in Japan as well over two days, July 3-4 next year.”

XMF plans to sequentially announce the venue, ticket on-sale schedule, and lineup through its official website and social media channels.