Korea launches largest-ever K-EXPO in Mexico to drive cultural expansion
A promotional poster for 2026 K-EXPO MEXICO / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Korea will bring food, beauty, entertainment and technology to Mexico City this week as six government ministries join forces for 2026 K-EXPO MEXICO, a four-day event aimed at expanding Korean exports across Latin America.
The expo runs Thursday through Sunday, with consumer exhibitions at Mexico City’s World Trade Center from Friday through Sunday, alongside business meetings and a K-pop concert.
Organized by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism with five other ministries and related agencies, the event will feature products from Nongshim, CJ CheilJedang, Binggrae and CheongKwanJang, as well as beauty offerings from Amorepacific and LG Household & Health Care.
Netflix will offer Spanish-language dubbing experiences featuring popular Korean content, while displays tied to Stray Kids will include a photo zone and videos.
Samsung Electronics, Kia and LG Electronics will also showcase technology linked to Korean content, including artificial intelligence-based recommendations tailored to individual preferences.
Korea’s content market in Mexico is valued at $30 billion, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency, which expects annual growth of 6.4 percent through 2029.
Exports of five major consumer goods from Korea to Latin America reached $779 million (572 billion won) in the first half of 2026, up 28.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
K-food exports to Latin America rose 19.5 percent during the same period, while exports of cosmetics by small and midsize Korean companies surged 131.9 percent, according to the agriculture and small business ministries.
Business matchmaking sessions Thursday and Friday will bring together 120 K-culture companies and 258 Mexican buyers, while 62 Korean companies will meet more than 120 buyers from seven countries.
The event will conclude Saturday with the Korea Spotlight K-pop concert at Pepsi Center, featuring WINNER, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, Soyou, DAYOUNG and Touch'd.
"Latin America is a key emerging market where K-culture has entered a full-fledged growth phase, and Mexico is at the center of that market," said Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young. "I hope this expo — where related government agencies unite and concentrate their core capabilities to support exports — will serve as an important stepping stone for opening up new markets for K-culture, while also bringing it a step closer to the daily lives of people in Latin America."
The ministry highlighted that the event serves as a strategic bridgehead for Korean businesses to expand across the region, building on Mexico's position as a focal point for the continent's growing enthusiasm for Korean culture.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.