Korean food, beauty brands to converge in LA for 2026 K-EXPO USA

A promotional image for the 2026 K-EXPO USA / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Korean food and beauty companies will gather in Los Angeles this week for the 2026 K-EXPO USA, billed as the largest Korean content trade fair in North America, organizers said.

The event runs May 23 to 27 and is expected to draw some 40,000 visitors. It is hosted and organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). The full title of the event is "2026 K-EXPO USA: All about K-style."

The expo will feature l booths where visitors can sample Korean food and cosmetics featured in Korean dramas and films. The Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation will operate a booth recreating a Korean convenience store, offering instant foods, traditional fermented products and fusion sauces.

Nongshim will run a "Han River Ramen" tasting zone centered on its flagship Shin Ramyun brand, offering visitors the experience of eating their noodles by the riverside. The zone will also feature interactive games with the Shin Ramyun character "SHIN."

Korean fried chicken brand BBQ will also have a booth presenting its fried chicken menu and signature sauces.

A Korean food cooking segment is also planned. Actor and chef Ryu Su-young and star chef Song Hoon will host a live cooking show. Kim Ji-hee, owner-chef of a Korean restaurant in Los Angeles, will also lead a one-day cooking class.

On the beauty side, the expo will offer personal color consultations, makeup demonstrations and pop star makeup experiences.

Makeup artist brand Jungsaemmool Beauty will offer skin tone-matching programs featuring its cushion products. Beauty brands Banobagi, Dermafirm and Dr.JCOS will also participate with their own content.

The expo will also include a webtoon and content exhibition featuring popular Naver Webtoon titles including "Remarried Empress," "Mask Girl" and "A Soldier's Story."

Netflix will showcase emerging Korean creators who debuted through its platform, along with behind-the-scenes content illustrating a decade of collaboration with Korea's creative ecosystem.

On May 24, K-pop artists Jay Park, P1Harmony and LNGSHOT are scheduled to perform at the venue.

The expo also includes a support program for Korean small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to expand into global markets.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.