HYBE Partners with Son Heungmin’s Team LAFC to Host K-Culture Festival

Sponsoring the Event at the Playoff Home Game on the 29th

HYBE has partnered with Los Angeles FC, the Major League Soccer (MLS) team that Son Heungmin plays for, to host a K-Culture festival promoting Korean culture. This marks the first time HYBE has formed a partnership with a professional soccer team in the United States.

On October 24, HYBE announced that it will sponsor a K-Culture event at the first home game of the "Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs," which will be held on the 29th (local time) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, USA. This event is part of the partnership between HYBE and LAFC.

Hybe announced on the 24th that it will sponsor a K-culture event at the first home game of the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, which will be held on the 29th (local time) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, USA. Photo by Hybe

According to HYBE, the event was designed to highlight the cultural ties between Los Angeles, which has a large Korean community, and Korea, as well as to introduce the appeal of Korean culture to local sports fans.

HYBE and LAFC plan to present an immersive K-Culture festival to fans attending the match. During the game at LAFC’s home stadium, BMO Stadium, K-pop will be played as background music. There will also be a light show synchronized to the music of HYBE music group artists such as BTS, Seventeen, and Cat’s Eye.

Spectators will be able to experience K-pop fan culture through interactive effects using wristband cheering bands, lasers, and fireworks, all synced to the music. Popular local Korean restaurants will also offer fusion Korean dishes inspired by Koreatown culture at the venue.

Bang Si-hyuk, Chairman of HYBE, said, "Music and sports share the power to bring people together, transcending language and region. I am honored to collaborate with LAFC and MLS for the first time in Los Angeles, a city where diverse cultures including Korean culture coexist, and I am delighted to further strengthen our relationship with local fans."

Larry Freedman, Co-President of LAFC, stated, "LAFC understands the power of passionate fan culture. As HYBE’s first MLS partner, we look forward to creating an unforgettable experience that showcases the energy of K-pop and the inclusiveness of LAFC and Los Angeles through this collaboration."