[Edaily Reporter YUN GI BACK ] “You can enjoy both K-pop and K-beauty at the same time—there’s never a dull moment.”

For fans attending “2026 KGMA,” even the time spent waiting for the performances was part of the festival. At the “KK-Beauty Festa,” held on the 7th and 8th near Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, audience members who had picked up their tickets enjoyed another form of entertainment as they moved between the various experience booths.

◇Pick up a ticket and take a tour of the booths… Try products firsthand and pick up gifts

The “KK-Beauty Festa” venue featured over 40 booths where visitors could enjoy K-pop and K-beauty. Attendees stopped in front of booths that piqued their interest and pulled out their cell phones. By scanning the provided QR codes and following each brand’s social media accounts, they could receive products or participate in events. Fans from around the world—including Korea, Japan, and China, as well as Italy, the UK, the U.S., and Brazil—spent time before the performance touring the booths.

At the beauty booths, visitors didn’t just look at the products—they also had the chance to try them on. Attendees applied the cosmetics themselves to check the texture and how well they glided on the skin. The opportunity to experience the feel of the products firsthand—something difficult to gauge from descriptions alone—and to take actual products home was well-received.

A space was also set up where fans who came to watch the stage performances could become the stars of the show themselves. At the “SM Universe” booth, fans participated in a dance challenge by mimicking the choreography of SM artists. Combined with an event offering autographed CDs, this helped build excitement among fans even before the performances began. JYP Entertainment, Mystic Story, and others also opened booths to introduce their artists and merchandise.

Katie, a woman in her 20s from the U.S., said, “It was a truly meaningful experience because I could enjoy both K-pop artists’ performances and K-beauty items.” Sayo, a woman in her 30s from Japan, added, “I had a wonderful time enjoying various hands-on experiences and even receiving gifts before entering the venue.”

◇From Eye Contact to Waving Hands… How the ‘Star Road’ Bridged the Gap Between Fans and Stars

The “Star Road,” introduced for the first time this year, ramped up the festive atmosphere even before the main event began. The Star Road is a unique KGMA feature that reimagines the traditional red carpet format to bridge the gap between fans and artists. It added time for artists to interact directly with fans during the official photo session.

In particular, cheers erupted every time a star appeared on stage. Even while posing for the cameras, the artists would turn their heads toward fans calling out to them, offering smiles and waving. Fans, who were now seeing the expressions and gestures they’d previously only seen on the big screen up close, expressed their delight with even louder cheers. What was meant to be a brief appearance for photos had expanded into a moment of connection with the fans.

Kim A-young, a woman in her 20s who watched Star Road, expressed her satisfaction, saying, “Usually, you just watch the red carpet, but Star Road allows for two-way communication, so it was a special experience.”