Singer Wonho (WONHO), Kwon Eun-bi (KWON EUNBI), and the group VVUP will appear at 'ASEA 2026'.
The music festival where Asia's top-class artists gather, "the 3rd Asia Star Entertainer Awards 2026" (ASIA STAR ENTERTAINER AWARDS, hereafter "ASEA 2026"), will be held May 16 and 17 at Belluna Dome in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, and the organizing committee said on April 1 that Wonho, Kwon Eun-bi and VVUP have been confirmed to appear.
Wonho, who entered the music scene in 2015, released his first full-length album SYNDROME last October and received love from global fans. He has continued to show outstanding activity in live performance. From July last year through the first half of this year, Wonho successfully carried out his second world tour STAY AWAKE. Through this tour he toured four Latin American cities, 10 European cities and Saitama, Japan, passionately connecting with many audiences. Given his signature powerful live performances and his popularity beyond Korea to the world, there is growing anticipation about what kind of stage he will present at ASEA on May 17.
Kwon Eun-bi debuted as leader of the group IZ*ONE after appearing on Mnet's Produce 48 in 2018. After the group ended activities, she made a successful solo start in 2021 with mini album 1 OPEN. Through the title track Underwater from mini album 3 Lethality she climbed various music charts in reverse and solidified her global standing, and she continued to attract attention by delivering explosive and unwavering live performances on the WATERBOMB stage. Known by nicknames such as "performance queen," "Waterbomb goddess" and "reverse-chart icon," Kwon Eun-bi will take the stage on the second day of ASEA on May 17.
VVUP (Kim, Pan, Suyeon, Jiyoon), who debuted with their first single Doo Doom Chit in 2024, released the single 4 Life in January last year followed by Giddy Boy in June, House Party in October and their first mini album VVON in November. Especially with their first mini album they achieved the feat of reaching No. 1 on the iTunes R&B/Soul album chart in the home countries of member Kim from Indonesia and member Pan from Thailand. They also placed high on many countries' iTunes K-pop charts, including No. 3 in Russia, No. 7 in Indonesia, No. 9 in France, No. 11 in the U.K., No. 17 in Hong Kong and No. 88 in Japan. VVUP, continuing their global rise, will appear at ASEA on May 16.
ASEA, launched in 2024, has established itself as a global awards ceremony that selects artists who have influence beyond Asia to the world each year, awards them and presents high-quality performances. This year, top-class artists who achieved meaningful results over the past year will participate in large numbers and present spectacular stages. ATEEZ, &TEAM, ENHYPEN, Hearts2Hearts, IDID, Kwon Eun-bi (KWON EUNBI), NOWZ, THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE, VVUP, Wonho (WONHO), and xikers (listed in ABC order) have confirmed appearances. Monsta X's Hyungwon and IVE's Ray will serve as MCs on the first day, and singer-actor Lee Jun-ho and Go Youn-jung will also join.
ASEA 2026 is hosted by Newsen, Korea's leading entertainment and sports media that marks its 21st anniversary this year, and @style, a star and style magazine marking its 14th anniversary, and organized by the ASEA organizing committee.
ASEA 2026 will announce the artist lineup, award categories and judging criteria sequentially through its official website later. Ticket sales began on the 16th. [Photo] Highline Entertainment (Wonho), Double& (Kwon Eun-bi), Egoi ENT (VVUP) ASEA organizing committee [OSEN]