Manhattan goes Full K-Mode: Why KOOM Week 2026 NYC is the Ultimate October Festival
Get ready, New York—the world’s biggest K-startup and cultural convergence is landing right in Manhattan! The United Korean Founders (UKF) officially announced that KOOM Week 2026 NYC will transform the city from October 12 through October 18. Following last year’s massive Brooklyn event that drew over 13,000 attendees, this year’s festival is expanding into a full-blown “urban platform” across Manhattan’s iconic neighborhoods.
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Dates: October 12–18, 2026
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Location: Flatiron District, Hell’s Kitchen & Manhattan
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Pop-Up Brands: Naver Webtoon, Nongshim, Memebox & more
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Key Highlights: Pitching, K-Food Trucks & Live K-Pop
K-Beauty, K-Food, and Venture Capital: Flatiron to Hell’s Kitchen
From October 14 to 18, the Flatiron District will play host to indoor pop-up exhibitions and a bustling outdoor food truck zone along 23rd Street. Major household names like Naver Webtoon, Nongshim, and Memebox will join 30+ rising K-brands spanning beauty, fashion, F&B, and tech as they showcase their latest innovations for the U.S. market.
Meanwhile, on October 16, Terminal 5 in Hell’s Kitchen will host heavy-hitting founder keynotes. Prominent Korean-American tech leaders and entrepreneurs—including Tim Hwang (FiscalNote), Jinha Lee (Spatial), Charlotte Cho (Soko Glam), Sarah Chung (Landing International), and John Kwak (Zero Infinity Partners)—will take the stage to drop game-changing business insights.
K-Pop Finale and Global Connections
It wouldn’t be a true K-culture celebration without an electric soundtrack! On the evening of October 16, Terminal 5 will switch gears from boardroom to beat drops for a live K-pop concert (the star-studded lineup drops this August).
Across the entire week, expect university exchanges, media showcases, and high-powered networking sessions scattered throughout the city.
“KOOM Week is the premier platform where Korean technology meets culture in New York,” shared UKF Chairman Se-ju Jeong and Co-Chair Ki-ha Lee. “We’re building a global ecosystem where successful founders empower the next generation.”
Mark your calendars for mid-October—whether you’re hunting for investment, craving street food, or ready to catch live music, Manhattan is the place to be!
