CNBLUE Powers Through ATA Festival 2026, Sets KSPO DOME Return for February

K-POP band CNBLUE marked its 17th debut anniversary with a headlining set at one of Seoul's biggest outdoor festivals of the year. The three-member band also confirmed a two-night solo concert at KSPO DOME in February 2027, their first-ever show at the arena.

CNBLUE, made up of Jung Yong-hwa, Kang Min-hyuk, and Lee Jung-shin, headlined the opening night of the second annual Asia Top Artist Festival 2026 on Oct. 19 at Nanji Hangang Park in Seoul's Sangam neighborhood. Their set featured career-defining hits including "I'm a Loner" (Oettoriya) and "I'm Sorry."

Even after nearly two decades, the band still commands the stage the way they did as rookies. Asked how they keep up the pace, Jung Yong-hwa said the energy comes from the crowd.

"It might look tough, but when we're actually doing it, it doesn't feel that way," he said. "When we jump with the audience, we feed off each other, and it becomes really fun."

Playing among a long lineup of artists, Jung Yong-hwa said stamina is what sets CNBLUE apart for anyone seeing them for the first time.

"There are so many great artists out there," he said. "But within that, I think we're a band with real physical strength. We plan to show that passion and performance that never runs out of energy."

The band also weighed in on the growing appetite for band music in South Korea and the rise of festival lineups. Kang Min-hyuk said fans of the genre had always been there, but the stages had not.

"People who love bands have always been around," he said. "But now there are so many festivals in Korea and so many more chances for us to perform. That means bands have more places to meet audiences and connect with them."

Lee Jung-shin shared what he called a long-held dream for the group: their first solo show at KSPO DOME, one of Seoul's largest indoor arenas.

"As CNBLUE, we've never been to KSPO DOME, so it was one of our dreams," he said. "We're going to KSPO DOME in February 2027. If you have time, please come with your friends."

Night one of the ATA Festival on Oct.19 featured CNBLUE and WOODZ as headliners, along with &TEAM, LUCY, "Car, the garden", Moon Sang-min, Dynamicduo, Lee Oh-wook, Kim Su-young, and Hi-Fi UN!CORN.

Night two on Oct.20 was headlined by ATEEZ and JANNABI. The lineup also included idol acts KickFlip, Alpha Drive One, and YENA, along with Lee Mu-jin, Urban Zakapa, Daybreak, Choi Hyun-wook, and Dragon Pony.

Now in their 18th year, CNBLUE remain one of the defining acts of the K-POP band scene. The group will play its two-night solo concert at KSPO DOME in Seoul on February 20 and 21, 2027. The shows follow a world tour that began in January of this year and visited 20 cities, concluding with encore dates at BEXCO Auditorium in Busan on Sept. 12 and 13.