KEYVITUP Creates Lasting Memories with KEYPER Ahead of KCON LA 2026

Los Angeles welcomed iNKODE's boy group, KEYVITUP, ahead of their highly anticipated appearance at KCON LA 2026, giving fans several opportunities to meet the five-member rookie group as they began their first promotional activities in the United States. From a special Polaroid event at hello82 LA to their 1st FANNECT fan meet, the group spent time connecting with KEYPER from around the world before bringing their debut music to the KCON stage. For a group only four months into their career, the activities offered a meaningful introduction to the people supporting their journey while giving KEYVITUP the opportunity to experience the growing interest surrounding them firsthand.

For a group still in the early stages of their career, the Los Angeles visit represented another step in KEYVITUP's already expanding presence outside of Korea. Produced by iNKODE founder Kim Jaejoong, the five-member group, consisting of Taehwan, Hyunmin, Sena, Jaein, and Rukia, made their official debut on April 8 with their first EP, [KEYVITUP], immediately positioning themselves as a rookie act with global ambitions. The five-track release features "BEST ONE," "KEYVITUP," "LEGENDARY," "SHOW ME SOMETHING," and "POLAROID," with the members contributing to the lyrics across the group's double title tracks.

The attention surrounding the group's debut has extended into the United States, where KEYVITUP have already reached several milestones. Shortly after their debut, the group ranked No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes K-Pop Music Video chart while also reaching the top of Amazon Music's Best Seller Songs and Hot New Release Songs charts. KEYVITUP continue their momentum as their debut title track, "KEYVITUP," entered the Top 20 of the U.S. YouTube Shorts chart, placing the rookie group among a field largely made up of global pop artists. This achievement added another significant moment to their U.S. visit, which was already filled with opportunities for KEYVITUP to introduce themselves to new audiences. While KCON LA provided the group with an opportunity to perform in front of a much larger crowd, events like the hello82 Polaroid gathering and FANNECT fan meet created space for more direct interactions with KEYPER.

At hello82, KEYVITUP met with fans for a special Polaroid event, creating personal keepsakes with supporters ahead of a busy KCON weekend. The intimate setting gave the members an opportunity to interact with fans face-to-face and share moments that extended beyond their performances. Each Polaroid became a small memento of the group's first activities, capturing a moment between KEYVITUP and KEYPER who came out to welcome them to Los Angeles.

That connection continued the following day at The Eastwood Performing Arts Center, where KEYVITUP held their 1st FANNECT fan meet in Los Angeles. KEYPER traveled from around the world to spend time with the members, creating an intimate atmosphere centered on direct interaction between the group and their fans. This gathering allowed the members to slow down and spend meaningful time with the people who have supported them since their debut. The members began the event with a fansign and brief chat before transitioning into a Q&A session built around handwritten questions prepared by the audience.

The questions ranged from simple introduction prompts that gave fans a closer look at the members' individual personalities. Fans asked about everything from their favorite colors to the groups they are currently listening to, creating an easygoing conversation between KEYVITUP and KEYPER. When asked about their current favorite group, the members showed their support for fellow labelmates VAYONN, prompting cheers from the audience. The moment offered a glimpse into the camaraderie within their growing label family while giving KEYPER another opportunity to learn more about the members beyond their work as performers.

The casual conversations gave the members plenty of opportunities to tease one another, from Jaein ranking the members' "swag," with Sena earning the fewest points and Jaein earning the most. The members were also playful about their maknae, Rukia. Throughout the Q&A, the members could be seen enjoying the relaxed atmosphere with KEYPER as they playfully called Rukia "so cute" and even referred to him as a baby. The teasing quickly became part of the charm of the gathering, giving fans a glimpse into the natural dynamic between the five members when they are away from the more structured environment of a performance.

Things took a turn for Jaein when a request asked him to show some aegyo. Jaein reluctantly stepped into the middle of the stage, visibly shy as he delivered a brief "goo goo ga ga" for the audience. Almost immediately after completing the request, he jumped over his chair and disappeared behind the curtain, seemingly overwhelmed by his own embarrassment. The moment only became more memorable when the other members brought Rukia into the situation, as he curled over in his seat from secondhand embarrassment at what he had just witnessed while the other members thoroughly enjoyed watching the usually composed Jaein reveal this unexpectedly playful side of himself. Pointing the spotlight toward Rukia once more, they asked him if Jaein was cute, to which he responded, "No, not cute," before taking center stage for a brief, low-toned "goo goo ga ga" while showing off his biceps, generating deafening screams from the crowd.

The handwritten questions also gave the members an opportunity to show their playful side. Among the requests from the audience was a challenge for the members to dance to "Mirotic," a song originally performed by TVXQ, the former group of KEYVITUP's founder, Kim Jaejoong. The request connected KEYVITUP's present-day journey with a recognizable piece of their founder's musical history, while the interaction itself kept the Q&A light and engaging.

Immediately following the Q&A, the atmosphere shifted as KEYVITUP prepared to showcase the music that first introduced them to audiences earlier this year. The members took the stage to perform "BEST ONE," "KEYVITUP," and "LEGENDARY," bringing the energy of their debut EP into the intimate setting of The Eastwood Performing Arts Center. Following a morning and afternoon of personal interactions, the performance offered KEYPER a chance to experience the members in their element while seeing the songs they had come to know since the group's debut brought to life onstage.

As the showcase came to an end, KEYVITUP had one final opportunity to create an intimate and meaningful connection with KEYPER before moving onto a much larger stage. The members joined fans for selfies and group photos, giving everyone in attendance one last personal moment with the group before saying their goodbyes. What began with individual fan interactions and handwritten questions ultimately ended with shared photographs and lasting memories, closing out KEYVITUP's first fan meet in Los Angeles on a personal note.

For a rookie group whose stated goal is to be remembered and recognized by fans around the world, every interaction becomes part of that foundation. In Los Angeles, KEYVITUP were able to turn that ambition into real connections, meeting KEYPER from across the globe, sharing their music and personalities, and creating memories with the fans who came out to welcome them. As the group continues forward, their first U.S. activities stand as another meaningful chapter in the story of KEYVITUP and the global audience they hope to reach.

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