[INTERVIEW] MODYSSEY MAKE THEIR MARK WITH MEMORABLE MOMENTS AT KCON LA 2026

KCON LA 2026’s lineup was adorned with rookies, all looking for a chance to leave a lasting impression on attendees of the U.S.’ biggest K-POP festival. One group in particular stood out to be especially impactful: MODYSSEY.

MODYSSEY was formed through MNET’s survival show PLANET C : HOME RACE, where all seven members—YICHEN, HENGYU, ROWAN, LYNNLYNN, ZIHAO, SUREN, AND ZHEYI—were voted into the group by support from fans around the world. The survival show saw over 45,000,000 final votes, making it one of the most voted for survival shows in K-pop history.

AT KCON LA, they proved that those votes were well-earned. The members showed up with passion and determination throughout their multiple KCON LA 2026 appearances, performing a mix of covers and their well-known songs, like their debut track “HOOK.”

In between their festival activities, POP TOKKI got the chance to talk MODYSSEY about their history, current goals, and hopes for the future.

POP TOKKI: FOR PEOPLE NOT FAMILIAR WITH MODYSSEY, CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND WHO YOU ARE AS A GROUP?

MODYSSEY: Hello, we YICHEN, HENGYU, ROWAN, LYNNLYNN, ZIHAO, SUREN, AND ZHEYI, and we are MODYSSEY. We have different personalities and different charms, and we are just trying to get better with our music.

POP TOKKI: YOU ALL COME FROM A SURVIVAL SHOW BACKGROUND AND HAVE PARTICIPATEDS IN MORE THAN ONE THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREERS. LOOKING BACK ON YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH PLANET C, WHAT DID THAT PROGRAM MEAN TO YOU AND WHAT DID YOU HOPE TO SHOW THROUGH IT?

MODYSSEY: We were pursuing our individual dreams through the survival show. Now that we have become one group through MODYSSEY, we would like to pursue our collective dream together and be on the journey together.

POP TOKKI: MODYSSEY IS A NEWER GROUP THAT HAS ALREADY MADE AN IMPACK WITHIN THE INDUSTRY. ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC GOALS YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE IN THE FUTURE?

MODYSSEY: Our goal is to become a group known for performances that are always exciting and worth watching. Through a wider variety of stages, we hope to show fans around the world the unique colors and energy of all seven members. We’ll keep working hard and growing as artists, and we hope to share this journey with even more MODU in the future. 

POP TOKKI: MODYSSEY HAS MADE MULTIPLE APPEARANCES AT KCON LA THROUGH THE X STAGE, TOYOTA MUSIC DEN, SANRIO DANCE STAGE, AND MCOUNTDOWN. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED AT KCON OR LA THAT HAS BEEN MOST MEMORABLE?

MODYSSEY: Firstly, it’s an honor as MODYSSEY to be here at KCON LA, and also it’s our first time being in this beautiful city. And the most meaningful, I think, is the reaction of the audience. Like yesterday when we performed “What Makes You Beautiful,” everyone was singing the song together, and it made us more excited. We had so much fun!

POP TOKKI: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH FANS AND POP TOKKI READERS?

MODYSSEY: To our fans, we are very grateful to you, and to everyone who may not know us, we are going to work really, really hard so that we can bring the best stages. 

MODYSSEY made their mark at KCON LA 2026 throughout the three festival days. The group’s MCOUNTDOWN performance cover of “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction proved to be just as memorable to KCONers as it was to MODYSSEY, generating buzz from K-pop fans across the world due to the creative incorporation of voguing.

Their cover not only proved their abilities as a group but also gave KCONers a taste of the group’s own flavor through the engaging choreography and their interactiveness with the crowd. For this being their first KCON LA performance, MODYSSEY showed up and showed out, putting their best foot forward with all of their performances.

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Feature Image Credit: CJ ENM