JO1 have pulled out of this weekend’s KCON LA due to COVID-19.Five of the J-pop group’s 11 members have tested positive for the coronavirus, the group’s agency Lapone Entertainment revealed in a statement on its website on August 15.
As a result JO1 will not appear at KCON LA, the K-pop festival and convention marking its 10th anniversary in Los Angeles this weekend.The first member of JO1 to test positive for COVID-19 was Sato Keigo, who reported symptoms last Friday.
After he tested positive, Lapone Entertainment said, the rest of the group conducted tests, revealing that four more had also contracted the virus: Takumi Kawanishi, Sukai Kinjo, Issei Mamehara and Junki Kono.KCON has also shared the news of JO1’s withdrawal from the KCON LA line-up, issuing a statement that said: “After the discussion of the matter with the artist’s agency, we decided not to make their attendance considering the health of our fans, artists and staffs [sic] as the top priority.”Refunds will not be offered due to this change in the line-up, KCON said.
See the statement below:KCON 2022 LA CHANGES IN THE LINEUP pic.twitter.com/yEhG2KUpGm— KCON official (@KCON_official) August 15, 2022JO1 were formed from the 11 highest-ranking trainees from the first season of the Japanese edition of reality TV talent competition Produce 101.