One of ACF2026's most-anticipated June 9 names is no longer on the bill: EXO-CBX's XIUMIN has been pulled from the Tokyo festival, and a single slot has changed hands in the final week before showtime.
XIUMIN's ACF2026 Slot Goes to THE BOYZ's New
XIUMIN will not perform at ASIA CULTURE FESTIVAL 2026 (ACF2026); his place on the June 9 lineup has gone to THE BOYZ's New. ACF's organizer announced the cancellation on June 1, 2026, citing "various circumstances," then confirmed New's addition on June 2 . The festival itself remains on schedule for June 9–10, 2026 at the Tokyo Garden Theater in Tokyo, Japan .
Quick Answer: XIUMIN (EXO-CBX) was removed from ACF2026 on June 1, 2026 "due to various circumstances," and THE BOYZ's New replaced him on June 2. New takes a 21:10–21:20 JST main-stage slot on June 9 at Tokyo Garden Theater.
ACF's artist, ticket, and timetable pages list the stage name "New," and English-language coverage — including Soompi — identifies him as THE BOYZ's New taking XIUMIN's June 9 slot . No other THE BOYZ members appear on the ACF2026 bill; only New represents the group for this event. XIUMIN had originally been promoted as a June 9 act alongside Apink and other artists in the May 18, 2026 announcement, and his name no longer appears on any current ACF page .
Here is how the late-night portion of June 9 now reads on the updated timetable:
- New (THE BOYZ): main stage, 21:10–21:20 JST
- Apink: closing the night, 21:30–22:00 JST
So the headline change is narrow but real: one ten-minute slot moved from XIUMIN to THE BOYZ's New, the surrounding running order held, and the festival's two-day run at Tokyo Garden Theater went ahead as planned. The far larger story — why XIUMIN dropped off the bill in the first place — is where ACF2026 turned from a routine lineup tweak into a contract-fraud dispute.
The Fraudulent Contract: Why XIUMIN Bears No Fault
XIUMIN was pulled from ACF2026 because his real agency never agreed to the booking in the first place. According to INB100, XIUMIN's actual representatives, the festival organizer signed a booking contract on April 27, 2026 with a separate company that falsely wrote itself into the agreement as "XIUMIN's agency" and made it appear to hold an exclusive contract with the artist . INB100 says it was never contacted and had no knowledge of or role in the arrangement .
The agency framed the arrangement as outright deception rather than a miscommunication. Per the statement carried by Korean media including Herald Corp and Chosun, the third party had "lent an account" to help other intermediaries collect commissions, impersonating agency authority it did not have . In other words, the entity that signed XIUMIN onto the bill had no standing to commit him to anything.
"The event organizer was itself a good-faith victim of the deception, and XIUMIN bears no fault. We plan strong legal action against all parties involved, without leniency," — INB100, in its official statement (source: Herald Corp, 2026-06).
INB100 was explicit on two points. First, the festival organizer was treated as a fellow victim: once it discovered the contract had been signed under false pretenses, it cancelled that agreement, at which point XIUMIN's appearance became impossible . That sequence lines up with ACF's own vague June 1 notice, which cited "various circumstances" and apologized for the short notice .
Second, INB100 used the statement to address fan criticism of XIUMIN's initial silence. The agency pointed to the fraudulent third-party contract as the reason the artist was blameless, and said he had no obligation tied to a deal he was never party to . The promised legal action targets all parties involved in the alleged impersonation. One point worth keeping separate: while reporting noted XIUMIN's earlier move with EXO-CBX members Chen and Baekhyun to terminate their previous agency relationship, no documented link ties that dispute to this specific booking — that connection remains fan speculation .
Refund Reversal: What XIUMIN Ticket Holders Can Do Now
ACF's initial position, stated in the June 1 cancellation notice, was that no ticket refunds would be issued for XIUMIN's cancellation . That stance drew immediate fan backlash.
The anger centered on how ACF sold seats. Under the festival's ticketing structure, buyers reportedly pre-selected which artist they intended to see at the time of purchase, so fans who bought specifically to watch XIUMIN were left with no performance to attend . Fans argued the organizer should not have accepted the booking while the artist's availability was uncertain, said attendees had "lost their money for nothing," and pressed for the policy to be reconsidered .
Following the fraud disclosure and fan backlash, the organizer subsequently indicated refund arrangements for affected ticket holders. For the current status of any refund window or form, check the official ACF website at acfes.jp directly. TicketDive's standard terms state that purchased tickets cannot be exchanged, changed, or cancelled regardless of reason — and that fees are not refunded — making any refund accommodation a special measure beyond standard policy .
The amounts at stake span a wide range. ASIA CELEBRATION LIVE ticket tiers ran from 3,500 yen for limited-view seats up to 55,000 yen for VVIP seats .
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial stance (June 1) | No refunds for XIUMIN cancellation |
| Refund availability | Check acfes.jp for current status |
| Ticket price range | 3,500 yen (limited view) – 55,000 yen (VVIP) |
Holders who still want to attend can keep their tickets — June 9's lineup now features THE BOYZ's New in XIUMIN's place — while those seeking a refund should verify current policy at acfes.jp rather than rely on TicketDive's standard no-refund terms .
ACF2026 June 9 Schedule: What the Show Looks Like Now
June 9, 2026 — the date originally built around XIUMIN — runs with live doors at 17:00 JST and the show starting at 18:00 JST . The day's lineup now lists Apink, CLASS SEVEN, Monaki, Bokuao, D-51, New, Juice=Juice and Takane no Nadeshiko . Per the official timetable, THE BOYZ's New takes a 21:10–21:20 JST main-stage slot, with Apink following from 21:30–22:00 JST .
ACF's lineup page lists the stage name "New," with English-language press confirming this refers to THE BOYZ's New . The June 10 program is unchanged by the swap, with live doors at 16:30 JST and the show starting at 17:30 JST .
General ticket sales for the June 9 date ran on TicketDive from April 29, 2026 at 18:00 JST through June 8, 2026 at 23:59 JST , which closed the window the night before the show. The bottom line for fans: ACF2026 still happens June 9–10 at Tokyo Garden Theater on schedule, the June 9 set list now runs through THE BOYZ's New rather than XIUMIN, and ticket holders facing that change should check acfes.jp for the latest refund availability.
Frequently asked questions
Why was XIUMIN removed from Asia Culture Festival 2026?
XIUMIN was removed because the booking contract behind his appearance was never authorized by his actual agency. According to INB100, the festival organizer signed a booking agreement on April 27, 2026 with a third party that falsely identified itself as XIUMIN's agency and made it appear it held an exclusive contract with the artist . INB100 says it was never involved. Once the organizer discovered the issue, it treated the matter as fraudulent and voided that contract, which made the appearance impossible .
Is New performing as THE BOYZ or solo at ACF2026?
ACF's official artist and timetable pages list the stage name "New," identified in English-language coverage — including Soompi — as THE BOYZ's New filling XIUMIN's individual June 9 slot with a 21:10–21:20 JST main-stage set . No other THE BOYZ members appear on the ACF2026 bill; only New represents the group for this event, making this a THE BOYZ appearance with New as the sole listed performer rather than a full-group swap .
Can I get a refund if I bought tickets specifically to see XIUMIN?
ACF's initial June 1 stance was no refunds for the XIUMIN cancellation, a position that drew immediate fan backlash given the fraudulent nature of the booking . Following the fraud disclosure, the organizer subsequently indicated refund arrangements for affected holders. For current refund availability and any active form window, check the official ACF site at acfes.jp. TicketDive's standard terms otherwise state that purchased tickets cannot be cancelled and fees are not refunded .
Is XIUMIN at fault for the cancellation?
No. INB100's official statement makes clear that XIUMIN was unaware of and uninvolved in the fraudulent booking, and that the event organizer was itself a good-faith victim of the alleged deception . The agency named a third party as solely responsible — alleging it impersonated authority on the unauthorized April 27 contract — and announced strong legal action against all parties involved without leniency .
What time does the ACF2026 show start on June 9?
On June 9, 2026, live doors open at 17:00 JST and the show starts at 18:00 JST at Tokyo Garden Theater . THE BOYZ's New takes the main stage at 21:10 JST in the slot originally assigned to XIUMIN, followed by Apink from 21:30–22:00 JST closing the night .
