Lollapalooza is an annual music festival held in Chicago and features many artists and bands who may be well known for making their mark in the music industry. What began as a simple farewell tour for a band in 1991 has become as well-known as Coachella, attracting at least 200,000 attendees and fans.
With the expanding popularity of K-Pop, music festivals in America featured Korean artists and bands as early as 2011 for Coachella, but it wasn't until 2022 when Lollapalooza started to feature artists such as Tomorrow x Together and Stray Kids in their shows. So, in 2025, who are the K-Pop acts set to debut and perform in one of the large-scale music festivals in the world?
TWICE (Headliner)
One of the most recognized JYP girl groups in K-Pop, TWICE has delivered many hits in their career with songs such as Cheer Up, Fancy, What is Love?, and more. Ever since they debuted over 10 years ago, they've earned the title of “The Nation’s Girl Group” and have received countless awards and chart rankings over time.
This year at Lollapalooza Chicago, they've been chosen to perform as the headliner for the third day of the festival, alongside Australian group Rüfüs Du Sol. TWICE will be the second JYP Group to headline in Lollapalooza, with Stray Kids being the first in 2024. Tomorrow x Together is another K-pop group that headline the festival in 2023.
KATSEYE
K-Pop is starting to expand around the globe, and HYBE and Geffen Records aim to further globalize the K-Pop production system. To realize this goal, they created a survival show titled The Debut: Dream Academy, featuring 20 girls from different parts of the world. The result was KATSEYE, composed of finalists Manon, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae.
They debuted in June 2024 and have released remarkable songs such as Touch, Debut, and My Way. They even released a single titled Flame for the Netflix series Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld. This year, they are set to perform at Lollapalooza Chicago, performing along with iconic artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter.
BOYNEXTDOOR
KOZ Entertainment is a label founded by Zico, and 2 years after its foundation, Big Hit acquired it in 2020. Under his label, Zico has released music that turned out successful, such as Any Song. KOZ and HYBE wanted to debut a boy group under KOZ, so they held auditions on HYBE Label’s YouTube channel and eventually debuted BOYNEXTDOOR.
This year’s Lollapalooza will see this group perform, and currently, they are working on a new EP titled No Genre, which they aim to release this May. Stay tuned for their comeback, Bepeus!
XDINARY HEROES
A Korean rock band known for their experimental music, Xdinary Heroes are set to perform at Lollapalooza on the first day, July 31. The band debuted in December 2021 and consists of drummer and leader Gunil, keyboardist Jungsu, synthesizer O.de, guitarists Gaon and Junhan, and bassist Jooyeon.
They recently released a mini-album titled Beautiful Mind (check out my review here), and their world tour of the same name will kick off in the first week of May. They are set to tour America after their performance at Lollapalooza. Manila isn't listed as one of the stops yet, but more stops will be added later on in the tour, so stay tuned!
KICKFLIP
KickFlip is considered the youngest band in this year’s lineup. The 5th Gen K-Pop Rookies just debuted this January 2025 and consist of 7 members. Four of them namely, Kyehoon, Amaru, Keiju, and Donghyeon, were finalists on JYP and PSY’s survival show LOUD. The remaining three, Donghwa, Minje, and Juwang, were added during their 3-year training period to debut alongside them.
There is not much to discuss about them yet, given that their debut was only in January and their discography (as of writing) includes just 7 songs in one EP titled Flip It, Kick It! So, it is a surprise to hear they're already set to perform at Lollapalooza. However, it's been said that they're having a comeback soon, so stay tuned and find out!
WAVE TO EARTH
Last, but not least, wave to earth! The indie band, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Kim Daniel, drummer Shin Donggyu, and bassist Cha Soonjong, formed in 2019 and focuses on indie rock music. The band started when Daniel and Donggyu were in middle school and aimed to share music that makes a new wave. Wave to earth have released singles and EPs that have become recognized over time since their debut, such as seasons and bad.
As an indie band, they've performed in numerous music festivals, but this year, they are set to perform at an even bigger one: Lollapalooza Chicago. They'll be performing on the same day that Sabrina Carpenter and A$AP Rocky will be headlining.
In conclusion, K-Pop is starting to gain more recognition in the western part of the world, but the world is also beginning to notice the talents and artistry of rock bands like Xdinary Heroes and wave to earth. If you're interested in buying tickets for Lollapalooza, they are still available on the official website (https://www.lollapalooza.com/tickets)! However, if you couldn’t make or afford the music festival, Hulu will be streaming it straight to the comfort of your home!
Which group are you looking forward to seeing the most, Bepeus? Feel free to comment below! Have a wonderful week ahead, and always remember to take care!
Annyeong, beupeus! I am Skye Blu, and I am a Forensic Science student with a huge passion for music, books, and writing stories and poetry. Since 2019, I've been a die-hard fan of K-Pop groups such as Stray Kids and Xdinary Heroes! "Skye, can you write?" This is the one question that triggered a lifelong commitment for me to find my ultimate reason to write. People say that writing is a form of art and expression when verbal words fail to do so, and when I was 10, I started writing stories to express my passion for creativity and adventure. In my 10 years of writing, I realized that everything around me in my everyday life is a story in itself. Since discovering that, I made it my mission to write down my experience with life both fictionally and realistically. I hope that my stories will touch the hearts of people who get to read them and inspire them to start finding their reason and adventures through art, too.
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4 comments
Yesss thank you Skye!!!
Through this article I was able to learn a lot about the groups! I’m also looking forward to kickflip and twice a lot woohoo so excited!!!! (If I’m able to get tickets ofc)
thank you Skye! can’t wait to see Kickflip perform <3
Well done!
thank you for this! 🤩
As the owner of the KickFlip Discord server, I’m beyond excited to see them perform at Lollapalooza already! They’ve only just debuted in January 2025 with their album Flip It, Kick It!, which has 6 amazing tracks, and they’re already making waves! It’s incredible to think they’re already taking the stage at such a massive event—can’t wait to see what’s next for them!
And TWICE headlining? Legendary! They’ve been dominating the K-Pop scene for over a decade, and now they’re owning the main stage at Lolla again! Talk about a power move. Their legacy is solidified, and this set is going to be epic.
KATSEYE is another group I’m hyped for—they’re fresh and bringing fire tracks like “Flame” from Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld and their debut album Debut is a must-listen!
BOYNEXTDOOR is going to be a blast to see live too! Their album No Genre is dropping soon, and I know it’s going to be huge!
Xdinary Heroes is also on my list, especially with their new album Beautiful Mind just released! They’re bringing that unique experimental rock sound, and I’m stoked to see how it all translates live.
And we can’t forget Wave to Earth—this indie group is bringing a fresh, smooth indie rock vibe to the stage. Their chill sound is perfect for the festival, and I can’t wait to vibe with them!
Lollapalooza 2025 is going to be next level. So many amazing artists, and I’m ready for it! 🔥