K-Pop’s Global Festival Reign: Blackpink, Seventeen, and More Light Up Stages from Coachella to Lollapalooza
K-pop artists are no longer just breaking into the global music scene—they’re dominating it. From Jennie’s captivating performance with Kali Uchis at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to Seventeen‘s historic set at Mexico’s “Coachella,” K-pop stars are rewriting the rules of international stardom.
Coachella began in 1999 as a rock-centric event. Today, it’s the largest music festival in the United States, hosting over 200,000 attendees annually and featuring megastars like Lady Gaga, Green Day, and Post Malone. Yet, in recent years, it’s been the K-pop acts that have drawn critical acclaim. In 2019, Blackpink became the first K-pop sub-headliner, marking the genre’s dramatic arrival. In 2023, they made history again by becoming the first Asian artists to headline the festival.
This year, Jennie set the stage ablaze at Coachella with her solo hit “Ruby” and a stunning duet with Kali Uchis, while Lisa‘s electrifying outfit changes and fierce performances made her a fan favorite. Rising stars like Enhypen and Japanese K-pop group XG also earned praise for their high-energy sets, while media outlets lauded their ability to hold the crowd in the palm of their hand.
Another music giant, Lollapalooza, has increasingly featured K-pop acts since BTS‘s J-Hope made a groundbreaking appearance in 2022. In 2024, J-Hope returns as a headliner for Lollapalooza Berlin, while girl group IVE adds Paris to their growing list following previous shows in Chicago. They become the first K-pop girl group to perform at Lollapalooza three times.
This July’s Lollapalooza Chicago will spotlight iconic girl group Twice as headliners alongside electronic juggernauts Rufus Du Sol. Newcomers Xdinary Heroes, Kickflip, BoyNextDoor, and Cat’s Eye will grace the stage, highlighting the genre’s fresh and diverse talent pool. Amazingly, Cat’s Eye earned an invite just one year after debut, while Kickflip joins the lineup only six months in.
The K-pop wave hasn’t stopped at Western shores. In Latin America, Seventeen recently made history as the first K-pop group to perform at Tecate Pal Norte, Mexico’s biggest festival. Sharing the stage with acts like Olivia Rodrigo, Green Day, and Benson Boone, Seventeen delivered a 13-song set featuring massive fan participation, Korean-language sing-alongs, and local media calling it the highlight of the event.
Publications like Telediario and ABC Noticias hailed the group’s performance as a milestone in Latin music culture, praising their “history-making show” and undeniable connection with the audience.
From North America to South America, K-pop’s momentum at global festivals is unstoppable, signaling not a passing trend—but the dawn of a new musical era.
