On August 1, Korean singer-songwriter Kik5o made her U.S. debut at KCON LA 2025 Presented by Olive Young—the annual Korean culture and music festival hosted by CJ ENM—performing on the festival grounds’ X STAGE in Los Angeles, CA. For many KCONers, the stage marked their first impression of her work, and she did not disappoint. In her allocated timeslot, she graced the audience with her emotionally rich songwriting and self-produced tracks that blended pop, R&B, and more.
Since her 2020 debut with the digital single IN THE DARK and 2022 first-place win on Mnet’s “Artistock Game” in 2022, Kik5o (born Cheon Yu-gyeong) has been steadily carving out a name for herself. She takes a hands-on approach with every release – participating in the songwriting, composing, and production to authentically capture her thoughts and lived experiences in each one.
Her can-do approach to her craft translated into a confident and lively debut U.S. performance. She opened her X STAGE set with her sultry R&B track, “Loyalty,” and immediately piqued the crowd’s interest. She followed with the bold, unapologetic “Pretty Revenge,” a fiery anthem clapping back at critics who initially underestimated her. Just two songs in, the audience was fully engaged – nodding along to her music and even joining her in call-and-response for her bombastic song, “NIGHTMARE.”
Midway through the song, the atmosphere shifted as the beat suddenly transitioned from a pop beat to an old-school boom-bap beat, allowing Kik5o to flow effortlessly into punchy rap verses – catching the crowd off guard in the best way. She raised the energy even higher with “Vital Check,” her latest collaboration with singer and KCON LA alumna, AleXa. Even without AleXa and backup dancers to amplify the choreography, Kik5o’s beaming energy filled the stage and charmed the audience. For her final performance, she wrapped up with a cover of 2NE1’s “Ugly.” Carrying similar messages to “Pretty Revenge,” the iconic track had everyone singing along as Kik5o danced and glided across the stage, celebrating who she is today and how far she’s come.
Kik5o’s X STAGE was a great warm-up to her following appearance at the M COUNTDOWN stage at the Crypto.com Arena. Performing on the 360-stage, she achieved another milestone in her rising career, performing “NIGHTMARE” and “VITAL CHECK” for an even broader audience. On Day 2, she made a second appearance on the X STAGE, delivering another high-energy set and reconnecting with fans who had been drawn in the day before.
Stay tuned for an upcoming “This or That” challenge with Kik5o coming soon on YouTube and Instagram!