By: Aleisha F. & Caitlin F.
The fourth and final day of Lollapalooza was the hottest of the weekend, both in temperature and the performances lined up for the day. Crowds of festivalgoers indulged in the last opportunity to experience some of Chicago’s best local food and drink vendors set up throughout Grant Park. Groups of friends and families took the chance to visit the many brand activations offering unique experiences and free swag to attendees. Many fans also began to seek out the best spots to see popular artists like Sabrina Carpenter, A$AP Rocky, Martin Garrix, Dominic Fike, and The Marías bring Lollapalooza to a stunning finale in the evening.
Before the packed lineups for Lollapalooza’s final night, however, BOYNEXTDOOR, KATSEYE and wave to earth gave fans a bright, back-to-back afternoon showcasing the diversity and influence of Korean music and influence.
BOYNEXTDOOR
The sun was beaming bright on the Lakeshore stage for day 4 of Lollapalooza, fitting for BOYNEXTDOOR, the bubbly and energetic boy group that would soon make their U.S. festival debut on the stage. OneDoor, their fans, arrived at the festival as early as they could, running into Grant Park and heading to the stage as soon as the gates opened at 11 AM. By 11:15, OneDoor had taken up most of the crowd in front of the stage, clad in outfits that donned BOYNEXTDOOR’s official light blue color, sporting fish-themed accessories, and carrying their lightsticks, known as “OneDoor Sticks” (a pun of “wonder sticks”). The energy was thick with anticipation and full of joy as fans got to know each other, sharing social media to connect and taking photos of their elaborately decorated lightsticks.
Before their fateful Lollapalooza performance on Sunday, BOYNEXTDOOR treated fans to a sold-out Aftershow at Chicago’s House of Blues the night before. The group delivered a vibrant performance in the intimate venue, offering fans a more personal opportunity to preview their Lollapalooza set up close.
BOYNEXTDOOR was the second performer set to take the Lakeshore stage that day, following New Jersey-based alt-pop artist Joe P. Fans jammed along to the singer-songwriter’s set before waiting another hour in the 90-degree heat for BOYNEXTDOOR’s set. Lollapalooza staff were quick to hand out free water to those in the crowd and swiftly assisted attendees who were experiencing heat-related ailments.
At the peak of the day’s heat, the moment OneDoor had been waiting for had finally arrived. A quirky VCR of a retro car traveling through different cities played on the screens, accompanied by a medley of BOYNEXTDOOR’s top hits. A live band made their way onto the stage, which was decorated with traffic cones and heart-shaped caution signs. A bright blue door sat in the middle of the stage, embellished with a chaotic array of teddy bears and plushies, stickers with the members’ names, and popular song titles.
Finally, Jaehyun, Sungho, Riwoo, Taesan, Leehan, and Woonhak made their way onto the stage clad in matching tan shirts and baggy pants, immediately bringing the energy as they got the crowd to chant their well-known catchphrase.
“Who’s there?” Riwoo inquired with a smirk.
Festivalgoers screamed back “BOYNEXTDOOR!” with fervor before the intro of the group’s latest title track, “I Feel Good,” began. The rocking opening number was filled with whimsical choreography that saw the group bouncing around the stage and making air guitars. They then transitioned into the brighter track, “Nice Guy,” that shone with the accompaniment of the live band. The sextet then cheekily hid behind the blue door in the middle of the stage as the familiar knocking intro of “One And Only” began.
The members took the time to introduce themselves and speak to the crowd while catching their breath before the next song.
“It’s so surreal and wild to be here with you all,” Jaehyun, the leader, declared. “We’ve worked so hard for this moment, and it means the world to share it with you. Let’s get this party started!”
Six bejeweled mic stands were placed onstage, and BOYNEXTDOOR continued with the fan-favorite song, “So let’s go see the stars.” The voices of OneDoor singing along to the earnestly romantic song resounded among the crowd. With no choreography, the performance was able to highlight all the members’ impressive vocals. “123-78” followed and included a sweet dance break that had the members waltzing and jiving around the stage together.
Taesan introduced the next track, “l i f e i s c o o l,” with a clever line about “cooling” down in the hot weather. The chill track ended with a jazzy solo from Leehan, who toasted the crowd with his golden goblet and swung his hips along to the piano.
For the next part of their set, BOYNEXTDOOR aimed to charm OneDoor. They performed their sweet debut track, “Serenade,” before transitioning to the lovey-dovey performance of “IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU,” which had the crowd screaming along to the song’s catchy chorus.
The accompanying band, wittingly known as BANDNEXTDOOR, had a chance to shine as the members went backstage to catch their breath, treating the audience to funky guitar and keyboard solos.
When the members returned to the stage to introduce each of their band members, Riwoo pointed out that their drummer had gone so hard on his solo that he broke one of his sticks. As a fun surprise, Jaehyun tossed the broken stick to a Lollapalooza team member to give to a lucky fan.
“This is our first time at Lollapalooza, so we put a lot of effort into the band. Did you like it?” asked Taesan. OneDoor cheered loudly in response. He also noted how great OneDoor sounded, singing along to “IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU,” and asked them to sing the chorus back one more time. Fans didn’t disappoint, repeating the lyrics, “Oneulman, I love you, aishiteru saranghaera malhago” without missing a beat.
“It’s way more fun when you all get into it,” Woonhak commented with a smile after hearing the volume at which fans sang.
“I don’t want to go just yet. You guys ready for one more?” Sungho asked.
OneDoor screamed out their affirmation, and then Jaehyun positioned the group to kick off the next song. They started with a chant of “earth, wind, and fire” over and over amongst themselves before bringing fans into the mix. “You know what it is!” the boys yelled in unison before literally jumping into “Earth, Wind, and Fire,” their most-streamed track to date. The energetic track had OneDoor hopping along and showed off the group’s stable vocal and rap skills.
For their last two songs, BOYNEXTDOOR went from “nice guy” to “bad boy.” The live version of “Dangerous” was led by intense guitar lines and deep-voiced raps about staying out with friends past curfew. The song seamlessly transitioned into the rock arrangement of “But Sometimes,” a song about post-breakup regrets that the group performed at the 2023 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA).
Despite the heat, BOYNEXTDOOR was still full of the same buzzing energy they started with. But they finally had a moment to drink some water and shield themselves from the glaring sun.
“I want to tell you something. That was gonna be the last one, but you’ve all been so amazing,” Jaehyun said, riding the positive energy of the crowd. “The vibe was unreal. So, should we do one more?”
The audience cheered in response, but Jaehyun encouraged them to scream louder and louder. Once OneDoor’s energy was at a heightened level, the members bounced through an encore of “I Feel Good,” interacting with fans and spraying water at the crowd.
Taking their final bows, BOYNEXTDOOR made a promise to come back to Chicago and Lollapalooza, expressing their appreciation to their precious OneDoor, whom they called “babies.”
BOYNEXTDOOR surely made their mark on the Lakeshore stage, leaving dedicated OneDoor and casual fans alike in awe at their infectious vivacity and talent.
KATSEYE
Immediately after BOYNEXTDOOR concluded their momentous set on the Lakeshore stage, KATSEYE began their own set on the neighboring T-Mobile stage. With many intersecting fans, audience members rushed from one stage to the other across the field to avoid missing the beginning of the global girl group’s debut Lollapalooza performance. KATSEYE fans, known as EYEKONS, were seen throughout the large crowd holding small paper signs of fried chicken and Takis, referencing the lyrics of their viral track, “Gnarly.”
The highly anticipated set began with a VCR of the members Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, and Yoonchae perusing a grocery store known as “Chaos Mart”, throwing Takis in their cart and being observed through the store’s security cameras. As the girls strutted onto the stage to the cacophony of screams from the growing crowd, the VCR transitioned into the starting screen of a video game, hinting at the group’s opening number, “Gameboy.”
Dressed in matching red outfits and oversized leather jackets, KATSEYE kicked off their U.S. festival debut with the eccentric, video game-inspired track. The group instantly charmed the audience with their charismatic facial expressions and bouncy choreography.
The group continued with their debut single, aptly titled “Debut,” bringing out backup dancers to perform the intense dance break from their viral MAMA performance. “Tonight I Might,” came next, slowing things down and allowing the members to interact with fans.
As the girls caught their breath, they took the time to introduce themselves and relay how surreal it felt to be performing at Lollapalooza.
“Being here with you guys has proved to me that dreams can come true,” Lara divulged, emotional.
“First off: what the fuck! There’s so many of you!” Daniela began, making EYEKONS laugh. “I’ve always dreamed of being on a stage like this. I always believed we would make it to a stage like this. So Chicago – let’s have some fucking fun!”
Sophia introduced the next song, “My Way,” dedicating it to those in the crowd who were chasing their own dreams. With minimal choreography, the members were able to show off their stable vocal skills. Lara and Sophia stood out in particular as they graced the ears of the audience with a series of vocal runs and adlibs.
KATSEYE made their way down the catwalk and took a seat right at the head as the intro to the next song, “Mean Girls,” began. As they sang the girl-power anthem, members took turns holding a video camera that showed KATSEYE from their own point of view, the live footage showing on the jumbo screens.
The live debut of “Gabriela” followed, which had EYEKONS dancing along to the addictive choreography of the chorus from their place in the crowd. As Daniela sang the Spanish bridge of the song, the backup dancers rejoined them onstage. The group then treated EYEKONS to a surprise Latin dance break, changing quickly into flowy red skirts that highlighted the graceful and dynamic choreography. As the final notes echoed through the speakers, the girls hit one final femme fatale pose while holding red roses.
“For me, ‘Gabriela’ is not just a song,” Daniela shared. “It’s a piece of my culture and my heart – it’s a dream to share it on a stage like this: with the whole world!”
The members then got into formation for their next performance: “Touch,” the breakout single that put them on the world map. The crowd was heard across the field as they sang along to the catchy lyrics. Background dancers joined them for the last chorus, bringing the energy to the stage for the bubbly track.
KATSEYE flaunted their attitude and engaging stage presence as they strutted down the catwalk for the more intense, “M.I.A.” The members spent most of the song jumping around the stage, interacting with each other and the crowd. Manon and Lara engaged in a now-viral impromptu dance break together that had the crowd screaming wildly in excitement.
Finally, the moment EYEKONS had been waiting for had come. The girls joked with each other before their last song, asking the audience if they knew anything about fried chicken and boba tea, to which the large crowd screamed “GNARLYYY!” in unison.
With that, Yoonchae spoke the notable opening lines of “Gnarly.” The crowd went wild, singing and rapping along to every unforgettable verse of the eccentric hyper-pop song. KATSEYE danced passionately to the song’s equally spicy choreography. Despite performing nonstop in the heat, KATSEYE kept up the energy for their final song, arguably putting on their best performance of the set.
As the members took their final bows, a backdrop reading, “THANK YOU CHICAGO,” appeared on the large screen behind them. The girls waved their goodbyes to the crowd and expressed their love for EYEKONS, bidding Chicago and Lollapalooza farewell.
KATSEYE’s U.S. festival debut was an unforgettable moment for both the group and their fans. According to multiple sources, the global girl group set the record for the largest daytime crowd at Lollapalooza, drawing in an estimated 85,000 attendees. So many people had shown up for KATSEYE that a dust cloud formed above the field as festivalgoers left the T-Mobile stage for other sets. The members’ bouncy energy was infectious throughout their entire set, and their passion for performing was palpable. Though early on in their career, KATSEYE is sure to continue reigning people in with their charms if their Lollapalooza performance is anything to go by.
wave to earth
The heat of the sun and ongoing haze along the Chicago skyline threatened to put a damper on Lollapalooza weekend – but wave to earth was ready to cool things down. The indie rock band, which consists of frontman and singer-songwriter Daniel Kim, drummer Dong Q, bassist John Cha, and joined by touring guitarist and saxophonist Jeon-min, has been around the world this year performing at Lollapalooza’s international iterations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and India. But today’s performance was their debut at the festival’s flagship Windy City event.
Tito’s stage was already buzzing with fans who were excited to watch wave to earth bring their signature chill energy to Grant Park. Many attended the buzzy band’s sold-out official Lollapalooza Aftershow the night before at Thalia Hall and chattered about whether the setlist would be the same. The crowd steadily increased throughout their set as many K-music fans had come running (or leisurely walking amidst the heat) from KATSEYE’s set on the opposite end of the park, which ended right as wave to earth was scheduled to begin.
Once the clock hit 4pm, wave to earth came onstage to the whoops and cheers of the audience, nonchalant as ever. After picking up their instruments, they went right into the tropical “are you bored?”, a fully instrumental song that gave festivalgoers an immediate taste of wave to earth’s artistry. They followed with “play with earth!,” another synth-forward song perfect for the summer day.
Up next was “peach eyes,” a romantic jazz-inspired track that’s a favorite among wave to earth fans. The audience cheered for Daniel’s smooth falsettos and soft croon. After his closing guitar solo, Daniel took a moment to quickly greet the Tito’s stage crowd and express the band’s gratitude to perform at Lollapalooza.
After the brief hello, wave to earth jumped right into a stripped-down version of the chorus of “bad.” Daniel sang the words, but he and the band played their instruments at a softer intensity to allow the crowd’s voices to shine. They slowed down and then crescendoed for the last line of the chorus, before playing the song at full power.
“It’s a day for you, Lolla!” Daniel said, echoing the last line of the chorus.
The beloved track had fans headbopping along as they fanned themselves off. Jeonmin’s saxophone solo and Daniel’s vocal ad libs added sonic depth to the song and echoed pleasantly around the Tito’s stage setup.
Afterward, they seamlessly transitioned into an extended rock introduction to “beck.” The wistful song was accented by powerful vocal outbursts reminiscent of retro funk and soft rock, and concluded by an incredible guitar solo. They kept the nostalgic energy going with “slow dive,” a song with themes of healing and growth. Fans cheered and whooped for Daniel’s high notes and Dong Q’s gorgeous harmonies.
The next song, “holyland,” turned the vibe into one that was more melancholy. Fans listened reverently as Daniel passionately sang of grief and yearning for a loved one. Jeonmin’s saxophone backing and Daniel’s belted verses against the R&B-inspired beat hammered the feeling of heartbreak home for the crowd. The song culminated in an ardent closing instrumental breakdown that broke attendees from their reverie and had them cheering.
wave to earth turned heartache into healing with “love.,” one of the band’s biggest hits to date. The intro’s plucked musical scale that Daniel played on his electric guitar caused the audience to cheer. It was a familiar tune for hardcore wave to earth fans – but impressive and captivating for festivalgoers hearing it for the first time.
The band followed with another dreamy fan favorite: “calla,” which Daniel has previously noted as being a personal favorite of his as well. Fans sang along to the relaxed and romantic track at the top of their lungs and waved their arms around to the beat.
Finally, the band found a moment to introduce themselves. Daniel introduced himself, John, Dong Q and Jeon-min, who each played a short solo on their respective instruments. As each band member played, Dong Q kept a steady four-four rhythm on the drums, which lent a jazzy vibe to everyone’s spotlight moment.
Each solo eventually meshed to become a full-blown rock-and-roll interlude – loud and energetic without overpowering each other. Daniel even hopped onto the speakers directly in front of the stage to get closer to fans as he played his guitar solo.
Afterward, he took off his guitar for the next song. It was time for wave to earth’s penultimate declaration of musical independence: “annie.” The name is a play on words – pronounced similarly to ani, which means “no” in Korean, “annie.” is the band’s rejection of glamour and vapid popularity. The song’s upbeat piano opening started, and in a departure from the previous songs, saw Daniel taking his vintage-style mic and abandoning his guitar to travel the stage as he sang. Fans chanted along to the catchy lyrics, “Fuck you, I am saying,” and raised their middle fingers in the air along with the band.
wave to earth’s audience had grown from a modest gathering around Tito’s stage to go as far back as the grassy edges of the Bud Light main stage throughout the performance. With the set coming to an end, Daniel thanked the Lollapalooza crowd for having them and Chicago for welcoming them and spending time at their set before introducing their last song.
They went into “light” without further ado. Daniel’s vocals for the cheerful song charmed the audience one last time. They danced and waved their arms along, belting out the hopeful chorus of “we’re gonna fly up into the blue sky” – fitting, since the wildfire haze along the skyline had begun to clear.
wave to earth’s set was the cherry on top for another historic Lollapalooza weekend for Korean and K-Pop-adjacent artists. The festival’s diverse range of genres continues to attract attendees from around the world to the Windy City. With KATSEYE and RIIZE already confirmed for Lollapalooza’s Brasil, Chile, and Argentina lineups in 2026, K-music fans are waiting with bated breath to see who will be back in Chicago next year.