Written by: Aleisha F. & Andee S.
New York City’s iconic Governors Ball Music Festival (commonly referred to as Gov Ball) is returning to Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and this year the event is welcoming some of the hottest names in K-Pop. From June 5 to June 7, fans can enjoy a wide selection of performances from over 60 artists, including Lorde, Baby Keem, Kali Uchis, and A$AP ROCKY. This year’s iteration will be the first time K-Pop acts will headline, with Stray Kids and JENNIE set to take the stage. Joining Stray Kids and JENNIE on Gov Ball’s lineup are rising stars KATSEYE, HYBE’s international girl group. The continued inclusion of K-Pop and Korean artists on Gov Ball’s lineup over the years is notable – in 2023, aespa made history as the first K-Pop group ever to perform at the festival, and in 2024, P1Harmony was Gov Ball’s first K-Pop boy group. Last year, indie darlings wave to earth also graced the Gov Ball stage.
Stray Kids’ appearance at Gov Ball marks their second time headlining a music festival in the U.S. after Lollapalooza in 2024. The eight-member group has been on a hot streak since their debut in 2018. Their 2024-25 <dominATE> World Tour was the bestselling North American leg of any K-Pop tour. Additionally, it broke attendance and revenue records for Korean artists in Europe, North America, and Latin America. A movie experience of one of the tour’s Los Angeles shows is scheduled to hit theaters in February. Fans, known as STAY, can expect to see Stray Kids’ signature theatrical performance style and songs from DO IT, their latest release, on the Governors Ball main stage.
JENNIE, who is a member of the iconic BLACKPINK, had a record-breaking 2025 of her own. She released her first studio album Ruby, which debuted in the top ten of the music charts of 19 countries and received critical acclaim. JENNIE also made her Coachella debut as a soloist and embarked on not one, but two concert tours: the Ruby Experience and the sold-out Deadline World Tour with BLACKPINK. With a BLACKPINK comeback scheduled for February 27 and Ruby collaborators Kali Uchis and Dominic Fike also on the Gov Ball roster, fans may see JENNIE pay homage to the girl group she grew up in while showcasing the shining solo artist she has become.
Multicultural girl group KATSEYE has been getting people talking with buzzy tracks like “Gnarly,” “Gabriela,” and most recently, “Internet Girl.” Member Daniela featured on Yeonjun of TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s track “Let Me Tell You,” which went viral for the duo’s intricate and sensual choreography. KATSEYE also embarked on their first-ever tour, BEAUTIFUL CHAOS, this past fall, where they entranced the crowd with synchronized choreography and gorgeous visuals. In August, KATSEYE delivered a captivating performance at Lollapalooza in Chicago, which drew an estimated 85,000 attendees – setting the record for the largest crowd for a daytime set at the festival. Now with two Grammy Award nominations under their belt, KATSEYE could bring in a crowd just as large at Governors Ball.
Fans can purchase tickets at the Governors Ball website here. One, two, and three-day passes are available at varying tiers.