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This past weekend, K-pop acts took over Europe with KPOP.FLEX, the largest K-Pop festival ever held on the continent. Featuring ENHYPEN, EXO’s Kai, Monsta X, and more in its star-studded lineup, the two-day event took place on May 14 and 15 in Frankfurt, Germany, and gathered over 65,000 fans from over 80 countries.
Fans have been eagerly anticipating the festival since its announcement back in winter 2021. When the time finally came for fans to congregate at Deutsche Bank Park Stadium, the energy in the venue was palpable. Though K-pop artists are gradually heading back on tour after a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s something different about this type of festival. KPOP.FLEX was more reminiscent of the the Inkigayo Super Concert and Music Bank World Tour.
Unlike a traditional festival where there are usually multiple stages and campsites, KPOP.FLEX featured only one main stage, on which the artists put on 15-30 minute sets. If it wasn’t clear from the taped logos on their clothes and variety-style segments sprinkled in between sets, the event was designed to be televised. KPOP.FLEX is in partnership with SBS, one of South Korea's leading TV and radio broadcasters.
Aside from the main performances by the headlining artists, the festival also featured special acts, which included AB6IX’s Daehwi and Mamamoo’s Solar dueting Frozen’s “Let It Go” as well as VCRs with other groups and Korean celebrities like Stray Kids, TXT’s Yeonjun, and Squid Game’s Hoyeon Jung.
Sadly, ONEUS had to pull out of the festival at the last minute because members Ravn and Keonhee tested positive for COVID — but the rest of the acts showed up and showed off. Multiple artists were performing overseas for the very first time since their debut and others were returning to stages with live audiences for the first time since the pandemic hit.
Teen Vogue was there on the festival grounds of KPOP.FLEX to capture it all. Below, check out our recap roundup of every single act and set at KPOP.FLEX.
IVE
Super rookies IVE took the stage both days at Deutsche Bank Park, and served as the openers during the festival's first day — quite the international debut! The girls delighted the crowd with renditions of their viral title tracks “Love Dive” and “Eleven,” which the crowd loudly sang along to. They continued with their upbeat B-Side track “Royal.”
Though their set remained the same on both days, IVE did change up their stage outfits to give their performances a different flair, which they of course then documented on their official Instagram account to continue their tradition of posting behind-the-scenes pics.
For the first day, Yujin, Gaeul, Rei, Wonyoung, Liz, and Leeseo appeared clad in blinged-out matching school uniforms, complete with Dorothy-esque red heels and white knee-high socks. For the second day, they traded the innocent fits for edgy, all-black ensembles blinged out with crystals. The outfit change seemed fitting, as the audience could tell their nerves considerably subsided on day two — maybe because the pressure of being the openers was off their shoulders.
With only four songs in their discography, IVE’s three-song set felt the most complete out of all the acts. However, the most fascinating part was definitely seeing the rookies interacting with such a massive crowd for the first time.
ENHYPEN
Though ENHYPEN only played the first day, it was easy to spot the group’s official lightstick anywhere in the stadium throughout the entire weekend — a testament to how dedicated their fandom, known as ENGENE, is. When the group's name was called during artist introductions at the beginning of the festival, the crowd went wild. And of course, the screams and cheers only got louder when it was their turn to perform.
With such a stellar performance, audiences couldn't even tell that Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki had flown in from Seoul just hours before their set. The septet kicked off their set with a group take on Mix & Max’s “Bleeding Darkness,” followed by some of their most beloved hits: “Drunk-Dazed,” “Fever,” “Tamed-Dashed,” and “Blessed-Cursed.”
This was the first time ENHYPEN performed for fans overseas since their debut in 2020, and they turned the occasion into a tiny fan meeting. In between their explosive performances, the members played a mini-game called “fan favorite request section.” Though aegyo and fan service took center stage, we were privy to a couple of noteworthy moments, like a mini-cover of Justin Bieber’s “Off My Face” by Heeseung and an a capella rendition of “Polaroid Love,” with fans singing along. Though they referred to the experience as “surreal” and admitted to being nervous a couple of times, it was clear that the members of ENHYPEN were in their element.
AB6IX
AB6IX were one of the few acts that performed both days and made changes to both their setlist and stage costumes. On Saturday, wearing white and joined by backup dancers in black, the quartet performed “Close,” “Breathe,” “Cherry, “ and “Do You Remember.” On Sunday, donning similar outfits but in black with some added see-through shirts, they swapped the middle two songs for “1, 2, 3,” the opener of their 2022 album Complete With You.
Instead of a fourth song on day two, AB6IX did a “dance tutorial” segment, teaching fans the choreographies of hits such as NCT 127’s “Kick It,” BLACKPINK’s “Ddu-Du Ddu-du,” and BTS’s “Permission to Dance.”
Segments aside, on both days, AB6IX’s set was ushered in by a cute vlog that showed the members flying into Germany and seeing the venue from the plane, which Jeon Woong, Kim Donghyun, Park Woojin, and Lee Daehwi followed with an enthralling dance intro. With sharp rap skills, honeyed vocals, dynamic dances, and a whole lot of charisma, one performance is enough to make you stan. (And, as they reminded ABNEW and new fans in Germany, they have a new comeback arriving on May 18.)
(G)I-DLE
Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, Yuqi, and Shuhua of (G)I-DLE showcased their zealous stage presence during both days of KPOP.FLEX. Their setlist and ensembles (from punk-inspired streetwear brand Skoot Apparel) stayed the same across both dates, but you know what they say: if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
The members introduced their stage with a VCR featuring a dance tutorial for their latest title track, the rock-infused “Tomboy,” which swiftly filled the stadium with its memorable chorus. Their debut single “Latata” and fan-favorite “Oh My God” followed, transforming the Deutsche Bank Park Stadium into (G)I-DLE’s very own temple. Despite some technical difficulties on Sunday, (G)I-DLE kept calm and collected to finish off their set with “My Bag,” from 2022’s I Never Die. With sensual and synchronized choreography and their trademark aloof attitude, the quintet captivated the audience, who did not hesitate to sing at the top of their lungs at any given chance.
Outside of their set, the girls also serenaded fans with a cover of Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself” during the K-pop Super Stage segment on day one.
DREAMCATCHER
Though they only performed on Sunday, Dreamcatcher made sure to leave their mark. From the moment JiU, SuA, Siyeon, Handong, Yoohyeon, Dami, and Gahyeon set foot on stage in their post-apocalyptic witchy outfits, the mystic energy was unmatched.
Going in reverse chronological order through their recent discography, the group started their run with [Apocalypse: Save us]’s “Maison,” followed by Summer Holiday’s “BEcasue,” and finally Dystopia: The Tree of Language’s “Scream” — asking for cheers all throughout. The fans in Deutsche Bank Park Stadium basically became an honorary eighth member of the group.
On stage, the septet stood out just as much as their scepter-like lightsticks did in the crowd. Much like (G)I-DLE, Dreamcatcher also covered another artist’s song during the festival. Changing into suit-like ‘fits, the septet put their own spin on BLACKPINK’s “Kill This Love.”
Even when they weren’t performing, Dreamcatcher worked the crowd with ease, often making fans chant and react to their ments. KPOP.FLEX marked the first time the group performed overseas since 2019. It was a small taster of what’s to come during their second world tour, "Apocalypse: Save Us," which will kick off in New York on June 28, 2022.
Mamamoo
Before stepping on stage, Hwasa’s distinctive voice kicked off Mamamoo’s spectacle at the Deutsche Bank Park Stadium as Solar, Moonbyul, and Wheein joined her on stage. The beloved quartet put on a show with the fans in mind, including some of their most beloved and energetic tracks like “AYA,” “Gogobebe,” and “Hip.”
On Saturday, they ended their set with “mumumumuch” (aka “하늘 땅 바다만큼”), the title track of their 2021 compilation album I SAY MAMAMOO: THE BEST. On Sunday, however, when they served as openers, they threw it all the way back to 2015, just one year after their debut, performing Pink Funky’s “Um Oh Ah Yeah.” Even though they had to leave early for the airport on Sunday, the members clearly had a blast at the festival, interacting with fans and hugging each other on stage.
Though Mamamoo opted for more lively songs during their set, the atmosphere was still emotional. Back in June 2021, Wheein announced she hadn’t renewed her contract with RBW and shared that she would only be doing group activities until the end of 2023 — any chance to see OT4 Mamamoo on stage is cherished. Taking one quick glance across the stadium, it wasn’t hard to spot teary-eyed yet ecstatic MooMoos. One MooMoo, in particular, stood out to me: 20 minutes after Mamamoo’s set had ended, they were still weepy, holding on to their MooMooBong and fan-made banner as they enjoyed the rest of the sets.
NCT DREAM
Though Mark and Haechan were not present, Renjun, Jeno, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung managed to fill and command the stage during KPOP.FLEX’s first night. As soon as they hit the stage, the Dreamies were welcomed with a green sea as lit up NeoBongs filled the stadium.
Much like ENHYPEN, NCT DREAM also had a mini-game segment during which they interacted with fans. In Jisung’s case, that interaction took the form of a formal proposal, as the singer got on his knee and pulled out a ring — not without a heavy dose of embarrassment.
The 5/7 members of NCT DREAM started off their set with a fiery rendition of “Hot Sauce,” the title track of their first studio album. They continued the high with 2020’s “Ridin’” and 2021’s “Hello Future.” To end things with a bang, they chose the newly released “Glitch Mode” as their closer, and nobody was immune to its infectious bassline and playful choreography. I mean, even the sound engineers sitting beside me were bopping along as they performed! Frankfurt, Germany was transformed into NCITY, even if just for 30 minutes.
MONSTA X
Clad in crop tops and see-through shirts, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney, and I.M of Monsta X definitely made themselves heard at KPOP.FLEX — but fans outshone them in the screaming department. The Deutsche Bank Park Stadium definitely went up several decibels with fans' roars as soon as the Monsta X members took to the stage.
Performance-wise, the five members made sure everyone knew their mics were on as they sang their most recent title track “Love.” They followed “Love” with 2021’s “Autobahn” (as a nod to being in Germany) and “Gambler.” For their closer, they changed the pace and opted for “Love Forever” (aka “사랑한다”), also from their latest album Shape of Love.
Monsta X were definitely one of the highlights of Sunday’s lineup, and they did not disappoint. After showing a video celebrating their 7th anniversary, they worked the crowd with ease, showing everyone their veteran status and why they are so loved. It was also their first time in Europe in three years, and their last live performance before they head on their “No Limit” tour across the U.S.
Monsta X also got their own segment during the festival, during which they showed off their effortless charm. The highlights were without a doubt Hyungwon’s dancing to IVE’s “Love Dive” and the short a capella version of Kihyun’s solo “Voyager.”
KAI
With 10 years of experience under his belt as a member of EXO, Kai made his international debut as a soloist at KPOP.FLEX with a setlist he curated himself. The only thing I would have changed was how short it felt.
Joined by a crew of dancers clad in black, the seasoned performer (also donning a dark suit by South Korean brand Kusikohc) kicked off his mesmerizing set with his most recent title track “Peaches.” He followed it up with the mellow ballad “Vanilla,” which he referred to as his favorite song during the set.
The artful dance break with Bada Lee was undoubtedly a highlight on both days, but particularly during day two, as the pair took to the stage with even more poise and confidence.
The unmistakable intro of “To Be Honest" announced the next stage. To end on a high note, Kai quite literally heated things up, with controlled flames engulfing the stage as he performed his first solo title track “Mmmh,” off 2020’s KAI. Taking small breaks to interact with fans and showcase the duality of Kim Jongin and Kai, it was clear to see the (sometimes cheeky) smile on the performer’s face even from a mile away.
With a combined setlist spanning a little bit over two hours, KPOP.FLEX brought together fans from all over the world for a weekend of pure fun. It's true that the ride wasn't as smooth as it could have been, as some fans noted online. But despite some mishaps in communication and last-minute changes that could have been handled more deftly, the captivating performances of each act definitely made up for it.
KPOP.FLEX was a first for European audiences, as the festival was Europe’s largest-ever mega K-Pop festival. Logistically, this means the event was no small feat. Putting on such a large festival without a precedent is indeed a challenge — but this year’s edition of the festival was just a start. KPOP.FLEX has already announced it will be returning to Frankfurt for a second edition on June 17–18, 2023. The festival will also be making its way to London’s The O2 Arena for a three-day run taking place on September 22–24, 2023. Europe will definitely be basking in K-Pop for a while.
If you didn't make it to Germany and want to watch this year’s KPOP.FLEX in full, the festival will be live-streamed globally on May 29, with the exemption of South Korea. Tickets are $14,95, and the live-streamed show will be shown across six different time zones and run for 90 minutes.
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