From Psy to aespa, why are K-pop idols taking pay cuts for campus festivals?
May marks university festival season in South Korea — and no matter how packed their schedules are with world tours, music shows and fan-meets, K-pop stars make time for the campus stage.
At Hongik University's festival May 14–16, big names like Psy, aespa, Lee Seung-yoon, Beenzino and YB took to the stage. Konkuk University's lineup May 20–22 featured Psy, aespa, Itzy, Jannabi and YB. Performing at Chung-Ang University's main festival, running May 21–23, were aespa, NCT Dream, YB and Dynamic Duo.
Despite the prestige of these appearances, university festival fees are generally lower than other commercial gigs. If a group normally earns 100 million won ($73,000) per event, they may settle for 50 million-80 million won at a university show.
But money isn't the main incentive when it comes to college shows. Many K-pop agencies are willing to take a pay cut for the exposure and connection with younger audiences. In NewJeans' case, the group donated all its earnings from seven university festivals to the Korea Student Aid Foundation last year.
Why do K-pop stars flock to the campus circuit come spring?
It's simple: These events offer direct access to their core audience — people in their 20s.
'It's a rare opportunity for artists to connect with the general public, even those who aren't already fans,' an official from a major K-pop agency said Sunday. 'University festivals draw a young crowd, making them the ideal stage for artists to engage with new audiences and build buzz.'
University festivals also serve as live practice ahead of world tours.
'Of all the stages, college campuses feel most like Lollapalooza or Coachella,' said former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin last May. 'The students' energy inspires the members. It's a great opportunity to promote new songs, improve stage skills and give back to fans.'
This year, Itzy — set to return with new music in June — has packed its schedule with campus appearances, including at SeoulTech, Konkuk University, Kyung Hee University and Inha University. Kiss of Life, another rising girl group, was confirmed for festivals at Yonsei, Sejong and Korea National Sport University.
Going viral, for free
The marketing payoff is enormous.
Performing in front of a crowd of 10,000 turns thousands of smartphone cameras into instant PR tools. Well before the show ends, fancams, memes, Instagram Reels, TikToks and shorts are already circulating online. For agencies, it's mass marketing without spending a dime.
'In this age of one-person media, if the performance is strong, word-of-mouth spreads naturally,' the agency official added.
For groups with strong live performance skills, these shows also act as unofficial public auditions. Their vocals, stage presence and crowd work are judged in real time by the most trend-sensitive demographic. If the performance hits the mark, casual viewers are quickly converted into dedicated fans.
aespa, the hottest ticket on campus
The most in-demand university act this year? Aespa.
Although the girl group has no domestic comeback imminent, it headlined festivals at Hongik, Konkuk, Chung-Ang and Kyung Hee universities, reinforcing its influence across Korean campuses. Aespa's popularity continues despite not having released any new Korean music since its 5th EP, 'Whiplash,' in October.
Meanwhile, rumors of a June release are swirling, fueled by a leaked music video footage that began circulating on social media in early May.
Rock bands hold their ground
Even in the girl group-dominated landscape, rock bands are holding their own. YB (Yoon Do-hyun Band) performed at Konkuk, Hongik and Jeonbuk National universities. Jannabi, known for its festival-ready sound, will take the stage at Sejong, Dankook and Konkuk universities. Other buzzed-about names include Lucy, Silica Gel and The Volunteers (Nasanhyunssi Band).
'The festival crowd is overwhelmingly enthusiastic,' the agency official said. 'That energy fuels the performers and makes each show a valuable experience — both emotionally and professionally.'
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
11 hours ago
- Korea Herald
From boo to boohoo: Korean ghosts tug at heartstrings worldwide
From K-pop demons to grim reapers, Korean ghost lore captivates audiences with emotionally rich tales of sorrow, justice and healing Korea's traditional grim reapers, known as jeoseung saja, are gaining global recognition following their portrayal as key antagonists in the Netflix hit "Kpop Demon Hunters." The film follows shaman heroines who battle demons while performing as K-pop idols. Within two months of its release, it soared to become the fourth most-streamed movie on the platform, propelled by sustained global buzz. 'There's a growing sense that traditional Korean imagery feels more approachable and enjoyable, largely because Korean culture is now viewed so favorably and familiarly worldwide,' said culture critic Jung Duk-hyun. 'This positive perception plays a major role in making Korean folklore feel trendy and hip to global audiences.' Clad in dark robes and high-brimmed hats, these grim reapers exude a unique presence and emotional complexity, earning popularity rivaling the protagonists. Far from being purely malevolent, they are portrayed as tormented figures — a reflection of han, a uniquely Korean concept of unresolved sorrow that permeates much of the country's ghost lore. Han is the emotional pain that lingers after a traumatic experience, preventing one from moving on. In Korean supernatural tales, this sentiment explains why spirits remain earthbound — not to terrorize, but to seek closure for injustices or deep regrets. This emotional nuance distinguishes Korean folklore from some of the more dualistic ghost narratives in the West. Rather than evil for evil's sake, Korean spirits are often driven by sorrow, guilt, or betrayal. In "Kpop Demon Hunters," Jinu — the leader of the K-pop boy band Saja Boys — embodies this layered grief. Though transformed into a demon after abandoning his family, his actions stem from guilt and pain, not malice. 'The reapers, especially Jinu, show characteristics of Korean ghosts,' said Jung. 'Korean spirits are often defined not by violence, but by han — a sorrow that compels them to seek understanding from the living rather than inflict harm without reason.' This storytelling tradition casts the supernatural not as monstrous, but as deeply human. In the 'Legend of Arang' from Miryang, for example, a young woman's ghost haunts magistrates not to frighten them, but to seek justice for her death during an attempted assault. Adaptations of such folklore in modern dramas and films often preserve this emotional complexity, blending traditional themes with contemporary storytelling. TvN's 2016 hit series "Dokkaebi (Goblin)" reimagines Korean mythology in a modern setting, exploring han through two central figures: the Goblin, cursed with immortality, and the Reaper, who guides souls to the afterlife. Both characters are burdened by past sins. The Goblin is haunted by those he failed to save, while the Reaper is tormented by having ordered the Goblin's execution in a past life. Their inability to move on mirrors the unresolved sorrow central to Korean ghost stories. This emotional depth continues to shape contemporary content. The SBS series "The Haunted Palace" received praise for portraying diverse spirits shaped by the circumstances of their deaths. The show achieved an 11 percent viewership rating by focusing on the living engaging with spirits' emotional wounds, not just confronting the supernatural. At the heart of Korean ghost narratives is the idea that spirits find peace through communication, not confrontation. In "Kpop Demon Hunters," even in his demon form, Jinu seeks to share his pain, not inflict it. 'Unlike Western fantasy, which often resolves conflict through exorcism, Korean stories are about listening to the dead and helping them release unresolved sorrow,' Jung noted. This storytelling approach invites audiences to empathize with the supernatural and participate in a journey toward healing. Culture critic Kim Heon-sik attributed the growing global fascination with Korea's supernatural traditions to their unique visual and emotional elements. 'Their distinct Korean identity makes them more intriguing,' he said. 'And by integrating ghostly elements into pop culture, especially K-pop, they've become even more appealing.' Kim also emphasized that the success stems in part from subtlety. 'When nationalism or symbolic depth is overemphasized, it can alienate audiences. What made these stories resonate is that they left room for interpretation — letting viewers explore and connect on their own terms.'
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Interview: Ahn Bo-hyun trades tough for tender
K-drama heavyweight embraces vulnerability in 'Pretty Crazy,' playing unemployed softie who tends to demon-possessed woman Ahn Bo-hyun has played his share of tough guys. An alpha male par excellence of Korean dramas, he has terrorized Park Seo-jun as the sneering chaebol heir in "Itaewon Class" and thrown punches alongside Han So-hee in Netflix's "My Name." On the big screen, Ahn has nearly battled Jung Hae-in to the death in "I, Executioner." Meeting him at a Samcheong-dong cafe on Thursday, it's clear why he gets cast this way. The guy stands nearly 190 centimeters tall with a muscular and imposing boxer's frame — he was one, winning gold medals as a teenager before pivoting to modeling, then acting. His hands are cartoonishly huge. But it's his eyes that captivate: set deep beneath heavy brows, they carry an intensity that doesn't translate on screen. "People think I'm intimidating when I don't smile because of how I look," he says, laughing. "But when I do smile, they say I have this dopey charm." "Pretty Crazy," the upcoming fantasy rom-com pairing Ahn with Girls' Generation's Lim Yoona, is an interesting specimen in a number of ways. For one, it bills itself as a romantic comedy in an industry where the genre's virtually extinct. Its premise is drenched in comic-book silliness about a beauty who transforms into a demon every night with no memory the next morning. The film can't decide what it wants to be, and it shows. More interesting is how it throws its A-list leads into completely unexpected territory: Yoona as a jabbering woman wreaking havoc, and Ahn as Gil-goo, a clueless unemployed loser tasked with her nightly care. The role screams pitiful. Gil-goo tails his crush around town, staging "accidental" meetings after falling for her at first sight. When he takes the gig babysitting her possessed alter ego, he mothers her with obsessive care. Gil-goo is a vanilla nice guy, worlds apart from the masculinity Ahn typically projects. "Watching myself on the big screen, I realized I'm really good at looking pathetic," he says. "Like, genuinely wronged and pitiful." He found surprising common ground with the character, though. "I don't talk like him, but I could definitely sympathize. People have a hard time believing it because I look so tough and all, but Gil-goo exists inside me too. I've had my own periods of deep uncertainty, times when I cared too much about what others thought." "I'm actually really detail-oriented," he continues. "I know it doesn't match how I look, but I love cooking elaborate meals for myself, arranging things just so. I like cute little things to the point where you'd question my testosterone levels. I clean obsessively, do laundry religiously." For Ahn, the role was something deeper than comic relief; he saw a narrative about a loser maturing through caring for someone else for the first time. Gil-goo goes to absurd lengths to save Seon-ji from her curse, digging up backyards, stealing phones and racing to the middle of nowhere on Jeju Island. He's awkward in these missions but utterly sincere. "It's a coming-of-age story. This broken guy who can't stand up to anyone meets Seon-ji and her demon side, accepts this insane situation as truth, and realizes he can actually help someone, that he can matter." This understanding allowed him to sink deeply into the character. During the film's tearjerker finale, when Gil-goo finally addresses the demon by her real name, Ahn found himself overwhelmed. "I cried so hard shooting that scene. I wasn't supposed to — if I cry, it looks like romantic love. But I'd developed such affection for the demon character. My eyes swelled up so badly we had to pause filming until they went down." After all, for Ahn, playing someone so gentle turned out to be a revelation. "When Gil-goo's unintentional actions or way of speaking made people laugh, the feedback was immediate — the crew cracking up, the director smiling.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Le Sserafim tops 100m Spotify streams with ‘Hot'
Le Sserafim reached 100 million streams on Spotify with 'Hot' as of Wednesday, agency Source Music said Friday, citing the platform. The titular track from its fifth EP is the group's 13th song to reach the 100 million mark, and did so in about five months. The pop tune was the most-streamed song outside of Korea from a K-pop group in the first half of this year while the mini album hit Billboard 200 at No. 9. The five-track set made among top 10 bestselling CD albums in the US in the first half at No. 9. In the meantime, the five members flew to Bangkok on Thursday for their weekend show, which is part of their international tour 'Easy Crazy Hot.' Next week, they will go live in Singapore, before heading to the US.
