From Rose and G-Dragon at Psy's ‘Summer Swag' to Jin's solo debut, K-pop stars lit up the weekend
K-pop dominated the weekend, as four of the industry's most iconic figures — Psy, Rose of Blackpink, G-Dragon of Big Bang and Jin of BTS — lit up stadiums across Korea with long-awaited performances.
At Incheon Asiad Main Stadium on Saturday, Psy brought his signature "Summer Swag" concert series back to life with help from surprise guests Rose and G-Dragon, making the night one to remember for thousands of fans who came ready to be soaked — both literally and emotionally.
Rose, G-Dragon make surprise appearances at Psy's summer bash
'Master of Performance" Psy has been hosting his water-themed summer concert series since 2011, where fans are showered with massive jets of water in sync with the beat. But this year's kickoff show in Incheon on Saturday took things up a notch with the return of some of the biggest former stars from YG Entertainment.
Rose made a surprise appearance, performing her recent hit "Apt." It marked her first appearance in a "Summer Swag" concert. The K-pop singer also sang two B-side tracks — "Toxic Till the End" and "Number One Girl"— from her debut solo LP, 'Rosie," released in December.
Then came G-Dragon in the second half of the gig — his first joint performance with Psy in 12 years. The Big Bang leader electrified the crowd, opening with "Power," the lead single off his this year's 'Ubermensch,' followed by "Home Sweet Home," "Crayon" and a collaborative performance of "Crooked" with Psy.
Psy kept the energy high, delivering his own string of hits, including "Bird," "Gangnam Style," "Gentleman" and "New Face," all enhanced by a full band and stage-shaking water cannons. In a more sentimental moment, he sang "Father" while the screen behind him showed hundreds of childhood photos sent in by fans, creating a communal moment of nostalgia and gratitude.
'My dad came to see 'Summer Swag' for the first time today,' Psy said afterward, visibly moved.
Psy is taking this year's 'Summer Swag' tour to nine cities, including Uijeongbu, Gwacheon and Suwon in Gyeonggi Province, Daejeon, Sokcho in Gangwon Province, Daegu, Busan and Gwangju, for a total of 16 performances.
Jin launches solo fan tour with intimate, interactive show
Just 20 kilometers from "Summer Swag" at Goyang Sports Complex in Gyeonggi Province, BTS' Jin held his first solo fan concert, 'RunSeokjin_EP. Tour,' on the same day.
The concert came just two weeks after J-Hope's 'Hope on the Stage' encore gig at the same venue, offering BTS fans — known as "Army" — a rare back-to-back treat, following the group's full return from military service earlier this month.
Built around the theme of 'Jin's Challenge,' the concert was designed as a participatory experience. More than just a musical showcase, it invited fans to sing along, complete missions and play games with Jin throughout the evening.
Inspired by his YouTube content series 'Run Seokjin,' the stage featured a massive light-emitting diode sculpture in the shape of lips — a nod to Jin's iconic 'hand-kiss' gesture.
Opening with "Running Wild," the lead track from his first solo EP, 'Happy,' Jin performed a wide range of songs, including "I'll Be There," "Journey With Clouds," "Until I Reach You," "Don't Say You Love Me" and viral hit "Super Tuna."
The show also included a surprise guest appearance by singer Choi Yena, who featured on Jin's song "Loser" from his second EP, 'Echo.'
BTS bandmates J-Hope and RM were also in attendance to cheer Jin on. When he looked for his bandmates in the crowd, the screen caught J-Hope beaming with a bright smile. RM was also in attendance, but avoided the camera, prompting Jin to joke, 'He must be feeling shy.'
Although not introduced on stage, V later confirmed his attendance with a video from the concert on his social media.
Jin's fan concert tour is to span 18 shows across nine cities globally, continuing from Goyang to Chiba and Osaka in Japan, Anaheim in California, Dallas, Tampa in Florida, Newark in New Jersey, as well as London and Amsterdam.
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