A scene from a university festival (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 19 (Korea Bizwire) — As university spring festivals sweep across South Korea, campuses are transforming into mini-music festivals, with major K-pop stars and rock icons headlining multi-day events that draw students and social media buzz alike.
This year’s festival lineups rival professional music events in scale and star power. At Konkuk University, slated performers from May 20 to 22 include Psy, aespa, ITZY, Jannabi, YB, and Car, the Garden. Psy, often considered the most in-demand university festival act, is scheduled to appear at 17 campuses this month alone.
Chung-Ang University has booked aespa, NCT Dream, YB, and Dynamic Duo for its May 21–23 festivities. Hongik University, which held its festival earlier this month, featured performances by Psy, aespa, Lee Seung-yoon, Beenzino, and YB.
Upcoming festivals at Yonsei University and Korea University, two of Seoul’s most prominent institutions, are also expected to unveil high-profile lineups shortly before their events begin—a tradition aimed at building anticipation.
Psy (image: Wikimedia)
While university festival appearance fees are generally lower than those of commercial events, artists continue to flock to campuses. Industry insiders say the value lies not in the pay but in the audience: highly engaged, image-conscious Gen Z fans aged 18–24.
“University festivals offer artists a unique chance to reach their core demographic in an environment that’s passionate and highly shareable,” said Hwang Kyu-wan, CEO of event planning firm The Mersenne. “A single standout performance can go viral and cement an artist’s image as ‘hot’ among students.”
Indeed, fan-shot videos from campus stages have become potent marketing tools. A video of YB performing a metal rendition of the Pororo cartoon theme song at a 2024 festival racked up over 200,000 YouTube views. Girl group Kiss of Life gained momentum last year after a clip showcasing their strong live vocals spread online following a campus performance.
For artists preparing album comebacks, the timing is especially valuable. Festival appearances offer a ready-made platform for previewing new material and generating organic buzz across social media and fan forums.
With an intense festival circuit and high visibility among young audiences, South Korea’s universities have become more than just academic institutions—they are proving grounds and launchpads for the nation’s most influential pop culture icons.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
