K-Pop Rookies and Rising Stars Take Over KCON LA 2025

Since 2012 KCON has played an important role in bringing together emerging K-Pop artists and their fans. Artist spanning from rookies to well seasoned idols made their way to KCON LA 2025 where they spent the three day convention engaging in meet and greets and delivering performances across several stages. This year both rookies and rising stars took over the con, spending each day stage hopping with fans.

KCON first timers NEWBEAT, 82MAJOR and from20 & HELLO GLOOM hit up the X Stage, Dance Stage and Busking Stage over the three days. NEWBEAT most recently debuted in March 2025, but their rookie status didn't stop fans from eagerly awaiting the group's stages, many flocking stage to stage. "Oh my god that new beat" takes on a new meaning as the septet covered KATSEYE's "Gnarly," the members serving their own flair to the fierce dance number. Their latest single "Cappuccino" could be heard on the X Stage along with "HICCUPS" and "Flip That Coin" from their album RAW AND RAD.

Photo MIXTAPE 317 / Cristal C and Rebecca R

'Hot people listen to WAY BETTER," and the hotties turned it out jumping and cheering along for from20 & HELLO GLOOM from the WAY BETTER company. The duo spent the weekend performing their solo songs as a pair; I may have heard "Eye Candy" and "Mamacita" twice a day, and was honestly just as excited every time. At the start of the weekend the two expressed their worries about touring in the states, afraid people wouldn't show up to their performances, but by the end of the weekend, after seeing all the love they received, they shared their gratitude to fans and their desire and excitement to return soon. As they were a pair I was personally most excited to see at KCON, you can definitely count on us to be in the crowd upon their return.

Photo MIXTAPE 317 / Rebecca R

82MAJOR hit up the Dance Stage by Jollibee for some Random Play Dance where the group was challenged by Jollibee himself in a dance off. Poor Jollibee was out danced to songs like j-hope's "Mona Lisa" and Stray Kids's "Chk Chk Boom." Seongil and Yechan showed us they are chronically online, excitedly jumping in to show off dances to four out of the five tracks. With a win under the group's belt, their prize was performing their newest track "Takeover," more-so a win for the fans. After wrapping their first North American tour, 82 SYNDROME in LA in July, 82MAJOR brought their live performances back to the LA stage with 영웅호걸 (Heroes), "혀끝(Stuck)" and "촉(Choke)."

Photo MIXTAPE 317 / Cristal C and. Rebecca R

Even with less stage time than others artists, rookie group ifeye and solo artist Kik5o made a lasting impression on convention goers and fans. ifeye, who made their debut in April this year, took to the X stage for their LA debut, coming out to their track "NERDY" before handing out polaroid photos to fans in the audience. Kik5o came to sing and showcased her vocal strength with pop track "Loyalty+Pretty revenge," before bouncing around the stage to upbeat "VITAL CHECK," the crowd jumping along.

Photo MIXTAPE 317 / Cristal C

Each night came to a close with KCON's M COUNTDOWN Stage featuring 82MAJOR and Kik5o on day one, from20 & HELLO GLOOM on day two and ifeye and NEWBEAT on day three's PRESHOW lineup to open up the night's explosive concert. These rookie and rising artists showed off their skills and charms all weekend, packing each day with exciting stages and fan interactions making it easy to look forward to their return.

KCON

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