KATSEYE, BOYNEXTDOOR close out Lollapalooza Chicago with showmanship, industry promise

Girl group KATSEYE performs "Gnarly" during their set on the T-Mobile Stage at Lollapalooza Chicago in Grant Park, Sunday. Captured from Instagram

CHICAGO — Under the blazing sun in Chicago’s Grant Park, two of HYBE Labels’ fastest-rising acts stepped up to the plate, making it clear they intend to stay there.

KATSEYE and BOYNEXTDOOR, both rising stars in the global music scene, delivered high-impact sets that closed out the four-day festival with a vibrant mix of flashy showmanship and industry promise.

Though still in their nascent years, both groups demonstrated different strengths through their respective Sunday performances: KATSEYE brought theatrical flair and cross-cultural buzz, while BOYNEXTDOOR grounded their set in a powerful command of the stage.

For KATSEYE, the performance at Lollapalooza’s main T-Mobile Stage — the group’s first-ever major festival appearance — was a pivotal career moment.

Formed through the 2023 HYBE x Geffen global girl group audition program "Dream Academy," the six-member act — Manon, Daniela, Sophia, Megan, Lara and Yoonchae — has already cultivated a devoted international fan base.

But according to the six members, stepping onto the Lollapalooza stage was something else entirely.

KATSEYE performs during their set on the T-Mobile Stage at Lollapalooza Chicago in Grant Park, Sunday. Captured from Instagram

"It’s our first festival ever," Manon said in an interview with The Korea Times on Saturday, one day before the group’s set. "We’ve worked so hard for it, and now we’re at a point where we’re just ready to take over the stage and let Chicago know who we are."

The group’s set leaned heavily on their latest project, "Beautiful Chaos," featuring tracks like "M.I.A.," "Mean Girls," "Gnarly" and the sultry lead single "Gabriela" — which included a surprise tango-inspired dance break the members said they had rehearsed through overnight sessions. The group also performed earlier fan favorites like "Touch" and "Debut," rounding out a set that, while vocally uneven at times, remained visually arresting.

"I think it’s insane to see the growth and the journey we’ve been on in just one year," said Daniela. "The fact that we’re here, on a main stage at Lollapalooza, is unbelievable. We’re just so grateful."

Still, for all their viral presence, the members confessed they haven’t fully wrapped their heads around their rising fame.

"We see the follower counts [on social media], but then we go to an event and see all these people yelling our names and we’re like, ‘Wait, are we famous?’" Manon said. "It’s surreal, but it keeps us humble."

When asked about future plans, the group members remained tight-lipped about upcoming releases, saying they’re not quite ready to move on from the "Beautiful Chaos" era just yet.

"We’re going to enjoy this one a bit longer," Manon said. "It just started, and we’re not ready to let go."

K-pop boy band BOYNEXTDOOR performs during their set on the Lakeshore Stage at Lollapalooza Chicago in Grant Park, Sunday. Courtesy of KOZ Entertainment

Just an hour before KATSEYE’s set, BOYNEXTDOOR, one of K-pop’s most well-received fifth-gen boy bands, hit the adjacent Lakeshore Stage with a set that proved much more impactful than initially expected.

The six-member group — Sungho, Riwoo, Myung Jae-hyun, Taesan, Leehan and Woonhak — powered through an 11-song set, effortlessly mixing high-energy tracks like "Dangerous" and "Earth, Wind & Fire" with fan favorites "123-78" and "Serenade."

Though still early in their career, the members appeared poised and confident, showing no signs of stage fright as they fed off the energy of an ecstatic crowd. A mix of ONEDOOR, the group’s official fandom, and curious newcomers to the genre sang along in Korean and responded to every call-and-response with enthusiasm.

"This whole moment feels like a dream," the group said onstage, speaking in English they had said they were learning in preparation for the event. "We want to come back, and next time, we’ll bring even greater songs."

The band’s final number, a surprise encore of "I Feel Good," felt almost like a promise: BOYNEXTDOOR is finally ready to outgrow the status of mere boy band. The passion they showed on the bigger stage, combined with polished live vocals and performance instincts, suggested clear potential for growth.

K-pop boy band BOYNEXTDOOR performs during its set on the Lakeshore Stage at Lollapalooza Chicago in Grant Park, Sunday. Courtesy of KOZ Entertainment