SMTOWN, one of Korea’s most iconic music festivals hosted by SM Entertainment — home to legendary K-pop groups like aespa, EXO, NCT, and Red Velvet — returned to Los Angeles for the first time in 13 years for the second time ever.
The event marked an especially significant milestone: SMTOWN’s 30th anniversary.
Held at the Dignity Health Sports Park, fans arriving at the venue were met with a sea of lightsticks representing almost every SM Entertainment group — a colorful display of the label’s diverse fandoms.
This year’s lineup featured legendary second-generation groups like SHINee and SUPER JUNIOR, alongside newly debuted acts like Hearts2Hearts and upcoming rookies like SMTR25. The mix of seasoned icons and fresh faces gave the audience a unique blend of nostalgia and excitement for the future of K-pop.
It was a fitting reflection of the event’s theme, “The Culture, The Future,” symbolizing how K-pop continues to thrive by honoring its past while embracing what’s ahead.
Kicking off the show was none other than TVXQ!, whose sparkling stage outfits and powerhouse vocals lit up the night. Their intense performance and soaring high notes set the tone for the rest of the evening.
The duo was followed by SMTR25 — the newest rookie group positioned between the older generation legends — who made their U.S. stage debut with incredible energy. Their performance of SHINee’s iconic track “LUCIFER” marked a memorable introduction for the group.
Another standout moment of the night came from dearALICE, who took the stage for a solo performance of their track “Ariana.” The performance had me doing a double-take. Not only was it their first-ever show in the U.S., but the biggest surprise? They’re a fully British group signed under SM Entertainment.
With new music on the horizon, dearALICE is already shaping up to be SM’s answer to the next One Direction.
Hearts2Hearts, SM’s newest girl group, lit up the stage in colorful outfits as they performed their high-energy, feel-good double tracks “The Chase” and “Butterflies.” True to their name, Hearts2Hearts aimed to bridge the emotions in their music with the hearts of the audience, and they did just that with their undeniable charm and charisma.
RIIZE followed with explosive (pun intended) performances of “Boom Boom Bass” and “Impossible.” At this point, it feels like Los Angeles has become a second home for the rising boy group — just a month ago, they were in town filming a new music video, which member Anton mentioned during the show.
But their recent visit didn’t dull their impact. Their stage was met with the loudest cheers of the night so far. The crowd was fully locked in, practically dreaming of this set. As Sohee declared, he would “set the stage on fire” — and they did. Quite a full-circle performance!
The energy in the stadium reached new heights when aespa — the four-member powerhouse girl group — hit the stage with their iconic tracks “Whiplash” and “Next Level.”
In my opinion, these were perfect choices for a high-energy set in a venue this massive. And honestly? It only made me hope even more that we’ll see aespa hold their own full stadium concert in Los Angeles soon. A full stadium show? These girls would devour.
Keeping the girl group momentum going, Red Velvet, third-generation K-pop icons, took the stage with a performance of “Bad Boy” followed by their bold rendition of Girls’ Generation’s “Run Devil Run.”
Their set was a masterclass in what it means to be fully seasoned K-pop performers. Fans in the audience had been waiting for Red Velvet’s return to the U.S. since 2019, and while their set felt too short, the energy and impact they delivered were undeniable, and fully matched by the crowd’s roaring response.
The following was the full NCT universe. From NCT Dream to WayV to NCT 127, these sets were filled with insane screams and iconic songs to accompany the fans.
From NCT DREAM’s playful, dance-filled performance of “Smoothie” to WayV’s sultry delivery of “Love Talk,” the vibes flowed from fun to seductive.
For WayV member Kun, it was his first time in Los Angeles — a special moment in itself — and when TEN took the lead on the crowd chant of “touch me, tease me, feel me up,” the energy in the stadium hit another level.
NCT 127 closed out the NCT universe segment with powerful performances of “Walk” and “Fact Check.” Dressed in sleek black blazers and plain white tops, they embodied that effortlessly cool, confident energy they possessed on stage.
The stage then welcomed K-pop legends and generational royalty, starting with the EXO trio of solo performances from Suho, Chanyeol, and Kai, who recently returned from military service and performed his newest release.
Suho, dressed in all pink, delivered a classic performance filled with powerful vocals and heartfelt emotion in his solo track “1 to 3.” His soulful connection with the audience and his performance made the moment truly unforgettable.
Following Chanyeol took the stadium stage with a slower, more reflective track, “Hasta La Vista,” offering a wind-down after the previous high-energy sets. As the pure vocal powerhouse he is, Chanyeol sang to fans who had waited long and eagerly for his moment.
As the lyrics “I see your halo” rang out, he introduced background dancers who would continue to elevate the performances throughout the night.
Kai, the final EXO member to take the stage for his solo performance, appeared dressed in all black, delivering a highly anticipated performance that fans had been eagerly awaiting even before his military enlistment, performing his newest track, “Wait on Me.”
Next up were solo performances from two more iconic SM artists: SHINee’s Key and Minho. They delivered a fierce, long-awaited set, from Minho’s powerful track “Call Back” to Key’s captivating “Pleasure.”
The duo then came out together to greet the crowd, expressing just how much they missed their fans after not performing in Los Angeles for over six years. With SHINee’s 17th anniversary approaching and a new album coming soon, the two promised to return soon — a heartfelt vow to their loyal audience who waited a long time to meet them again.
Next up from EXO was a performance cover of “Git It Up!” They shared how much they missed the fans, with Kai performing with EXO for only the second time since his return from military service, the last being in Mexico. Their fondness for the group and being back was clear and sincere, visible on their faces.
Kai even teased that he might be back this summer, a win for EXO-L!
Next up was SUPER JUNIOR with an iconic performance of their legendary hit “Sorry, Sorry.” They made a grand entrance, walking from the end of the stage to the top, with their microphones fully live—and the vocals? Vocal-ing.
Their enthusiasm lit up the stage and carried over into their heartfelt speeches afterward. As they prepare to celebrate nearly 20 years together, they thanked everyone for supporting K-culture and shared exciting news about their upcoming 20th-anniversary album, set to drop this summer.
Next, the previously performing groups returned to the stage, each giving the audience a taste with one more song each.
Closing the night, over 60 of the artists from the night united on stage for a heartfelt community performance of “Hope.”
A memorable and hopeful evening — here’s to seeing SMTOWN back in the states sooner rather than later.
