Three Years On, J-Hope’s Performance Paved the Way for K-Pop Artists at Lollapalooza
j-hope made history at Lollapalooza Chicago in 2022 as the first Korean artist to headline a major U.S. music festival. Over 105,000 fans showed up live, and millions more watched online.
The moment wasn’t planned. It happened after Doja Cat canceled due to vocal surgery. Houston Powell of C3 Presents, the festival organizers, explained how j-hope got the call.
"In May 2022, one of our headliners, Doja Cat, canceled due to vocal surgery. I was talking with Jared Braverman from Live Nation and Steven Kim in Korea, and they suggested j-hope. I knew a little about BTS but not much about K-pop overall. I was honored he said yes. I just didn’t realize how big that moment would become. That performance was the start of something bigger."
— Houston Powell, C3 Presents
His set changed everything. Korean media called Lollapalooza a "K-pop wasteland" until j-hope’s appearance shifted views. Global outlets like i-D named his 2022 show one of the biggest K-pop events that year.
Since then, Lollapalooza has welcomed more K-pop headliners like TOMORROW X TOGETHER and TWICE. But j-hope remains the only Korean soloist to headline any Lollapalooza stage worldwide.
Critics loved his 2022 Chicago show too. NME gave it full marks.
“A moment of true greatness.”
— NME
Consequence said he gave an emotional, personal performance.
MTV called it a
“rite of passage”
and one of the best Lollapalooza sets ever.
j-hope was booked again for Lollapalooza Chicago but missed it due to scheduling. Instead, he headlined Lollapalooza Berlin. That made him the first Korean soloist to headline the Berlin festival.
At Berlin, j-hope closed his Charm of Hope project. Songs included "Sweet Dreams" featuring Miguel, "MONA LISA," and "Killin’ It Girl" with GloRilla.
More than 60,000 fans were there live. RollingStone Germany called it a
“magical”
night. Bandwagon Asia said j-hope
“left no doubt” he’s a true show-stealer.
In 2025, j-hope broke more records. He became the first Korean soloist to sell out a U.S. stadium concert and landed on Billboard’s Midyear Top Tours chart.
His growth isn’t just personal — it’s about opening doors wider for Korean artists on world stages.
Three years after 2022, his Lollapalooza headlining moments still ripple through festival lineups and global music trends. The K-pop scene at major Western festivals looks different now — and j-hope helped clear the path.
Watch j-hope’s 2022 Lollapalooza Chicago performance here:
YouTube Playlist
Watch j-hope at Lollapalooza Berlin here:
YouTube Playlist