RIIZE Become First K-POP Idol Group to Perform at Austin City Limits Festival; China Market Also Reopens

RIIZE, an agency under SM Entertainment, has set another milestone in K-POP idol history. The group is set to become the first K-POP idol group to perform at the Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) held in Austin, Texas. The event takes place over two weekends, from October 3 to 5 and from October 10 to 12, at the iconic Zilker Park. Known for their “emotional pop” music style, RIIZE will share the stage with international music giants such as Sinead O’Connor, Doja Cat, Hozier, Luke Combs, and The Struts. The invitation of a K-POP group to ACL, one of the largest music festivals in the United States founded in 1948 that attracts up to 450,000 attendees annually, clearly demonstrates how much the global influence of Korean popular music has grown. Earlier this year, RIIZE performed as the first K-POP act at Mexico’s largest pop festival, “Tekate Emblema,” and has also captivated audiences at major global events such as the Busan International Rock Festival, Japan’s Summer Sonic, and Thailand’s Rolling Loud. The group is preparing to further accelerate its global activities by releasing its first full-length album, “Odyssey,” on May 19.

Meanwhile, the gradual reopening of the Chinese market is noteworthy alongside the expansion of K-POP on the international stage. Signs are emerging that China’s nearly nine-year-long restrictions on Hallyu culture are easing. Mark of NCT held a pop-up store event for his solo debut album, “The First Fruit,” at JD.com in Guangzhou, China, from April 19 to 25, attracting over 4,000 fans. NCT Wish held a press conference in Shanghai in March to promote his second mini-album, “poppop,” and was interviewed by approximately 60 local media outlets. IVE held a fan signing event in Shanghai during the same month, following a similar event held by TWICE in February. These developments represent the first significant signals since China effectively halted the import of Korean culture following the 2016 THAAD deployment dispute on the Korean Peninsula. Although China has never officially confirmed such restrictions, the entertainment industry, having lost its once-largest K-POP market, has restructured its global strategy to focus on the United States and Europe. Recent cooperation signals between the two governments are positive. In November 2024, China granted visa-free entry to Korean tourists, and South Korea announced in March that it would temporarily allow group tours from China to enter visa-free starting in the third quarter. K-POP export statistics also show a recovery trend. According to data from the Korean Customs Service, album exports to China dropped from $51.3 million in 2022 to $33.9 million in 2023 before rebounding to $59.8 million in 2024. In the first quarter of 2025, China became South Korea’s largest album export market, with exports totaling $12.96 million, surpassing Japan, Taiwan, and the United States.