From chewy tteokbokki to show-stopping K-pop performances, the 2025 Korean Festival in Atlanta was one massive celebration of Korean culture. Held on October 4th and 5th in the back parking lot of Sugarloaf Mills, this two-day celebration-hosted by the Korean Festival Foundation – brought together everything from sizzling street food and cultural performances to full-blown K-pop concerts.
Rain or shine, event goers showed up ready to vibe, dance, and eat.
Headliners that Rocked the Festival
Kim Hye Yeon (김혜연) – Bringing Fun and Energy to the stage
Kim Hye-yeon lit up the stage with her signature trot-style performances, bringing a wave of nostalgia and joy to the crowd. A beloved singer with numerous hits from the 1990s and early 2000s, she especially resonated with the older generation—many of whom sang along to every lyric and had their phones out to capture the moment.
Energetic and full of charm, Kim Hye-yeon quickly became a fan favorite, breaking all age barriers and turning her set into one big party. She laughed and danced with the audience, even inviting audience members on stage to join her in the fun. At one point, she stepped off stage to dance among the crowd, creating an unforgettable moment of connection that perfectly embodied the festival’s inclusive and joyful spirit.
Kevin Woo – Opening the Honmoon
One of the standout moments of the festival was Kevin Woo’s performance. Having moved to Korea and debuting as a young teenager, Kevin has built an impressive career that spans over a decade in the K-pop industry. From his early days in XING and U-KISS to his solo ventures and musical theater work, Kevin’s dedication to his craft continues to shine.
Recently, he’s stepped back into the spotlight as the singing voice of Mystery Saja in the hit animated film “K-Pop Demon Hunters.” Fans—many of whom came out as longtime U-KISS supporters or new fans from the movie—braved the pouring rain just to see him perform live. Kevin treated the crowd to a dynamic setlist of his solo songs and even surprised everyone with a special “K-Pop Demon Hunters” collaboration stage with Big Ocean.
After his performance, 200 lucky fans had the opportunity to purchase a fan sign session where they could meet Kevin Woo up close, share a few words, and leave with a cherished autograph. It was a moment full of smiles, gratitude, and memories. Kevin Woo will be having a solo concert on November 25th in West Hollywood, California.
Big Ocean – Making Waves Everywhere
The main headliner of the 2025 Korean Festival in Atlanta was Big Ocean, a innovative three-member boy band under Parastar Entertainment. Since their debut in 2024, members Chanyeon, PJ, and Jiseok has been making waves in the K-pop industry as the first boyband where all of the members are hard of hearing. Trained as global idols, they have learned multiple spoken and sign languages to connect with their fans. They recently wrapped up a successful US tour in August 2025. Many fans were ecstatic when they heard that Big Ocean was coming back to the US. Fans from across the country flew or drove to Georgia to show support for Big Ocean.
Despite some technical issues and the rain, Big Ocean rocked the stage. They performed fan favorite songs like, “Flow,” “Attention,” and “Bucket hat”. Each song brought thunderous cheers from the crowd, who sang, signed, and danced along in unison with the boys. Big Ocean also performed fun and new stages like “Troublemaker,” originally by HyunA and Jang Hyun Seung.
Outside of their performance, many fans had the opportunity to interact and meet the members on both days of the festival. Fans had the opportunity to join Big Ocean for their Food Tour, purchase opportunities to do high-touch, fan signs, group photos, solo photos, buy merchandise from the members, or attend the fan café event. The fans said they really appreciated the opportunities for many fan engagements.
Food, Fun, and Culture Galore
Of course, no Korean Festival is complete without the feast. The air was filled with the scent of fish cake soup, tteokbokki, and sweet hotteok. But this year’s biggest food buzz came from a very special guest—Chef Jisun Jung, star of the Netflix hit Black and White Chef: Culinary Class Wars. Fans lined up to get a taste of her dishes and snap a quick selfie.
Beyond food, the festival’s cultural zones gave everyone a chance to experience Korea hands-on:
- Taekwondo demonstrations that got the crowd cheering
- Masked Singer singing contest and K-Pop cover dance performances that had local talent shining bright
And, of course, endless rows of vendors selling everything from handmade crafts and skincare goodies to trendy K-pop merch. You couldn’t walk away empty-handed (or hungry).
** A special thank you to KORUS Entertainment and Parastar Entertainment for having me as the photographer for the event!
