Back-to-back university festivals are currently happening with many K-pop acts taking the stage.
Without a doubt, university festivals are the perfect stage for K-pop idols to shine, but have you ever wondered what it takes to bring these stars to your campus?
From IVE’s captivating performances to Zico’s energetic beats and aespa’s stunning vocals, the cost of booking K-pop’s finest might just surprise you.
More recently, a popular YouTube channel revealed the fee charged by K-pop artists to perform at university festivals.
Universities usually allocate around $109K to $210K (150 to 300 million Won) for organizing these festivals and bringing in K-pop artists. A significant portion of this budget goes to paying K-pop idols. Universities rely on external donations and student council fees to cover up the costs.
PSY
PSY is the hottest and most expensive K-pop singer at the moment, especially when it comes to university festival appearance fees.
The legendary Gangnam Style singer reportedly charges $45K for a university event.
IVE
Following PSY, IVE charges a similar rate of $35K to $45K for performing at university events. Earlier this month, IVE performed at lncheon University and promed songs from their latest album, IVE SWITCH.
aespa
More recently, aespa performed in 4 different universities within 3 days. The group is currently busy promoting their pre-release track, Supernova, on various stages.
aespa performed at Dankook University (May 22), Gangnam University (May 22), Kyung Hee University (May 23), and Kwangwoon University (May 24).
aespa is reported to receive around $35K for performing at a university festival.
NewJeans
NewJeans have become immensely popular both locally and internationally despite debuting nearly two years ago. The group charges a $35K fee for performing at a university festival for students.
This year, the group is part of the 2-day lineup of Chung-Ang University with a scheduled performance on May 31. Since they just made a comeback, students will get to see them perform their new catchy tracks, which are already breaking records a day after their release.
Zico
Zico, a South Korean rapper who has been in the business for over a decade, earns $26K for a university festival appearance.
After releasing his collaboration song SPOT! with BLACKPINK’s Jennie, last month, he is out and about promoting the new song. He recently performed at the Yeungnam University.
(G)I-DLE
(G)I-DLE charges the same rate as Zico, $26K. The group has produced some of the iconic hits over the years and made a splash with their last comeback in January 2024.
Each year, they show their talent at various university events. This year, they graced the stage at Konkuk University on May 22.
ITZY
ITZY is going places, taking their talent to global fans and performing at various high-profile events. Similar to other artists on the list, they are also in great demand for university events.
As per reports, ITZY demands a fee of $26K to perform at a university festival.
AKMU
AKMU is immensely popular in Korea and is often spotted performing at local events. The sibling duo is booked for about $26K to perform at a university.
Other K-pop Acts
- Kwon Eunbi – $23K
- NMIXX – $21K
- fromis_9 – 21K
- Melomance – $19
Lastly, due to the popularity of university festivals, many students often sell their IDs to aspiring attendees.
Drop your comment about which K-pop act’s university appearance fee was the biggest surprise to you
