There was a sense of comforting familiarity at K-Town 3.0, featuring Taemin, Super Junior D&E, ONEWE, Bang Yedam and JEY. The audience, a mix of GenZ and millennials, knew why it had gathered. After all, this was the music they discussed in school corridors, college canteens, during late-night phone calls, the music that lived on in their playlist and scented the quieter parts of growing up.
Launched two years ago to celebrate the global rise of Korean culture (Hallyu), K-Town festival, lets fans immerse themselves in everything Korea. From electrifying K-Pop performances to vibrant cultural showcases including authentic food, beauty pop-ups, and interactive activities, it brings the spirit of Seoul straight to Mumbai.
What makes K-pop a global sensation is its combination of powerful vocals, high-energy choreography, vibrant visuals, and slick performances. But more importantly, K-pop thrives on a deep, emotional bond with the fans, who actively promote and support their favourite idols through social media and organised events, fostering a sense of community. Also, K-pop’s ability to break language barriers through universal themes and its blend of Western and Korean influences makes it accessible and adaptable.
This year’s line-up of artistes were performing in India for the first time, but it didn’t feel like an introduction. Taemin’s performance lived up to the heightened expectation.
Taemin and the Memory of Discovery
Taemin acknowledged the crowd’s love for him.
| Photo Credit:
Rachel Rhine
Debuting with SHINee in 2008 at just 14, for many, Taemin was the introduction to a sound and sensibility unlike any other. No one minded the buffering screens and low-resolution uploads.
On stage in Mumbai, Taemin spoke the language he has perfected over the past 15 years — movement before voice, poise before power. ’Move’ drew an instant response — for, the audience had made every beat and breath theirs years ago.
‘Criminal’ gathered cheers, ‘Guilty’, ‘Advice’, ‘Deja Vu’, and ‘Sexy in the Air’ followed, each deepening the spell.
ONEWE, a five-piece band, evolved from years of friendship and playing music together since school.
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: RBW Entertainment
The most intimate moment, however, came when the crowd called out, “We’ve been here since 2008!”, Taemin smiled and sang the chorus of ‘Replay’ — SHINee’s debut song — a few unadorned lines, steady and unforced. It landed not only as a throwback, but as an acknowledgement of their shared history.
Speaking later, Taemin said, “It’s my first time in India and I am both thankful and sorry, because a lot of people were waiting for me.”
Super Junior-D&E and the Music That Stayed
Super Junior-D&E’s performance brought a sense of continuity rooted in legacy.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
If Taemin’s set traced how people grew alongside this music, Super Junior-D&E’s performance brought a sense of continuity rooted in legacy. Donghae and Eunhyuk — the long-running subunit of Super Junior, one of the most influential second-generation K-pop groups — represented the sound that shaped the early global wave.
‘Growing Pains’ marked the emotional centre of their set of seven songs. The song is dramatic in its rise and release, the kind of track that holds both ache and clarity. For many in the crowd, it recalled the years when feelings were big and unfiltered, when the future felt undefined and limitless.
They concluded with ‘Run Away’, the song unfurling like a breath, that was held, and finally let go. Donghae and Eunhyuk leaned towards the barricades reaching out to touch the hands of fans, who had waited years for this moment. “Next time, we will bring the entire group to India,” they promised.
JEY, Bang Yedam and ONEWE: Setting the Shape of the Evening
Bang Yedam
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
JEY opened the night with quiet confidence. There was no rush to command the stage, no urgency to hype the crowd. ‘Enemy’ unfolded with measured control, his restraint inviting attention rather than demanding it. The audience didn’t need warming up; they leaned in instantly.
Bang Yedam followed, shifting the mood without breaking the rhythm. His voice carried sincerity without being sentimental, making ‘We Good’ and ‘Only One’ feel close even in a large stadium. His performance felt shared rather than projected — as though he was singing with the room, not to it.
ONEWE expanded the space entirely. A live-band on a K-pop festival stage changes the air — the guitars add resonance, and the percussion draws in the crowd. Their arrangements built gradually, widening the emotional range of the night. ONEWE reminded the audience that Korean music has never been a single genre.
The Festival as Intent
That sense of progression was deliberate. As Shital Sikarwar, CEO and Founder of TANI Events and Entertainment, said, “From the very beginning, K-Town has stood for one belief, India deserves world-class K-Pop experiences, not just concerts. India is no longer an emerging K-Pop audience, but is becoming an essential Asian tour market with a young population, rising disposable income, and a culture built on music and fandom.”
On how the line-up was constructed, she explained, “Our curation philosophy was simple: Honor the icons. Elevate the future. Deliver a line-up that tells a story and not just a schedule.”
K-pop in India grew through small, personal exchanges: links shared among friends, choreography practiced in classrooms, lyrics learned before language. So, when artistes such as Jackson Wang, BamBam, EXO’s Chen, Xiumin and Suho, The Rose, Eric Nam, Hyolyn and B.I. came out to perform here in recent years, it felt like something long present had finally become visible.
K-Town 3.0 existed in that same space.
