K-Pop Icons MONSTA X On Their Explosive Return To KCON LA 2025

MONSTA X on the KCON LA 2025 Red Carpet // Courtesy of CJ ENM

CJENM

On Saturday night, K-pop titans, MONSTA X, made their triumphant return to the KCON’s M Countdown stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

It had been nine years since MONSTA X – Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney, and I.M – appeared at KCON LA, the largest K-Culture festival in the U.S. They performed in 2015 and 2016. Unfortunately, the rapper and the youngest member, I.M, could not attend this year due to a back injury.

U.S. MONBEBE – the name for MONSTA X fans – have waited three years since the “No Limit” Tour to see the group perform. Though the group’s leader, Shownu, was in military service during that time, he returned to the U.S. with Hyungwon to perform as a unit, Shownu X Hyungwon, at KCON LA and Krazy K-pop Super Concert after his discharge in 2023. I.M did his first solo world tour last year.

The anticipation of the group’s return was felt throughout the room, as Mondoongie (MONSTA X lightsticks) lit up the stadium alongside other groups’ lightsticks. The energy was palpable as cheers, barking, and screams erupted as the lights went down. The group gave powerful performances of “Beautiful Liar,” “WHO DO YOU LOVE?,” “Play It Cool,” and their Dream Stage song, “Gambler,” which had select fan dancers dance alongside them.

Fan chants could be heard as each song was played, which seemed to fuel the members even further. The love for the group was felt throughout the arena, and the members appreciated it.

“We’ve missed U.S. MONBEBE so much,” Kihyun said after the concert. “It’s been a few years since we’ve been here, and we really felt the energy from the crowd. We’re so thankful for the dancers who joined us on the dream stage because they practiced a lot, and it was a really new and meaningful experience to create this performance together.”

The days before KCON, I met with the group at their hotel in Los Angeles to discuss their upcoming appearance. Their eyes lit up as I entered the room wearing a MONSTA X tour shirt. Though MONSTA X is considered one of the most popular groups globally, they seemed genuinely surprised to be recognized.

Minhyuk even asked, “Is that ours?”

They asked when I’d seen them live, which caused Joohoney’s eyes to widen as I told them several times, including when they performed at KCON both times and Shownu X Hyungwon’s KCON set two years ago. They all expressed thanks for the support over the years, which left a sense of comfort in the room for the rest of the conversation.

The members expressed their excitement about returning to KCON LA, where they had their first U.S. performance just three months after their official debut in 2015. Though it has been awhile since they’ve been in the U.S., they feel like they’ve never left, thanks to their strong connection with the fans.

“It’s so familiar to me and for the group,” says Kihyun. “We can’t wait to see our stages for our fans. It’s so exciting.”

Hyungwon was just as thrilled, despite having performed with Shownu just two years ago, to be at KCON LA again. He says, “There were different feelings now, because we are back in our group [as MONSTA X].”

When they first performed at KCON, they were a “rookie” group, but now return as K-pop veterans, headlining the show. But, they all still feel like they’re rookies.

“We feel the same,” Minhyuk laughs.

Shownu adds, “Oh yeah, the same. [I feel] like a rookie again, for sure. We have to work really hard. My [mind] is still a rookie, but it looks like [I’m a veteran].”

Surrounded by several new (and rookie) groups, Joohoney says they all have the same mindset in terms of their performance. He says, “We feel like the other groups who call us ‘sunbaenim’ (an honorific for respected senior). We enjoy the stage, just like the minds of rookies.”

Hyungwon jokes, “[I have the] same feeling [as I did in] 2015 and 2016, but with better faces.”

One thing has changed from their last experience as a group in the U.S. – the reaction from fans when they see a K-pop group: barking.

Shownu and Hyungwon experienced this as a unit at their last KCON, which Hyungwon vaguely remembered but didn’t understand the purpose. The rest of the members’ faces were left blank and confused at the mention of barking. They had never heard of it or were unaware that it was a practice American fans engaged in.

“Barking?” Joohoney asks. “I don’t think so. Why do they bark? Is every group the same?”

As I began to explain this American cultural phenomenon, they all “ahhh”-ed in unison – and, surprisingly, in tune – with the realization of what it meant. They laughed and began barking.

“We are [definitely] ready,” Shownu laughs.

Sometime after their M Countdown performance, Joohoney shared his thoughts on the fans’ barking, seemingly enjoying it. He says, “The barking is so fun. We loved it.”