Nothing brings music lovers together like an international music festival! Fans get to enjoy performances from popular artists around the world and discover new talent to add to their playlists. Malaysia has hosted many music festivals over the years, with the most famous being the Good Vibes Festival.
Last year, it was announced that Malaysia would co-host the ASEAN-Korea Music Festival, which will take place in Kuala Lumpur. New details have been revealed but Malaysian fans expressed concerns regarding the upcoming concert, particularly the venue. Here’s what they said:
For those who don’t know, the ASEAN-Korea Music Festival is an annual project that started in 2020, aimed at promoting cultural exchanges between Korea and ASEAN countries through popular music. Last year, the event took place in Laos and featured superstars such as GOT7’s BamBam representing Korea, Masdo from Malaysia, and girl group KAIA from the Philippines.
On Friday (21st March), ROUND Festival—the official name and brand of the music festival—announced more details about the upcoming event. Without further ado, here’s what we know so far:
- Date: 21st (Saturday) & 22nd (Sunday) June 2025
- Venue: Zepp KL
- Organisers: KBS World, ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund
- Ticketing: TBA
The artist lineup is yet to be announced, but this latest revelation has raised concerns among Malaysian netizens. As seen in the screenshots, many have expressed that Zepp KL is too small to host a music festival, especially if half or most of the lineup consists of idol groups. Others speculated that the organisers may not be inviting big names for the festival if they’re holding it at the selected venue. Of course, a few remain hopeful, wishing that their favourite K-pop groups would be part of the lineup for this year’s event.
Netizens’ concerns are valid, as this will be Zepp KL’s first time hosting an international music festival featuring a lineup of artists from across ASEAN countries. The venue previously hosted the SACRA MUSIC FEST last year and is set to host the upcoming Central Music & Entertainment Festival. Do you think the ASEAN-Korea Music Festival should be moved elsewhere or is the current venue suitable?
Here’s the announcement video below:
