Seoul Train

Epic K-pop festival lights up San Antonio's Alamodome

Cravity is one of the headliners of KPOPWORLD Festival & Worldwide Dance Competition

Photo courtesy of KPOPWORLD Festival & Worldwide Dance Competition

Grab your lightsticks and photocards. The Alamodome will host San Antonio’s first K-pop festival October 28-31, bringing a massive four-day lineup of concerts, dance battles, and an international vendor village to the East Side venue. Maybe bring some earplugs, too.

KPOPWORLD Festival & Worldwide Dance Competition has booked 11 acts for its inaugural concert lineup. The headliner will be Roc Nation artist Jay Park, known for his Billboard-topping hits, collabs with 2 Chainz and Ty Dolla $ign, and modeling work as a Gucci brand ambassador.

He’ll be joined by a group of performers that show the full range of K-pop sounds, from sunny indie rock to alt R&B. Organizers say each act will perform at least a 45-minute set. The list includes:

South Korean indie rockers The Rose
Filipino boy band SB19
Korean-American rapper Jessi
Five-member girl group ARTMS
Nine-member boy band CRAVITY
Rock group Xdinary Heroes
Vocal powerhouse WONHO
Alt R&B singer DEAN with special guest Tabber
Singer and dancer HEYOON
Pop up-and-comer DAYOUNG

Before the weekend music, the festival will host an epic dance competition featuring 32 teams from 29 countries. During breaks, guests can shop at a Korean vendor village. Interactive fan zones give stans the chance to meet their idols (and maybe learn a new TikTok dance).

The festival's organizers, KPOPWORLD Magazine and R Entertainment, say the site was chosen deliberately. Not only does Texas have the second-largest K-pop fandom in the United States, but the size of the Alamodome also allowed planners to stage a full spectacle.

"KPOPWORLD Festival 2026 is about giving K-pop fans in this region a festival built around them, at a scale that matches how much this music means to them," said Ebe Kh, CEO of KPOPWORLD Magazine and TMRW, in a release.

T icket packages, ranging from limited $100 deals to $1,200 “Super VIP” experiences, go on sale at 10 am July 23. Single-day passes launch on August 4. Since the event coincides with Halloween weekend, organizers urge fans to book travel and hotels early.

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MUSIC NOTES

San Antonio's Gunter Hotel launches intimate songwriters series

Photo courtesy of Gunter Hotel

David Jimenez kicks off the Studio Lounge Sessions at Gunter Hotel.

Think of it as a San Antonio version of MTV’s Unplugged. On August 5, downtown’s Gunter Hotel will launch a new songwriter series on August 5 featuring intimate looks at the stories behind the songs.

Like the popular ‘90s concert series, the Studio Lounge Sessions invites artists to pause to give context to their set lists. While not strictly acoustic, the performances will be intimate, tucked away in Gunter Studio, the hotel's state-of-the-art recording space on the second floor.

The opening show features David Jimenez, one of Austin’s most in-demand session players. The Austin-based guitarist will soon release his solo debut, Sleep On It, showcasing his “resaca pop,” taking its name from the ephemeral oxbow lakes formed when the Rio Grande floods.

The following weeks will feature Alamo City’s Cooper Greenberg, known for his work with the Texases and his own band, Favorite Son. A double bill will bring neo-soul from Chavela (aka Isabel Paillao) and Mikey Vibe, frontman of Deer Vibes and Michael J. & The Foxes. Each of the musicians will be joined by two fellow songwriters.

Studio Lounge Sessions continues the historic property’s musical legacy, started when blues legend Robert Johnson checked in to record his seminal work. The hotel completed a $57 million renovation in September 2025, adding musical touches throughout, like in-room record players, a vinyl listening library, weekly live music at Bar 414, and larger shows — like Rattlesnake Milk on August 8 — in the Crystal Ballroom.

The $15 showcases take place every Wednesday in August from 7-9 pm. Tickets to all of Gunter Hotel’s upcoming shows can be purchased here.

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