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Sixteen Years of Celebration: Honoring the Tradition of Korean Festival Houston

October 15, 2025 | 82 Visits

Korean Festival Houston 1 1024x558Courtesy of KFestHouston on Instagram

Did you know that there are well over a dozen Korean interest festivals across the United States annually? It’s certainly a positive tradition and something that contributed to my growing interest in South Korean culture. This is why returning to the 16th annual Korean Festival presented by Kroger in Houston October 11 – 12, 2025, after nearly a decade felt like stepping into a familiar rhythm that’s pulsing with the same energy that first drew me to it between 2013 and 2015.

Once a modest community gathering tucked into the Houston Community College parking lot, the festival has thrived in the heart of downtown at Discovery Green. In those earlier years of my K-pop excitement, it was one of my favorite local events because it was a chance to immerse myself in Korean culture without boarding a plane to Los Angeles or New York for KCON. It was where I connected with other K-pop fans and friends, practiced the Korean I’d learned at the Korean Education Center, and watched the Hallyu Wave swell through Houston’s diverse cultural scene.

Back then, Korean pop culture was often labeled a “phenomenon.” Today, it’s simply part of the global entertainment landscape. The festival reflects this evolution perfectly — not just through music, but in an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere, multigenerational audience, and positive cultural exchange.

A Legacy of Connection

Organized by the Korean-American Society of Houston (KASH), the festival began in 2009 as a community-driven effort to unify Houston’s Korean population and introduce Korean culture to greater Houston. Now recognized as one of the region’s most anticipated multicultural celebrations, attendees journey far and wide to get in on the fun. Given that Texas is the country’s second largest state by both population and land, getting from one side of it to the Gulf Coast is a journey enough for some! KASH’s mission, and subsequently that of the festival, is:

That dedication is evident in every booth, every performance, and every crowd member dancing along and enjoying the good energy. Especially exciting was the acknowledgement of attendees with different needs such as designating the first two hours on October 12 for attendees with different sensory needs and incorporating ASL interpreters. These conscious contributions is the type of togetherness that’s championed in the Korean proverb, “백지장도 맞들면 낫다,”(baekjijango matdeulmyon natda) – “even lifting a white sheet of paper is better together,” which can be compared to saying that the more effort put in on something, the easier it is for everyone.

Korean Festival Houston 2 1024x707Courtesy of KFestHouston on Instagram

The 2025 Lineup

This year’s two-day event continues the standard of highlighting Korea’s cultural duality of innovation and tradition in perfect harmony. There is something for the traditionalists and something for the noobs alike.

Speaking of newbies, I was unfamiliar with the headliner group of October 11, K-pop boy band Withus (위더스). The four-member group made their debut November 17, 2020, and made this event their U.S. debut performance! The gentlemen brought colorful choreography (and costuming) as they started their set with their 2021 song, “DOKKEBI; Ground,”and the mics were on! Fourth generation idols are known for complex choreography that could challenge the vocal performance but Withus delivered exactly what fans crave: sleek energy, audience engagement, and polished stage presence. They were especially charismatic during their fan engagement, speaking in Korean, English and a little bit of Spanish to entertain the fans!

Solo artist Hohyun, a returning performer, kept the crowd energized and created a new fan out of a group standing near me. His repeat appearance speaks to the relationships this event has built over time between artists, organizers, and fans who return year after year.

On the traditional side, Samulnori NEWDOT and Eolssu Hanmadong ground the weekend in Korea’s deep-rooted musical and performative traditions. I am a big fan of traditional South Korean music and deeply enjoyed the rhythmic power of the percussion and the colorful, coordinated performances. Unfamiliar attendees learned firsthand that Korean artistry has always been vibrant, long before K-pop became all the rage.

Korean Festival Houston 3Courtesy of KFestHouston on Instagram

The Sights, Sounds, and Spirit of Discovery Green

Beyond the stage, the festival’s atmosphere captures the essence of cultural exchange. The scent from the food tents, the sounds of laughter and multilingual conversations, and the sounds of K-pop from eras gone by rang through the park. Even my best friend and I were shouting fan chants at the top of our lungs when we heard the chorus of the TVXQ’s legendary song, “Mirotic”! However, compared to my memory of past years, there wasn’t enough music. The event had its main stage and a side stage farther into the park but there wasn’t the overwhelming flooding of sounds like I recalled. Sunday was especially less noisy. It could have been because there was another festival sharing the grounds or that noise ordinances had changed, but I wanted more.

Nonetheless, returning after ten years feels like a full-circle moment. The festival’s expansion, its broader audience, and its intergenerational reach all point to a new era of cultural awareness — one where Korean culture is not just appreciated for its popular appeal, but embraced as part of Houston’s identity. It doesn’t just celebrate Korean culture – it celebrates connection between the past and present, between all of South Korea and Houston, Texas, and between the fans who first fell in love with the Hallyu wave and those discovering it today.

Ashley Borjon, Host & Historian

Ashley is a content creator, educator, and public speaker. As an authority on the Hallyu phenomenon, she has collaborated on projects and events with various domestic and international companies and brands as a music historian. As the host of An Album a Day, she leads an English-language podcast promoting commentary on South Korean pop music. Learn more about her at https://www.a3daypodcast.com

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