Music News

The heartbeat of Korean pop music will pulsate through the halls of the Grammy Museum as it embarks on a multi-year celebration of the global phenomenon by spotlighting two trailblazing acts.

To kick off the new initiative, Billboard can exclusively reveal that the Grammy Museum will present KQ ENT. (ATEEZ & xikers): A Grammy Museum Pop-Up for a limited time beginning next month.

Inside the museum’s third-floor red carpet gallery, the pop-up exhibit will feature boy bands ATEEZ and xikers, which are under the home of quickly rising K-pop agency and management label KQ Entertainment.

The exhibit promises an immersive experience for fans featuring outfits and props throughout both groups’ careers. One exhibition highlight includes props and the main outfits worn in ATEEZ’s “Crazy Form” music video, the lead single from their 2023 album THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in December and has earned 278,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. to date, according to Luminate.

Also, xikers will feature the attire from the music for “We Don’t Stop,” the single from their latest EP, HOUSE OF TRICKY: Trial and Error which marked another chart triumphant for KQ Ent. when it debuted at No. 73 on the Billboard 200 earlier this month with 13,000 equivalent album units in its first week. Fans can also look forward to other props, outfits and mementos from different KQ projects including the look xikers member JUNGHOON wore for the band’s performance video of “TRICKY HOUSE” off their 2023 debut HOUSE OF TRICKY : Doorbell Ringing.

To date, ATEEZ has earned 1.49 million total equivalent album units in the U.S. to date since their October 2018 debut. Meanwhile, xikers has earned 70,000 total equivalent album units in the U.S. so far as they approach their one-year anniversary on March 30.

“It’s an honor to have pieces from our latest music release displayed at the Grammy Museum where so many wonderful artists have left a piece of their musical history,” ATEEZ says in a statement. “There are so many elements involved in the process of our music creation and we’re excited to be able to share some of it through our music video outfits and props.”

xikers adds, “We’re so grateful for the opportunity to have our pieces displayed alongside our labelmate and seniors ATEEZ, as well as so many amazing artists that we’ve grown up listening to. Though it’s only been a little over a year since our debut, we’re so happy to take part in this opportunity at the Grammy Museum and hope that everyone has fun looking at all the interesting outfits and props that have helped create the xikers world in the music video of our latest release.”

Kyu Wook Kim, CEO of KQ Entertainment, also made a rare public statement as part of the milestone.

“The global spread of K-pop is truly remarkable and it is a great honor to see ATEEZ and xikers represent K-pop music at the Grammy Museum,” the CEO and longtime K-pop executive shares. “Witnessing our artists’ hard work and dedication being recognized on such a large scale by the Grammy Museum is truly a privilege and fills us with so much pride. We aim to continue to do our best to work with our artists to break boundaries in music on the global stage with K-pop.”

The Grammy Museum also shared more insight into curating its two-year K-pop commitment.

“Korean pop music is one of the greatest phenomena in the history of recorded music and culture,” says Michael Sticka, President/CEO of the Grammy Museum. “The Grammy Museum plans to celebrate the world of K-pop, its much-deserved success, and worldwide chart-breaking artists by curating dedicated exhibits and programming over the next two years. We look forward to launching this series with exclusive outfits and props from xikers and ATEEZ.”

KQ ENT. (ATEEZ & xikers): A Grammy Museum Pop-Up is scheduled to open on April 10 and run until June 10, launching just ahead of ATEEZ’s debut at Coachella 2024 as the first K-pop boy band to perform at the Indio festival.

More information about ticket reservations and the event can be found at the Grammy Museum website.