Why Epik High Is a Perfect Pick as Coachella's First K-Pop Act

Last summer, Epik High embarked on the largest K-pop tour in years, with their North American summer tour that brought the trio everywhere from New York City to Hawaii. Last night, fans were sweetly surprised to see the hip-hop/pop act on the Coachella bill—basically, a first for a K-pop act. The move could potentially help usher in a wave of more Korean talent being recognized by larger festivals—so far, the biggest nod the country's pop scene has been with SXSW's annual K-Pop Night Out. But to get the ball rolling, Epik High and Coachella are a perfect match.

As proven during their 2015 tour, Epik High can do a lot with a little. Their double-header at New York's Best Buy Theater wasn't as flashy as shows from counterparts like BIGBANG or 2NE1, but it was still a hugely entertaining, high-energy set, even with just DJ Tukutz at the booth and Tablo and Mithra spitting to the crowd. Festival stages don't really allow for huge pyrotechnics for acts lower on the bill, as EH will be here, but they'd still be able to more than make do—much more so than girl groups or boy bands who might drown on such large, bare stages.