On May 17, 2025, as the lights dimmed inside Gocheok Sky Dome and anticipation reached its peak, thousands of light sticks lit up and a roar of cheers erupted the moment ISEGYE IDOL stepped onto the stage. As the music began, the line between reality and the virtual world started to blur, marking the beginning of a live performance that fans would never forget.

On March 18, virtual streamer Woowakgood, producer of the virtual girl group ISEGYE IDOL, unveiled the group’s “2025 Roadmap” on his SOOP channel. During the broadcast, he laid out a detailed plan for ISEGYE IDOL’s upcoming activities. Most notably, he confirmed the release date of their long-awaited fourth album Misty Rainbow, which had been postponed for nearly three years since 2022. He also announced that the remaining tracks they had been working on would be released between April and June. But that wasn’t all. He revealed that the ISEGYE FESTIVAL, first held in 2023, would return in May 2025 at Gocheok Sky Dome, and that the 2025 festival’s promotional track, “SYZYGY,” would drop just two days later on March 20. The moment this news hit the air, ISEGYE IDOL’s fandom, known as ifari, went wild.

“SYZYGY” marked ISEGYE IDOL’s first new release in 543 days since their previous tracks “Superhero” and “OVER,” which were unveiled during the 2023 ISEGYE FESTIVAL. With no major public appearances since member Lilpa’s first solo offline concert, LILPACON: Going Out, held in July 2024, fans had grown weary from the long wait, making the news feel like a welcome downpour after a drought. On top of that, ISEGYE FESTIVAL 2025 would be a historic milestone, as it marked the first time a domestic virtual artist would perform at Gocheok Sky Dome. Naturally, the excitement among fans was off the charts.

And finally, on May 16 and 17, ISEGYE FESTIVAL 2025 took place. Living up to its name as a music festival, the event boasted a star-studded lineup including The Boyz, Chuu, Taeyang, Guckkasten, Sunmi, BOYNEXTDOOR, N.Flying, tripleS, and 10CM. International acts such as AKB48, HIMEHINA, FLOW, and Keshi also joined the stage, adding even more shine to the roster. But as the word “ISEGYE” was in the festival’s name, there was no doubt who the headliner would be: ISEGYE IDOL themselves.

Be My Light, The Times We Shined for Each Other
As the clock neared 8 p.m., the central control system synced with the fans’ light sticks, ISEGYE IDOL’s first-ever official model called the “Leafstick,” a name that combines “leaf” and “stick,” which had been operated manually until then. A soft green glow spread through the crowd as every Leafstick lit up in unison. Just as anticipation reached its peak inside Gocheok Sky Dome, an animated opening sequence began to play. 1,247 days. That was how long it had been since ISEGYE IDOL debuted with the digital single RE : WIND on December 17, 2021. On May 17, 2025, they were finally back in front of their fans at ISEGYE FESTIVAL 2025. The performance opened with a narrative that the members had been drifting through space for 1,247 days and had now returned to Earth for this moment. Soon, a massive high-definition screen on stage showed an augmented reality CGI of a spaceship landing. With their arrival complete, ISEGYE IDOL launched into their first song, “Lockdown.”

“Lockdown” is the official soundtrack for the KakaoPage webtoon Magical Girl Isegye Idol, which is based on ISEGYE IDOL’s IP. Until now, no live performance footage of the song had ever existed. For the first time, “Lockdown” was performed live at the festival, complete with full choreography and a newly arranged band version of the track. Next came Kidding, which had made waves upon its release in August 2023. The song climbed to No. 3 on YouTube Music’s Top 100 South Korea chart and No. 9 on Melon’s Top 100, eventually earning a spot in Melon’s Hall of Fame. The band arrangement added even more power to the track, sending the audience at Gocheok Sky Dome into a frenzy.

Next came the solo stages. Since each member had revealed their setlist in advance through their personal streams, anticipation was high to see how their individual styles and colors would shine on stage. The first to perform was Jingburger, who opened the solo segment with a cover of IU’s “You and I”. Unlike the original, the arrangement took on a softer, more subdued tone, which Jingburger delivered with ease. She was followed by Jururu, who performed “T.B.H” by QWER, and Gosegu, who sang “Fan Service” by HoneyWorks. By this point, the audience was beginning to feel the fatigue of the nearly nine-hour-long festival. But the energy surged once again when Lilpa, known for her powerful vocals, took the stage with a soaring rendition of DAY6’s “Welcome to the Show.” The atmosphere inside Gocheok Sky Dome hit a new high. Then came a surprising twist. Viichan, the group’s youngest member, who usually took on vocal parts, delivered an unexpected cover of rapper BewhY’s “Day Day,” impressing the crowd with her sharp flow.

Of all the solo performances, the one fans had been looking forward to the most was Ine’s rendition of Younha’s “Oort Cloud.” Back in 2022, Lilpa uploaded a video on YouTube hinting at a possible duet of “Oort Cloud” with Ine. The two had publicly shared their hopes of performing the song together someday, but for various reasons, it never materialized. That is, until now. At long last, three years later at ISEGYE FESTIVAL 2025, Ine began performing “Oort Cloud,” and to the audience’s surprise, Lilpa appeared on stage mid-song. The long-awaited duet had finally come true. With powerful vocals and perfect harmony, Ine and Lilpa brought the solo stage segment to a stunning close.

And then came the moment everyone had been waiting for, the debut of their long-awaited new songs. The performances began with “Stargazers,” a track brimming with emotional city pop vibes, followed by “ELEVATE,” a high-energy K-pop style dance number. Next was “Misty Rainbow,” the song fans had been waiting for for years. The long delay only made its emotional impact stronger, building with each note. Finally, they unveiled a brand-new fan song titled “MEMORY.” It was a setlist that perfectly quenched the thirst of fans who had been yearning for more of ISEGYE IDOL’s music and choreography. With three new songs in the mix, it also hinted at the possibility of a full-length album in the near future. As the crowd danced and cheered without realizing how much time had passed, the clock edged closer to 11 p.m. ISEGYE IDOL’s performance, too, was nearing its final moments.

“Another World,” the original soundtrack for the KakaoPage webtoon Beyond the Dimensions of Isegye Idol, marked the final stretch of ISEGYE IDOL’s performance. The last song was “RE : WIND,” their debut track and one of the most meaningful songs for both the group and their fandom, ifari. As fitting for a closing and encore, both songs were accompanied by a live session orchestra, adding even more emotional weight to the finale. With the performance complete, ISEGYE IDOL returned to space in the show's narrative, and an enigmatic robot opened its eyes on screen as the words “ISEGYE IDOL will return” appeared. The video brought ISEGYE FESTIVAL 2025 to a close. It was a concert that had it all, including a sense of narrative closure.

ISEGYE FESTIVAL 2025 gave ISEGYE IDOL’s stage a special title, Be My Light, underscoring the group’s identity as virtual idols and highlighting a stage production tailored specifically to their unique format. Making full use of Gocheok Sky Dome’s expansive layout, the organizers installed a massive LED screen to handle the dynamic background visuals. At center stage, where ISEGYE IDOL primarily appeared, they placed an additional high-resolution pop-up screen designed specifically to frame the members as if they were physically present onstage. It was a thoughtful detail that helped audiences feel as though they were watching real-life performers. On each side of the stage, two large screens flanked life-sized statues of the group’s members, offering another visual treat for fans. Although the performances were delivered via video projection, the production didn’t hold back on real-world stage effects like pyrotechnics and fog machines. They even showered the venue with confetti printed with handwritten messages from the members, creating an unforgettable moment for fans. Despite the logistical challenges of the members living in different regions like Incheon, Gyeonggi, Busan, and Ulsan, they dedicated themselves to long periods of group training and multiple rehearsals to ensure the highest quality performance.

Of course, there were a few shortcomings. But even so, the overall quality of the show far surpassed that of the ISEGYE FESTIVAL 2023, raising expectations for a future solo concert. According to the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System (KOPIS), ISEGYE FESTIVAL 2025 drew 5,649 attendees on Friday and 17,807 on Saturday, the day ISEGYE IDOL performed, bringing the total to 23,456 and marking a meaningful achievement for the event.

“You and I, reunited in a sparkling miracle”
The virtual idol movement is widely considered to have begun with Japan’s Kizuna AI(キズナアイ). Nearly nine years ago, in 2016, she uploaded her first video titled “Creating a Twitter account!” to YouTube and officially launched her activities. Gradually building recognition through her online content, Kizuna AI eventually began holding offline live events in 2019. She paved the way for a wave of virtual idols, followed by projects like Nijisanji(にじさんじ) run by ANYCOLOR Inc., and other virtual talents under hololive production, both of which have continued to expand their offline presence through festivals and collaborative events.

In Korea, the concept of virtual idols began gaining attention in 2019 with APOKI, and was further popularized with the debut of ISEGYE IDOL in 2021. Among boy groups, PLAVE made their debut in 2023, firmly establishing the idea of virtual idols within the K-pop industry. Still, when Woowakgood launched the “Cyber Idol Training Project” back in 2021, he likely never imagined that the members he selected would grow to become what they are today.

The six members—Ine, Jingburger, Lilpa, Jururu, Gosegu, and Viichan—were chosen through a rigorous selection process. At the time, only Ine, who was studying composition, Lilpa, who had briefly debuted as an idol, and Viichan, known for her utaite performances as Rion, had any prior musical background. But everything changed when their debut single “RE : WIND” soared to No. 1 on the Bugs real-time chart. A video of Lilpa, who had once faced disappointment as an idol, breaking down in tears after seeing the track enter Melon’s Top 100 went viral, followed by another of former Nine Muses member Sera tearing up while watching the moment.

Since then, ISEGYE IDOL has steadily continued their activities, releasing their second single “Winter Spring” in 2022, followed by the third single “Kidding” in 2023, along with original soundtracks for their official webtoons Magical Girl Isegye Idol and Beyond the Dimensions of Isegye Idol, as well as the digital single “ISEGYE Festival.” Because of producer Woowakgood’s direction, ISEGYE IDOL operates as a virtual YouTuber group with a girl group concept, which means their activities are somewhat limited by the need to stream regularly. Still, this setup allows them to interact directly with fans in real time, which has played a big part in building the strong loyalty that their fandom, ifari, is known for.

For example, in 2023, a crowdfunding campaign for the graphic novel and merchandise of Magical Girl Isegye Idol was launched on Tumblbug. It made history by raising an incredible 4.19 billion won, becoming the most successful crowdfunding project in Korean history at the time. Remarkably, that record was broken in December 2024 when the second official webtoon, Beyond the Dimensions of Isegye Idol, raised a staggering 8.822 billion won. ISEGYE IDOL's 2024 pop-up store at The Hyundai Seoul was even named the highest-grossing pop-up of the year. In doing so, ISEGYE IDOL continues to open up new possibilities for virtual idols. The successful conclusion of ISEGYE Festival 2025 will no doubt stand as another milestone in their journey.

There was a time when the six members couldn’t believe in the potential hidden within themselves, shedding tears as they quietly pushed forward. Now, united under the name ISEGYE IDOL, they are creating a new rainbow of their own. Just how far will their journey, destined to shine even brighter, take them? No one can predict the end for a group that is always charting new paths. But one thing is certain: ISEGYE IDOL will always find their way back to us.