South Korean supergroup xikers have risen to the top in just over two years since their debut, and as they culminate their world tour Road to XY: Enter the Gate, the group tells amNewYork that they are just getting started.
Earlier this month, xikers brought the heat for the first stop in their stateside performance at Kings Theater with a high-energy show. Over a thousand fans, affectionately called roady, pumped their fists and lightsticks in the air as the deafening bass pulsated throughout the Brooklyn landmark venue, where Minjae, Junmin, Sumin, Jinsik, Hyunwoo, Junghoon, Seeun, Yujun, Hunter, and Yechan poured their hearts out onto the stage like true rock stars.
Beneath a red hue with flames fluttering on a screen in the background, xikers strode onto the stage as smoke wafted between the ten members wearing black hooded sweatshirts. The fiery passion in their eyes burned brightly as they stared out into the audience, kicking off their five-city tour.
“We’re going to many states in the US. We’re just looking forward to seeing how different states have different types of vibes and how the energy might be different, how the air might be different, the culture. And so, we’re just looking forward to meeting roady everywhere, all around the states,” Hunter said.
“This is the first tour we are going on as all 10 members, so you’ll be able to see a lot more of our synergy and our energy. I think you’ll really be able to feel our power together as ten on stage for this tour,” Seeun added.
While the menu may have been jam-packed with five cities, five shows, a music festival (Wango Tango in LA) and press days in between, xikers were still hungry for more. These young men continuously ate up the stage with high jumps, seamless choreography, and rock and roll energy unlike any other fifth-generation K-Pop group. They tell amNewYork that the support from their fans is what keeps them motivated to reach new heights.
“There is a part in the concert where the fans can sing along. And even though the lyrics are in Korean, a lot of the fans were able to sing along with the lyrics. So, it was very moving for me, and I was so thankful to all the fans,” Junmin told amNewYork. “It’s been a while since we’ve been back in the states, and it’s actually our second time being in New York for our concert, and even the first time we came around, the cheers for us were so loud that it was so much fun. It’s so nice to be able to experience that again.”
“It’s something we feel every time we tour, including the last time we were here in 2023, but when we see the fans really enjoying our performances and hear them singing along to our songs as they cheer for us, it’s such a great feeling and sense of support for us. It was so nice to be able to experience that one more time as an artist,” Jinsik said.
Upon returning to New York City and giving the performance of a lifetime in Brooklyn, xikers’ voyage to the top became symbolic as they hiked up 103 floors inside the Empire State Building. This sky-high rise was not the summit of their careers, but the steppingstone to their journey as global icons.
“Something that I wanted to do after coming back to NYC, other than seeing our roady, was to go to the top of the Empire State Building, so doing that was wonderful,” Junmin said.
xikers has danced in Times Square, hiked to the top of the Empire State Building, performed in Harlem and Brooklyn, and they hope next time they can add a visit to a few eateries for a slice of Junior’s cheesecake, New York City style steak, pastrami sandwiches at Kats diner, and of course visiting another Big Apple attraction the Statue of Liberty.
“With every year that passes, there are so many more memories that are created. I’m really looking forward to all the more beautiful things we can do, see together, and do together in the future,” Yujun said.
Housed by South Korean label KQ Entertainment, known for K-pop titans such as ATEEZ and Maddox, within the first year of their debut, xikers had two albums on the Billboard 200 charts and sold-out concerts for their initial world tour. As they celebrate their two-year anniversary with roady, xikers say they’ve learned so much about themselves along the way.
“As we’ve gained experience on the stage through all the concerts we’ve done and festivals, we’ve taken part in, it’s almost like we can feel the growth we’ve had as artists,” Yechan said.
Additionally, xikers second world tour also began hot off the heels of their fifth album release, HOUSE OF TRICKY: SPUR. This new era reflects a higher level of determination behind xikers, spurring on more action-packed performances and showcasing their growth over the years.
“This is actually the first album we were able to do together with all 10 members since our debut EP, so we were able to prepare for it while having a lot of fun. And on top of that, our song ‘BREATHE,’ the title track, has a very particular vibe and concept, so we were able to really think about it together and come together as ten as we prepared,” Sumin said.
“Every album, there is a focus on making sure that it has xikers unique identity within it but also taking on new challenges and trying new things that are different from the previous album. But in terms of performance, there is a focus on keeping and really showing the xikers style, even with new concepts, we aim to immerse ourselves and create a stage that is uniquely ourselves. We practice creating a performance that is clean and synchronized but freely expresses the charms of the ten of us as a group,” Minjae told amNewYork.
xikers’ music has transcended language barriers, creating a bridge between Korean culture and the world. For those just learning about these K-Pop superstars, xikers say that just like their music like their band name is indicative of a hard-fought journey. Everything xikers does is unapologetically themselves and embraces their “xikey spirit.”
“All xikers songs are standalone, great by themselves. But I think our music feels even more complete when you listen to it and watch our performances, so we recommend watching our performances too,” Hyunwoo said.
With Junghoon’s return to the stage with his bandmates, xikers have become an unstoppable force ready to show the world what they are made of.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to go on stage, but every time I would go on stage and say anything, the fans would cheer so loudly for me, and I’m so thankful for that. And as 10 members, we’ll keep going forward together to show you even better performances,” Junghoon added.
