K-Pop tour-de-force Xikers returned to New York with their [Road to XY: Enter the Gate] world tour on May 7.
Originally introduced to the world as KQ Fellaz 2, a collection of 10 trainees for K-Pop company KQ’s next boy group following the massive success of their original KQ Fellaz dance-team-turned-K-Pop-sensation ATEEZ, Xikers has seemingly only known success since their debut in March of 2023.
With five mini albums, a sprinkling of singles, and two world tours to their name in just over two years of activity, Xikers has carved out an identity for themselves as unstoppable forces within the industry. Characterized by impactful hip-hop, EDM, and dance sounds, striking choreography, and an even more impressive stage presence, the group’s well-roundedness has made them a force to be reckoned with in the fifth generation of K-Pop groups.
Returning to the United States for the second time as a group and the first time as a full roster of ten members with the end of member Junghoon’s health-related hiatus at the beginning of 2025, Xikers’ most recent world tour [Road to XY: Enter the Gate] began its U.S. leg with a show in Brooklyn’s own Kings Theatre on May 7.
Opening with the impactful “XIKEY,” Xikers stormed the stage and immediately took control of the Theatre. “Red Sun” and “Oh My Gosh” followed, the group’s KQ-signature all-out choreography set ablaze by the red lights beaming from above, silhouettes sharp against the equally red LED screens lighting them from behind. Only three songs in, Xikers had already set a jaw-dropping precedent for the rest of the evening.
Meeting their fans (lovingly nicknamed Roady) with greetings, Xikers spent only moments catching their breaths before they jumped right back into the thrilling energy with “BACK OFF.” As the blinding exhilaration of their arrival on stage evened into a more comprehensive excitement, “BACK OFF” made their undeniable stage presence all the more crystal clear. Perfectly embodying the track’s effortless hip-hop sway, Xikers made themselves impossible to look away from- a group that is effortlessly cool and even more impressive in skill.
The neon red and black color palette returned as seven members of the group stepped off the stage, making way for Minjae, Sumin, and Yechan to perform “CANVAS,” the first of several unit stages to come. The bass of the pre-debut track hit Roady square in the chest as they waved their lightsticks and jumped in tandem. As the song neared its conclusion the instrumental broke down into static, leading into an eerie visual of clocks and keyholes that set the tone perfectly for “WITCH.”
Now decked out in blacks, grays, and denims, Xikers returns in full to perform “WITCH” in all of its creepy, marionette-like glory. With stilted yet loose movements akin to that of a doll, this is where the group’s dancing secrets began to unveil themselves. While on the surface unthinkably smooth and fluidly casual, every movement Xikers makes is precise and intentional. No shrug of the shoulder or point of the finger is without precision and thought- an impressive show of skill contained behind intention.
That is, however, until the final chorus’ dance break where Xikers’ energy was unleashed in its entirety. With all ten members entirely committing themselves without hesitation to the exhilarating choreography, they sent a powerful message- if that’s what Xikers can do when they allow their skill to be used without abandon, the Roady of New York were truly in for something special.
The energy continued with “KOONG” and “Doorbell Ringing,” the latter of which featured choreography that took absolute advantage of having 10 talented dancers on stage. Xikers rapped and sang as they stood on each other’s backs, leaned over makeshift shelves made by other member’s arms, and generally leaned into the physicality of it all to a level that left Roady in utter awe.
After an absolutely insane final party chorus, Xikers flowed seamlessly into their next ment, speaking to Roady and reviewing the songs they’ve performed thus far as if they hadn’t just knocked the entire audience off of their feet. As they thanked the audience for their energy, some members began to mysteriously walk off the stage… and the next unit performance had officially begun.
A cover of Justin Bieber’s “Holy” lit by warm window visuals was performed by the vocal unit, each member stepping down to serenade the fans as their lightsticks waved left and right. This led directly into a show-stopping dance cover of “Ring-a-Ling” by Tkay Maidza that brought the audience’s cheers to a fever-pitch. Using the LED screens to their fullest as they performed backlit jaw-dropping choreography, dance unit members Yujun, Junmin and Hunter were cool and they knew it as they playfully jumped, swayed, and flipped to the afrobeat track.
The Xikers logo returned to the screen once more as the full group returned to the stage for the next ment, laughing and bouncing about the stage as they imitated bits from each other’s unit performances. One member prompted the audience to tell them which part they enjoyed the most, leading to enthusiastic cheers and hands in the air as each Roady passionately argued their case.
Before long, chatter died down and it was clear the group had something up their sleeves… literally. Gathering as they tossed a handful of jelly packs into the crowd, they asked “Roadie… do you like jelly?” bringing the setlist to “Every Flavor Jelly.” Between silly poses and an absolutely insane amount of formations in the choreography, Xikers traveled the stage as smoothly as, well… jelly.
Following was “You Hide We Seek,” a track equally gritty in production and even more impressive in performance. Xikers chased after one another playfully, delivered clean, full-bodied choreography, and rapped unrelentlessly- showcasing the full breadth of their talent.
An interlude of flickering black and white stills, slow motion close-ups of the members’ eyes, and fluid black swirls allowed the members to change into their next outfits of the evening for renditions of “We Don’t Stop,” “ROCKSTAR,” and “DO or DIE” that brought it back to old-school gritty guitars, anthemic cheers, and effortlessly cool poses.
Now at the final ment of the evening, Xikers began the process of saying goodbye, going down the stage sharing their favorite parts of the evening before announcing the final song of the night- “TRICKY HOUSE.” Iconic for its impactful fanchant and its history in the fanbase, as most (including myself) discovered Xikers through their renditions of the track at K-Con and as openers for ATEEZ prior to their debut, it’s no wonder why New York Roady went wild. It’s also no wonder as to why the stage was washed in bright navy lights- it’s always the blue part of the flame that burns the hottest.
As the members took their bows and dashed off stage, Roadys went about cheering and generally pretending they weren’t waiting with bated breath for an encore. Suddenly the screens flickered alight once more with the announcement that “Roady is the 11th member of Xikers”- and because of that, they had to prove themselves through song! The Theatre joined in incredibly fun sing-alongs of “We Don’t Stop” and “DO or DIE.” Cheering when they knew the lyrics and laughing when they tried their best at the rap verses, Roadys were bright with joy when Xikers took the stage once more for their encore stage.
Starting with the unreleased “Moonwalk,” the encore had all of the playfulness, sentimentality, and anthemic qualities expected of the final few tracks. “Break A Leg” had Roadies jumping and “Sunnyside” had them bouncing their lightsticks from side to side. Catching their breaths, the members posed with fanmade posters and tour-specific banners as they took a photo with the crowd, saying “Roady,” “New York,” and “I Love You!” in the place of the traditional “Cheese!”
Now truly on their final number of the night following heartfelt goodbyes, the simmering energy of Roady who knew what was in store reached a fever pitch- it was time for “BREATHE.” Arguably the most popular track off of their most recent release, “BREATHE” was everything the crowd wanted and more. Gritty, cutting production paired with a bassline felt down to the bones and choreography that matched its intensity perfectly, Xikers had put the perfect bow on the evening.
While already respected for their dance skills coming from KQ’s history of dance excellency, expectations were not only surpassed but shattered during Xikers’ night in New York City. An unstoppable force of energy, skill, and passion for what they do, Xikers is talent unbridled.
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