Beloved Group Reunites at Coachella 6 Years After Breakup

Coachella attendees were treated to an incredible surprise on Saturday – the reunion of defunct K-pop girl group 2NE1. The pop group stopped performing live together in 2015 and officially disbanded in 2016, and there have been no promises of a reunion since then. On Saturday, they returned to the stage in the Coachella Valley.

Fans nearly lost it over 2NE1’s surprise appearance on stage this weekend. The group is iconic in the world of K-pop and is considered a pioneer of modern pop music in general. Its members are Bom, Dara, CL and Minzy. All four were on stage on Saturday night and the audience shrieked in excitement. On social media, many users shared photos and videos from the scene, but at first commenters watching from home didn’t really believe what they were seeing.

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“This is unreal, don’t wake me up,” one fan joked as if they were dreaming. Another wrote: “I hyperventilate and then cried happy tears of this reunion. Can I end this year like this? Love 2NE1!!!!” A third added: “Their stage presence is unmatched.”

The 2NE1 reunion came during the 88rising collective’s “Head in the Clouds Forever Showcase.” It also followed a solo set by CL. According to a report by Rolling Stone, 2NE1 is only the second K-pop girl group ever to perform at Coachella in spite of the genre’s growing global appeal. Many fans commented on how historic this performance was for the K-pop fandom.

The talent agency YG Entertainment debuted 2NE1 in 2009 with the single “Lollipop,” and they had a meteoric rise from there. The group had three full-length albums – To Anyone in 2019, Collection in 2012 and Crush in 2014. They also had numerous singles, including their last release in 2017 – a single called “Goodbye” which debuted after they had disbanded.

They also had the distinction of being the first K-pop girl group to embark on a world tour. The success of those ventures helped pave the way for the next generation of K-pop performers and many fans feel that they are reaping the rewards now.

It’s unclear what this weekend’s reunion means for 2NE1. It may well have been a one-off performance, but commenters are clearly hoping it will go further. So far, the band and their managers have not commented on the future.