Elevator pitch involving the Superbowl and Asian superstars:

No time to waste, let’s get into it!

Promotional wallpaper I created with no skills to promote my idea (credits to owner for the respective pictures)

SO…I have been begging you a lot to interact with my articles, engage with me, by commenting under my articles. This hasn’t really worked so far. This is okay to me as long as you break the rule for articles like these. For this one, I am desperate and I call for you out loud. Please, please, please, for the love of god, hear me out.

It is no secret that the Internet has the power to boost ideas which first started at the smallest level. It makes creative ideas happen. Or at least get them be heard by the people in charge: in the case of this article, it is the NFL joined by Roc Nation and JAY-Z who it should reach (they are in a partnership since 2019 making JAY-Z in charge of deciding who is next as performer).

The reason I am saying this is that this article doesn’t involve reporting on a person or news happening in pop culture. It is about an idea, a concept, whichever is the word you want to use to talk about something that doesn’t exist in reality except in your head BUT it will eventually in the future when it is meant to happen.

I) The origins

These take place annually.

Are watched by hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Happen at the halftime of the final game of the National Football League, where for a single advertisement to run you have to pay millions of dollars and celebrities are battling to have their cameo in it.

In this case, it goes beyond the sport world.

While the tradition started in 1967, the idea to make it be headlined by an artist surrounded by guest acts only began in the 1990s.

The artists who come up aren’t getting paid BUT they usually see a surge in album sales and chart positions after showing. It is a win win situation for everyone involved.

The goal of the programmers? To keep people watching TV during the breaks.

The subject in question is of course the Superbowl Halftime Show.

Does it ring any bells?

It was where:

• Michael Jackson got crowds excited simply by standing still for 2 minutes on end.
• One of the biggest incidents on television happened. Justice for Janet Jackson.
• the magic song “Purple Rain” by Prince was played during torrential rain.
• The worst Black Eyed Peas performance for some in their defense due to an incalculable amount of technical malfunctions.
• The biggest legends in music perform.
• Bruno Mars came up two different times. In his defense, it takes a long time to pay off debts. Beyoncé also showed up twice, her greatness is that unmatched.
• Diana Ross left the stage with an helicopter ride and Lady Gaga came up on it from the top of the stadium and a jump into the stadium.

To tell you the truth, since Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Superbowl Halftime Show in New Orleans during last February, I have lost myself in the rabbit hole that are Superbowl performances.

What I have been doing is enjoying the live music and the magnitude of the stage where it takes place. These are what I see as performances of the next level. Spectacles in their best form with dancing, singing, fireworks, special effects, back-up dancers, stunts, costume changes, surprises, so much fun etc.

Also, it looks to me on the outside as America in what they do best.

[embed]A ranking of Superbowl performances (video from Set the Edge Youtube Channel)

SO…what do I want to do with that?

I want pop superstars from Asia to be invited to play there and make it a party for them only.

II) Why WE should make it happen

• The demand is here

We call it KPOP.

The women of BLACKPINK have been particularly present in this space but it also extends to other people, such as IU, G-DRAGON, BIGBANG, 2NE1, AESPA, New Jeans, Stray Kids etc.

Have you heard of the explosive success of KPOP Demon Hunters, the series on Netflix ? Or of KATSEYE, an american girl band formed by a KPOP label using exactly the methods they use in South Korea (they took my world by storm with the song Gabriela and the GAP jeans advertisement) ? Or, at last, that shows like KPOPPED now exist on Apple TV?

As a viewer, it is simply amazing seeing them branch the existing gap between the Asian and Western industry to rightfully see them everywhere in public spaces: at the Met Gala, at front rows of the haute couture shows, at awards shows, at festivals, during late night shows, on the Billboard charts, for collaborations with brand etc.

As a fan, I believe it is now time to offer them the Superbowl. Like what are we waiting for?

• Recognizing influence on music

I did my research and it turns out that in the complete history of the show since its birth, a similar and comparable performance has never happened although there hasn’t been a lack of Asian superstars in the music industry.

A lack as of today but it also applies to the past.

It is time for us to make it finally right. Give credit where credit is due.

• Representation, representation, representation

This would play an important part in improving the representation of Asian people in the cultural space.

They deserve to see people who look like themselves on the world’s biggest stages.

Similarly to the 2020 edition of the Superbowl which was a Latin party featuring Shakira and JLO as headliners, imagine what we could make in honor of KPOP ? (credits to owner for the picture)

• Changing the formula

At last, because I know comparisons will be done, the people I referenced before bring something different to live music.

While most Western artists need a whole circus behind them to entertain crowds, Asian superstars are energically singing and dancing at the same time while entertaining the audience like their lives depend from it. The art is in the details like the synchronization between group members, or their facial expressions.

Look at the material! Example of the Avengers of KPOP girl groups put together here.

It is as equally impressive if not more and has everything to do with how they were trained before debuting in the industry.

[embed]Joana Ceddia did a spot-on deep dive explaining the keys elements of KPOP (video from Joana Ceddia Replay Youtube Channel)

• Examples

To motivate the people who organize and book the performers at the Halftime show, let me show you a few examples of performances which surpasses others’ by miles. I actually think about these a lot:

• 2NE1 at MAMA 2015
• BIGBANG at MAMA 2013
• BTS at MAMA 2018
• SHINEee “Ring Ding Dong” and “Lucifer” live 2016
• Pentagon, “Basquiat” live at Kingdom 2020
• PSY, “That That” (prod. & feat. SUGA of BTS) live in 2022
• IU at MMA 2017
• Taeyeon, “Fine” live 2019
• Soyeon solo at MAMA 2022
• BLACKPINK at Coachella 2023
• (G)I-DLE “Lion” at QUEENDOM 2019
• Mamamoo at MAMA 2018

III) Ideas, ideas, ideas…let’s NOW push them to become reality

As ending to this article, I want to try to imagine a little what this would look like although let me make it clear that I am no stage designer.

There only are so many artists which could show up in a single performance therefore choices will have to be made.

• Including on who centers the whole show.

For me, the focus should definitively be on both 2NE1 and BIGBGANG as they have played a huge impact in shaping what we call KPOP, on making it so impactful and relevant, and making it reach Western front.

They also work so well together in general so making -it a co-headline would be no bother for me.

I am also in the regret to make it very clear that none of the artists currently in the business compare to these two groups although that does not mean they do not deserve to take space in the industry.

Finally, 2NE1 and BIGBANG put everyone in the KPOP fandoms in agreement.

• Next, guests would have to be chosen very carefully to represent the best of KPOP that exist.

We do not want too many people to stand next to the co-headliners: although this would mean that everyone can find at least a someone they like on screen, 15 minutes is too short to allow interesting development of thousands of artists’ performance.

Let’s keep it short but interesting please:

• I think pioneers of the genre should be present. Chose what you want: BoA, Lee Hyori, Rain, PSY, S.E.S, TVXQ, Wonder Girls or Girls Generation etc. To include as many names as wished, I accept that they don’t sing as long as they appear in front of the cameras for two seconds to cheer (it might be small contribution, it still makes the show whole!).
• In the “guest” section, commercially successful artists/household names have to be present as this matters to ensure that the audience know some artists in the lineup and can sing the songs back: between BTS and BLACKPINK, pick your favourites.
• IU has to be there as a representant of the vocalists of KPOP, there is just no other way.
• If there is one thing where no concession will be made is the rap part. KPOP is excellent in this category, truly excellent: it is amazingly represented by the rappers of 2NE1 and BIGBGANG, C.L, G.DRAGON and T.O.P are their names, but I feel that we could add more names to it, especially from the “underground” scene. Side note: YG Entertainment offers the best of the best with the names I just gave you and others (BOBBY, MINO, B.I, Tablo of Epik High…).
• I have a personal soft-spot for the members of DPR, Jessi and Jackson Wang. As independent artists, they need our support!
• Give the women the biggest spot.
• Fancying the “newbies”? I suggest Stray Kids, aespa, or (G)-IDLE.
• Please do not include any Western artists on stage because KPOP absolutely does not need it. It is the same for the english songs they might have in their discography. They do not need it, I repeat: THEY DO NOT. And do not try on me the excuse of “Only american artists should play at the Superbowl” because history has proven this did not in fact always happen.
• Do not be afraid to take risks on the costumes, the moments etc. as KPOP has had its share of such things in the past and it always ended up being iconic.
• Give creative freedom to the artists!

Conclusion:

I already anticipate some haters coming up at me to call this article pure disillusionment. That is until it turns to reality. Because it will.

I stay unbothered drinking my water and minding my business in my house imagining the great thing this could turn into if the people in charge were to accept for it to happen. Like doesn’t it sound exciting to have another stadium full of lightsticks of various groups and displaying colors in harmonious and vibrand patterns? Sign me up!

Also, I am very aware that this can’t happen in 2026. They 100% have someone already booked for it. Hum, hum, Taylor Swift, for example? But 2027 could be an excellent time…

There is one thing left now, and it is to reply!

An article written by Nica — September 7th 2025 — France — RANDOM#63