Fez — South Korean girl group “ITZY” is set to perform at “Mawazine Festival – Rhythms of the World” in Rabat on June 23, giving Moroccan K-pop fans another major live moment after the success of ATEEZ at last year’s festival.

The concert, scheduled for the OLM Souissi stage, is part of Mawazine’s 21st edition, which runs from June 19 to 27. 

For Moroccan MIDZY, the name of ITZY’s fandom, the announcement carries emotional weight. K-pop fans in Morocco have spent years building communities through dance covers, fan accounts, album orders, streaming parties, and online campaigns, often without the same access to live concerts enjoyed by fans in Europe, East Asia, or North America.

From ATEEZ to ITZY

ITZY’s appearance comes one year after ATEEZ performed at Mawazine’s 2025 edition, also on the OLM Souissi stage. Mawazine’s official 2025 program listed ATEEZ as a South Korean international act at OLM Souissi, confirming the festival’s decision to give K-pop space on one of its most visible stages.

That performance helped shift the conversation around K-pop in Morocco. For many fans, ATEEZ’s show was not just a concert; it was proof that Moroccan audiences could show up loudly, passionately, and in large numbers for Korean acts.

The 2025 edition itself was a major success for Mawazine, drawing more than 3.75 million festivalgoers over nine days, according to figures reported by MAP and Morocco’s official portal.

Against that backdrop, ITZY’s 2026 booking feels less like an isolated experiment and more like continuity. It suggests that Mawazine is paying attention to a young audience that already exists and is ready for more.

Why ITZY fits the moment

Formed by “JYP Entertainment,” ITZY debuted in 2019 and quickly became one of K-pop’s most recognizable fourth-generation girl groups. The group’s official profile lists five members: Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna.

Their image has long been built around confidence, individuality, and performance power. Songs such as “DALLA DALLA,” “WANNABE,” “ICY,” “LOCO,” and “SNEAKERS” helped shape their global identity, combining sharp choreography with messages about self-belief and independence.

That makes ITZY a strong fit for Mawazine’s OLM Souissi stage. The group’s appeal is intensely visual and physical, built around choreography, stage presence, styling, and crowd interaction. In a festival setting, those elements can reach beyond existing fans and pull in casual audiences who may know K-pop mainly through TikTok, YouTube, or global playlists.

A rare live moment for Moroccan fans

For Moroccan K-pop fans, the importance of the show lies in access. Many international tours still skip North Africa, forcing fans to watch livestreams, clips, and fan cams from abroad. A Mawazine appearance changes that experience from distant observation into presence.

It gives fans the chance to prepare lightsticks, learn chants, organize meetups, and live the kind of concert culture they usually see through screens. It also makes the fandom visible to the wider Moroccan public, showing that K-pop is not only an online trend but a real cultural community.

This matters because Moroccan K-pop fandom has often grown from the ground up. Fans have created their own spaces through dance crews, Korean culture events, social media pages, and small businesses selling albums and merchandise. 

ITZY’s concert places that energy in a national festival context.