KCON LA provided some of the unique Korean pop, acoustic rock, and hip-hop performances to take place in the United States. In its fourth year, KCON expanded to an international event in 2015, with a performance in Japan, which preceded a three-day stint in Los Angeles. 

KCON LA kicked off on July 31 with workshops and panels that highlighted the strongest aspects of the Korean Wave or a term known as Hallyu. 

While there were no musical performances scheduled, fans who attended the special Klub KCON event were delighted to witness the U.S. debut of Starship Entertainment rookie group, Monsta X. Monsta X delivered an explosive performance of their first release, "Trespass," and expressed their shock at enthusiastic crowd. The seven-member group would go on to be one of the most anticipated acts at KCON. 

Fellow Starship Entertainment artists, Sistar, also performed before stunned audiences at Klub KCON. Those who departed from the venue following the Monsta X stage were saddened to learn that the K-pop vocal group made a surprise appearance at the event. 

K-pop and hip-hop took center stage at the Staples Center, making excellent use of the venue change from KCON's previous home at the Los Angeles Sports Memorial Arena. 

Here are some of the highlights of the M! Countdown concert performances from August 1 and August 2. 

Monsta X and GOT7 

Monsta X and GOT7 dance battle which featured audio from DJ Snake and other hit artists. Monsta X followed their captivating performance to appear as guests with GOT7, in an action-packed stage which highlighted the hip-hop moves and rap flow of the boy bands. Their special stage left many fans contemplating the potential of a future collaboration between the groups. 

Roy Kim 

KCON LA was dominated by girl and boy groups, but one of the strongest performances came from solo vocalist, Roy Kim. He captured the attention of the packed audience at the Staples Center. The Super Star K champion delivered sweet vocals on "Spring Spring Spring (Bom Bom Bom)" before joining Sistar's Soyou to perform a cover of the Jazon Mraz hit, "Lucky." Audiences were thrilled by their collaboration, particularly those who have grown fond of Soyou, following the success of her hit,"Some."

Super Junior 

Super Junior was the star of the evening on August 1. Their fans, ELFs, were a strong presence in the stadium. The seasoned boy band delivered a bombastic performance, which kicked off with "Twins" from their 2005 debut album. KCON LA transformed into an abbreviated version of Super Show 5 as they segued from "Twins" to "Sorry Sorry" from their third solo album. 

After greeting the audience, the hit group kept the crowd on singing along with their 2011 hit, "Mr. Simple." One of the gems from their set, particularly for fans of Donghae and Eunhyuk, was their ensemble performance of "Oppa Oppa," from "Ride Me."

Super Junior closed out the night with their latest hit, "Devil," leaving even the most jaded K-pop fans chanting for an encore. 

AOA 

AOA was the darling girl group of the second night of M! Countdown performances. They followed rookie act Red Velvet with a set that highlighted their best dance hits, downtempo tracks and potential for hip-hop dominance. AOA made a grand entrance with male lacrosse players to deliver their stage of the Brave Brothers produced track, "Heart Attack." Fans were thrilled to see the inclusion of their track, "Confused," in the set. The seven-member girl group then launched into the catchy choreography of songs "Like a Cat" and "Mini Skirt," which have helped to build their fan base. 

The second night of M! Countdown featured a strong hip-hop lineup and AOA contributed to the rap vibe with a special stage from "Unpretty Rapstar" finalist, Jimin. Jimin electrified the crowd with a censored version of her controversial hit, "Puss," from the Mnet competition. 

Block B

Block B previously performed in the U.S., during a 2014 showcase tour, but the group shined in a different light during KCON LA. They demonstrated the evolution of their musicality when performing their hits, "Very Good" and "HER." One of the highlights of their set was the Zico and BASTARZ stage, "Zero for Conduct."

Zico shined during the Block B set, as well as, his appearance with Zion.T and Crush. Naysayers who questioned his judging position on "Show Me the Money 4" were provided with substantial evidence that Zico is a prominent force in the K-hip-hop community, particularly as he blew the roof of the stadium with "Tough Cookie." 

Zion.T and Crush

Zion.T and Crush opened their four-track set with "Just," the January 2015 song which helped launch their unique act. The diverse nature of their musicality was highlighted through a video sequence which provided feedback from other prominent Korean hip-hop artists including J-Hope from BTS, whose killer rhymes are showcased on tracks like "Cypher Pt. 3- Killer." 

Zion.T and Crush performed the Primary song, "See-Through" from the 2012 album "Primary and the Messengers Part 3." Zion.T was previously featured on the track, but vocals from Crush provided a new take on "See-Through." 

Zion.T delivered a rousing duet of "Yanghwa BRDG" with Wendy of SM Entertainment's rookie group, Red Velvet. "Yanghwa BRDG" has increased in popularity in the past few weeks, due to the appearance of Zion.T on "Infinite Challenge," as part of the upcoming music special.  The heartwrenching ballad showcased the vocal range of Zion.T and Wendy, highlighting their collaborative potential. 

Stay tuned for the KpopStarz backstage interview with Zion.T and Crush. 

KCON 2015 NY, held at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ kicks off today, August 8, for the convention's first East Coast event. Be sure to check it out!

---

About the writer: Adrienne Stanley is a contributing editor for KDramaStars. She is also a contributing writer for KpopStarz, MTV Iggy, Viki and CJ Entertainment's KCON blog. Her passions include a love of K-pop and Asian drama. When she is not writing, she is hanging out on Twitter (@retrogirladdy).