If you’ve kept even half an eye on EDM, K-Pop, or the Global Festival Circuit over the last decade, you probably already know the name RAIDEN.
As one of South Korea’s most explosive electronic music exports, the producer, DJ, and live guitarist has spent the last ten years tearing up the world’s biggest stages, from the high-energy grounds of Tomorrowland Belgium, Ultra, and EDC Korea, to the legendary dancefloors of Ibiza, Madrid, and Amsterdam. He even repped his home country in front of millions at the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
RAIDEN's dynamic, signature and hallmark sound is partially defined by his genius knack for bridging global dance music and K-pop. We're talking about multiple collaborations with massive, star-studded collaborations with EDM giants like Matisse & Sadko, Fedde Le Grand, and DubVision as well as multiple bangers with K-pop icons such as YURI and Choi Yoo-jung. Most notably, his track "Yours" with CHANYEOL (featuring Lee Hi and CHANGMO) reached smash hit status, racking up over 144 million streams on Spotify alone.
Now, RAIDEN is shifting gears and diving headfirst into a grittier, club-driven sound. The multi-genre producer is preparing to release slate of tech house releases, locked in on EDM industry-leading labels Insomniac Records and Tomorrowland Music.
Last weekend, we had the honor of sitting down for an interview with RAIDEN backstage at Lost in Dreams Los Angeles. Created by the prolific Insomniac Events in 2021, Lost In Dreams is a celebration of future bass, melodic dubstep, progressive house, and vocal-driven electronic music. The event showcases how these genres continue to evolve through global influences, such as embracing Asian representation in a major way with its Electrik Seoul stage takeover. Featuring artists such as RAIDEN, HYO, JVNA's K-pop set, and yetep's K-pop set, the Electrik Seoul experience has helped bring K-pop to the forefront of rave culture.
RAIDEN shared his thoughts on the explosion of K-Pop, as well as his own unique musical journey, and the most unhinged thing that's ever happened to him on stage. Read and watch the interview below.
ELECTRIC FEELS
For someone discovering RAIDEN for the first time, which track best represents who you are as an artist and why?
Raiden
Can I say a couple songs? One is "Yours" with CHANYEOL and me because it's R&B, K-pop, and it was a huge hit. Yeah, I love to produce K-pop too. And the other one is "Glory". It's I track I played at the Winter Olympics closing ceremony in 2018.
ELECTRIC FEELS
As a Korean artist who has helped bridge EDM and K-pop, what has it been like to see the explosion of K-pop in the U.S. especially with Electrik Seoul at Insomniac festivals like Lost in Dreams?
Raiden
I think K-pop and electronic music have always been connected because most of K-pop is dance music, so I really love to being part of the bridge.
Electric Seoul is getting bigger and bigger every year. This is my first time playing at a LA festival, so I'm so excited. Yeah, I'm gonna play more of a K-pop mash-up tonight. It's gonna be a very special set of mine.
ELECTRIC FEELS
Tell us about your new creative chapter in the Tech House. What made you want to start producing and experimenting in that genre?
RAIDEN
My favorite genre has always been underground techno and tech house, and I thought it was time to do the music that I like. I released one tech house song already, but this year I'm gonna put more. There's gonna be tech house with K-pop and collaborations. I'm very excited.
ELECTRIC FEELS
How do you approach building a set differently for a festival versus at the club?
RAIDEN
Clubs, I care more about dance floors because I want see people like partying. At festivals, I want to people in the crowd to feel more emotional moments and share the music togethe, and sometimes I go hard. That's the big difference.
ELECTRIC FEELS
Electronic music has always been about bringing people together. What do you hope people to feel during your sets?
RAIDEN
I mean, my sets have always been dynamic. It has a story. Like sometimes I start with like hard music or soft music and gradually go harder. But I always want the crowd to remember that my set has a story.
ELECTRIC FEELS
All right, time for a rapid fire interview, quick questions and answers. So, if you were a DJ, what will you be doing?
RAIDEN
Probably chef. I like to cook. Italian.
ELECTRIC FEELS
Hardstyle drop - Yes or no?
RAIDEN
Yes, yes, yes.
ELECTRIC FEELS
If your music had to be described by one emoji, what is it?
RAIDEN
Rocket. Because my music is fire!
ELECTRIC FEELS
If you could work with any K-pop artist, which one?
RAIDEN
I've already been in collaboration with many K-pop artists, but maybe Cortis. I like their music style, it's unique.
ELECTRIC FEELS
What is your favorite song for karaoke?
RAIDEN
Mr. Brightside, Killers.
ELECTRIC FEELS
And our last question for the day is: What is the most unhinged thing you have ever seen from the DJ booth?
RAIDEN
Actually, it was at Ultra Miami. I was playing the main stage for the first time, but I didn't expect the fire, like the flames, to be that huge, so I got burned!
After our interview, we headed to RAIDEN's set at the VIVID stage, where he delivered an electrifying sonic journey with dark, moody tech house, emotional EDM bangers, all while mixing in polished K-pop vocals. Midway through his set, RAIDEN invited actor, singer, and dancer Megan Lawless on stage for a surprise guest appearance.
As artists like RAIDEN continue to bridge Eastern and Western dance music scenes, festivals such as Lost In Dreams are helping shape a future where diversity in both culture and genre isn't just welcomed, but it's one of the event's defining strengths. We will definitely be back next year, and we hope to see another dynamic set from RAIDEN and more K-pop curation from Electrik Seoul.
About RAIDEN
Originally introduced to music through guitar at age of 12, electronic artist, producer, DJ, and live guitarist Raiden built his foundation between live instrumentation and electronic production. He developed a distinct sound that merges melodic tension and powerful stage energy.
Since emerging onto the global electronic scene, Raiden has performed at internationally renowned festivals including Ultra Music Festival Miami, Ultra Europe, and Tomorrowland Belgium, while also appearing at iconic club venues such as Hï Ibiza, Fabrik Madrid, and Melkweg Amsterdam. In 2018, he represented Korea during the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. His debut single “Heart of Steel,” released through Nicky Romero’s Protocol Recordings, received a nomination in the Dance & Electronic category at the Korean Music Awards, marking his arrival as one of Korea’s internationally recognized electronic artists.
Raiden has built a reputation for bridging international electronic music with forward-thinking production.
He has worked alongside global EDM icons like Boys Noize, Steve Angello, Martin Garrix, Fedde Le Grand, Matisse & Sadko and DubVision. Alongside his global electronic work, Raiden has also collaborated with leading artists associated with SM Entertainment, bridging contemporary electronic production with Korean pop songwriting and cross-genre experimentation.
Now entering a new creative chapter into tech-house music, his artistic direction moves beyond traditional dance music structures into a more immersive club-driven energy with visually driven world. With upcoming releases across globally recognized electronic labels like Insomniac and Tomorrowland Music, Raiden continues moving beyond the conventions of traditional dance music - balancing industrial textures and refined minimalism to create a distinct identity within contemporary electronic music.
Connect with RAIDEN: Instagram | X | Spotify | YouTube
About Lost In Dreams
Lost In Dreams is one of the newest worlds within the Insomniac universe. Established in 2021 as a brand-new festival alongside a dedicated record label of the same name, Lost In Dreams seeks to provide the best in future bass, melodic dubstep, and vocal-driven dance music, highlighting the next generation of producers and DJs with the talents to take you on an emotive, transcendent journey.
Connect with Lost in Dreams: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | TikTok
About Electric Seoul
Electrik Seoul is a genre-blending event brand redefining the intersection of K-pop and electronic dance music. Founded by Nino Lee and launched in Los Angeles at Academy LA in 2024, the platform has rapidly expanded through a partnership with Insomniac, bringing its signature K-pop-meets-EDM experience to audiences across North America. Showcasing world-class DJs alongside K-pop artists and exclusive collaborations, including performances featuring HYO, SEVENTEEN, LE SSERAFIM, and CLOSE YOUR EYES, Electrik Seoul has emerged as a leading platform connecting K-pop music culture with the global electronic dance music community.
Connect with Electric Seoul: Website | Instagram | Soundcloud
About Insomniac
Insomniac, the global dance music experience curator, is the driving force behind some of the world’s most iconic music festivals, including Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), Beyond Wonderland, and Nocturnal Wonderland. Under the leadership of visionary founder and CEO Pasquale Rotella, Insomniac continues to innovate — expanding dance music into arenas, clubs, and groundbreaking venues like the Las Vegas Sphere — while remaining rooted in the California-born underground ethos that ignited the movement. For more than 30 years, Rotella has championed creativity, inclusivity, and community through immersive, large-scale experiences.
Connect with Insomniac: Website | Instagram | Facebook | X.
--
Special thanks to Daniel Sampley for assisting with this interview.
