Founder and CEO of Pulse Events, Luffy Huang, is the epitome of a game-changer. With over 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Luffy began his journey in China as a singer and TV host before managing some of Asia’s biggest stars, like EXO, G‑Dragon and Girls’ Generation.
In 2022, he launched Pulse Events in the United States with a powerful mission to bridge Eastern and Western cultures through electronic music and diverse lineups. Under his leadership, Pulse Events has quickly become an indomitable force within the EDM festival circuit; hosting culturally rich experiences like Spring Festival, S2O and EDC Korea, while highlighting Asian and Asian-American talent. Through sheer determination and passion, Luffy has worked with the likes of major EDM players such as Martin Garrix, AFROJACK, KSHMR and Yellow Claw to name a few.
Blending tradition with cutting-edge innovation, Luffy isn’t just creating festivals, he’s building a global platform for representation, connection and celebration. In our exclusive interview with Luffy he discusses the future of Pulse Events, the creative process behind each festival, the challenges he faced when entering the U.S market and more. Read the interview below: 
Pulse Events motto; “One Pulse, One World”, speaks to unity. What does that phrase mean to you now, versus when you first launched Pulse Events? Has the meaning shifted at all?
When I founded Pulse Events, my goal was to unite people through music and specifically, bridge the East and the West by introducing western audiences to Asian culture and traditions. The meaning stays the same, but the difference is that the motto used to be just an aspiration, and now it is actually a reality and the footprint of Pulse Events is greater than ever, and growing with each event we produce in our current and new markets around the world.
How do you balance remaining authentic and sticking to your values with commercial appeal, when fusing Eastern traditions with Western EDM culture?
The mission of Pulse Events is to bridge the East and the West through music events that unite people of all backgrounds and the key is to bring DJs that are popular in both regions. At our events, fans can watch their favorite DJs with an Asian twist. One of our core requirements in booking artists is that they support Asian culture and production elements being incorporated in our shows. We also try to book local DJs who reflect our mission.
What responsibility do you feel as a cultural bridge-builder between East and West in today’s climate of cultural appropriation versus appreciation?
Pulse Events is uncompromising in creating events that authentically represent Asian culture. The headliners we have booked are either of Asian background or are hugely popular in Asian countries. Some of the artists have done media interviews on what the culture means to them. We also work with venues and partners that share our vision. We have been fortunate to attract great crowds that are diverse and open-minded.
When designing an event experience, where does your creative process begin – with the artist, the culture, or the crowd?
Our creative process begins with the culture. For example, our annual Spring Festival and Winter Festival events in New York City are based around the Lunar New Year and Dongzhi Festival, respectively. We pick a date during these cultural events and then book artists who are available and embrace our concept. The crowd comes when we announce our fully conceptualized shows and we have gained a dedicated following that only grows with each show.
As global tastes shift and merge, where do you see the future of multicultural music festivals heading?
I see multicultural music festivals having a bigger appeal to global audiences. For example, the original S2O Songkran Thai New Year Festival was in Bangkok, but it expanded to several other Asian countries and we brought it to the US for the first time last summer in New York, introducing Americans to this event centered around spraying water for good luck. At the same time, we brought EDC back to South Korea earlier this year, allowing fans there to experience one of the most famous dance music festival brands in the US. We continue to work to bring the East to the West and the West to the East.
Can you share a moment where the cultural blending at one of your events deeply moved you or your audience?
I was very moved to see how successful EDC Korea was in Incheon in April. EDC is one of the biggest dance music festivals in the US and fans in South Korea loved it. It touched me to see locals, who are among the most respectful crowds in the world, let loose and taste the American rave production. There were also many people from around the world who traveled to attend EDC Korea, and it was a special moment to see our largest production yet come to life.
How do you choose which cultural rituals to include in an event like Spring Festival or S2O without diluting their meaning?
I choose the most important elements of each cultural event and bring them to our shows. For Spring Festival, Pulse Events brings lion dancers, hands out lucky envelopes and has a whole night market next to the stage. For our debut S2O in New York City last year, we brought water cannons and sprayed countless gallons of water onto the dancefloor just like the flagship event in Bangkok.
You’ve said music is a universal language. Do you think rhythm or emotion connects people more deeply?
Definitely dance music beats connect people, from making strangers into friends, to deepening relationships between people who have known each other for years or their entire lives. Music has this effect on people without them even realizing it sometimes. By incorporating cultural elements to our events, we are also connecting people to Asian culture in the best way possible. We are thankful for our Pulse family that just keeps growing.
What was your biggest misstep or challenge when entering the U.S. market, and how did you grow from it?
The biggest challenge I faced when I entered the U.S. market is that English is my second language, so I sometimes have to take extra steps like using translation tools to make sure that my ideas are being communicated correctly. Finding the right partners and building relationships with people in the industry here has made it a lot easier, and Pulse Events is now pretty well established in the Western market, and in a good position to keep expanding.
If someone only attended one Pulse Event in their lifetime, what message would you want them to take away from the experience?
If someone only attended one of our events in their lifetime, I would want them to walk away with the understanding of good values, like family values, that are central to Asian culture. I grew up putting family first and treating friends like family, and sharing important moments like Spring Festival and Lunar New Year together. I hope that everyone who attends our events can take that message with them and feel welcomed back.
In 20 years, what do you hope people will say about the cultural impact Pulse Events had on the global music scene?
My dream is for Pulse Events to be known worldwide as the brand that bridges the East and the West through dance music events and festivals. Fans know the biggest events in the world include EDC, Tomorrowland and Ultra. I hope Pulse Events can be known as the leader when it comes to Asian and multicultural event productions, and we are working towards that goal every day so that hopefully people can say that 20 years from now!
What does the rest of 2025 hold for Pulse Events and Luffy Huang? Are there any milestones or goals you’d like to achieve before the year ends?
We are working to bring S2O to another major city in the US. I can’t reveal the city just yet, but it will be a big step in an important market for us. We are also running Sky Cabanas, a brand-new VIP table experience, for the first time at Elements Arts and Music Festival in Pennsylvania this August. And we are working on our annual Winter Festival in New York City, and some other projects!
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