Harmony in Rhythm: All India K-POP Contest 2024 Unveiled by Korean Cultural Centre India

05 May 2024

According to a press release from the Embassy of Korea, the Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI) is bringing back its annual competition, 'All India K-POP Contest 2024', which aims to discover true fans of Korean pop music from across the country. The event will be organized in conjunction with LG Electronics India, and it will mark the 14th anniversary of the All India K-POP Contest, which has grown to become one of the KCCI's flagship projects throughout the years.

Hwang Il Yong, Director of the KCCI, said, "In a survey held regarding the preference for Korean cultural content abroad, India ranked as one of the highest nations around the world."

"This year, in addition to the main event, we plan to hold various participatory events that everyone can enjoy, such as 'K-POP On Street'.

I hope it will become a festival venue where Indians who love the 'Korean Wave' can come out and enjoy," he added.

According to the press release, LG Electronics India will collaborate with the Korean Cultural Centre to promote Korea and Korean culture, including the creation and operation of a website dedicated to the contest and an experience center promoting LG Electronics products in 11 regional preliminary and final competitions.

This contest is open to individuals or groups from among Indian citizens. The initial preliminary round will be held online on the contest website from May 17th to June 21st, 2024. Applicants’ videos will be evaluated based on skill, expression and pronunciation, likeness to the original song, and stage presence. Teams selected from the online preliminaries will compete in regional preliminary hosted in 11 regions of India from July 27 to September 1, with the victorious team receiving a ticket to the semifinals on October 19th, 2024, in Mumbai. The final round of the 'All India K-POP Contest 2024' will be held on November 23 at 'Yashobhoomi' in New Delhi, in conjunction with the Korea Industrial Exhibition (KoINDEX), according to a press release from the Korean Embassy.

The finalists of the 'All India K-POP Contest 2024' will perform on a stage outfitted with cutting-edge staging technology. They will also have the opportunity to visit Korea.

According to KCCI, the demand for learning the Korean language has also increased.

The number of students registered in Korean language programs has increased dramatically, rising from 1,535 in 20 schools last year to 2,572 in 32 schools this year.

"Korean is one of the fastest-growing foreign languages in India, and the demand to study the language has constantly been on the rise. Both Taekwondo and Korean language classes in Indian schools will further expand opportunities for students to experience Korean culture and will become a starting point for achieving their dreams," Hwang Il Yong said.