The Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI) on Saturday hosted the grand finale of the “All India K-Pop Contest 2023” with much fervor, bringing together over 4,000 fans of K-pop and Korean culture at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex here.
The contest, which began as a long-term project in April, saw approximately 11,000 participants in the initial online round, followed by regional rounds held in 11 major cities including Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, and Itanagar, etc. In the semi-finals held here in New Delhi, 12 talented teams advanced to the grand finale. The event was graced by Chang Jae-Bok, Ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to India and Hong Ju Jeon, MD, LG India which has sponsored the project.
A live video call with the global girl group “X:IN,” which includes three Korean members and one each from Russia and India, added to the excitement. “Aria,” a member from India, drew attention as the third Indian member of a K-pop group.
The finalists in the dance category included “With Nine” from Itanagar, “Outkasts” from Delhi, “Serein” from Bengaluru, “Elite” from Chennai, “Axiom” from Mumbai, and “TH7” from Hyderabad. In the vocal category, participants included Prachi Sharma from Delhi, Sai Madhav Rella from Hyderabad, Jaisri Shruti G from Bengaluru, Sruthi Ramnarayan from Chennai, Abhipriya Chakraborty from Kolkata, and Manya Singh from Lucknow.
The grand finale featured a congratulatory performance and judging by the popular Korean idol group “MCND.” MCND, a global boy group consisting of members Castle J, Bic, Minjae, Huijin, and Win, made their debut in 2020 and has gained popularity not only in Korea but also in South America, Europe, Japan, and beyond. They performed their hit songs “ICE-AGE” and “Crush”, much to the excitement of the audience.
Hwang Il-Yong, the Director of the KCCI said, “We are grateful for the interest and love shown by all the participants in the K-Pop contest and the audience who attended.
“We feel that K-Pop has become a means of communication not only within Korea but also with people around the world. We hope that K-Pop can offer dreams and hope to the youth in India.”