NEW DELHI: Korean Cultural Centre India 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 first round is to be held online between May 17 to June 21, during which the participants would be judged on the basis of their skill, expression, pronunciation, similarity to the original song and stage presence, the KCCI announced on Tuesday at an event here.
The regional preliminaries will be held in 11 regions of India from July 27 to September 1.
The contestants selected in the preliminaries will advance to attend the semi-finals that will take place in Mumbai on October 19.
The final round will be held in conjunction with the Korea Industrial Exhibition on November 23 at Yashobhoomi, a renowned exhibition hall in New Delhi, also the largest international exhibition and convention centre of India.
The finalists will also get a chance to visit Korea.
LG Electronics India will sponsor the event.
Hwang Il Yong, director of Korean Cultural Centre India, 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.
Jeon Hong Ju, MD LG Electronics, said the response for the contest last year was overwhelming and they are expecting a remarkable response this year too.
"We are proud to collaborate with Korean Cultural Centre India to launch the All India K-POP Contest 2024," he said of the competition which is in its 14th year.
The KCCI event also saw a presentation of the growing cultural exchange between India and South Korea, a performance of 'Samulnori', traditional Korean instrumental performance, a Taekwondo performance as well as a K-pop cover dance.
According to KCCI, the demand for learning the Korean language has also increased.
There has been a significant increase in the number of students enrolled in Korean language classes, which grew from 1,535 in 20 schools last year to 2,572 students 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.
Last year, 11,071 teams -- the highest ever -- participated in the showpiece event, which brings together K-pop enthusiasts from across India.
According to Park Seung Tae, deputy director, Korea Tourism Organisation, India Office, there is an increased interest in exploring South Korea as a tourist destination.
"K-Pop and K-dramas are really getting bigger here.
I see that as an opportunity to say that South Korea is more than that.
It has a long history, not as long as India but I hope Indians get to discover that," he said.