Another PSY act?

K-Pop star Psy

The K-POP World Festival is an annual event organised by South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After preliminary rounds, fans of K-Pop are invited by the South Korean government to participate in the final round of the competition, held every year in Changwon, South Korea.

K-Pop star Psy doing the Gangnam style. Pic/AFP

K-Pop is a musical genre originally from South Korea, characterised by a variety of audio-visual elements. The term is also used to describe a modern form of South Korean Pop music covering Dance-Pop, Pop Ballad, Electronic, Rock, Hip-Hop, R&B, etc.
Speaking about the boom in the Korean Pop industry, Seok-gu Jang, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Mumbai, says, "The interest in Korean Pop isn't new and the genre has had a fan base since the 1990s, when the music was included on exported Korean dramas, such as First Love. After years of being considered alternative, K-Pop is bubbling into the mainstream." K-Pop star, PSY shot to international fame with his hits, Gangnam Style and Gentleman.

Jang adds that K-Pop has a fan following across continents: "When K-Pop groups perform internationally, the tickets often sell out within minutes. Despite language being a barrier, fans enjoy the music and the performances. Most fans follow their stars on social networking sites."

To participate, a contestant or group must sing or dance (should be a cover dance with a few modifications) to their favorite K-Pop song. The ultimate goal is to enable Korean culture to merge with cultures of participants. Those who re-interpret K-Pop by fusing it with their traditional music or instruments will earn extra points. Countrywide auditions are being held in over 40 countries, including Russia, USA, UK, Indonesia and Mongolia.

Deadline: June 28 (online round)
Log on to: Nkpopindia.com

NOTE: No age restriction or entry fee. Preliminary round on July 5 at Grace Banquets, Khar (W); India finals on August 30 at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi.