K-Pop World Festival

K-POP World Festival
2013 contestant group photo
GenreK-pop
Location(s)Changwon, South Korea
Years active2011–present
Websitek-popworldfestival.kbs.co.kr

The K-POP World Festival is an annual K-pop talent competition organized by South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the support of numerous government agencies.[1] After going through a few preliminary rounds, fans of K-pop are invited by the South Korean government to take part in the final round of the competition held every year in Changwon, South Korea.[1]

Background

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The event is organized by South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the support from various state agencies including:

According to the organizers, the purpose of the event is to bring Hallyu fans from all over the world to South Korea, thereby fusing the culture of Korea with the cultures of various countries from all over the world.

In an effort to make the event one where Korean culture comes together with cultures of participants, those who reinterpret or rearrange K-Pop by fusing it with their traditional music or instrument sounds, will be given extra points.

Timeline

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2011

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The preliminary competition was hosted in 16 countries with more than 30,000 applicants and over 10,000 fans attending the December 7 finals in Changwon. Boy group JAM from Kazakhstan who performed Shinee's Ring Ding Dong won the performance grand prize while solo performer Karla Carreon from Philippine who performed Yumi's Star won the vocals grand prize. Guest performers included T-ara, Secret, Sistar, K.Will, Boyfriend, MBLAQ, Infinite and CNBLUE.

Region Country Performer Award Ref
Central Asia  Kazakhstan JAM Grand Prize – Performance [2]
Southeast Asia  Philippines Karla Carreon Grand Prize – Vocals [2]
Fan contest winner 2012, Czech Republic's O.M.G.

2012

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The competition was hosted in 33 countries before finals on October 28. Girl group O.M.G. from who performed Girl Generation medley won the performance grand prize. According to the Embassy of Czech Republic in Seoul, the Ambassador, Jaroslav Olša, Jr., personally congratulated them on winning the contest.[3] The group received a CD containing a South Korean adaptation of a famous Czech musical.[3] Duo from Indonesia, Nadya and Marwah who performed Sistar 19's Ma Boy won the vocals grand prize. Guest performers included TVXQ, Secret, MBLAQ, F.T. Island, B.A.P and Apink.

Region Country Performer Award Ref
Eastern Europe  Czech Republic O.M.G. Grand Prize – Performance [3]
Southeast Asia  Indonesia Nadya & Marwah Grand Prize – Vocals [3]
Fan contest winner 2013, U.S.A.'s Arnelle "Elly" Nonon.

2013

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The competition was hosted in 58 cities from 43 nations, with more than 60,000 applicants, and over 25,000 fans attending the October 20 finals in Changwon. Performance grand prizes were awarded to girl group Alladin from Uzbekistan who performed Miss A's Bad Girl Good Girl and vocals grand prize were awarded to solo performer Arnelle Nonon from the U.S. who performed Lee Hi's "1,2,3,4". Guest performers included Miss A, EXO, Rainbow, Infinite and B.A.P.[4][5]

Region Country Performer Award Ref
Central Asia  Uzbekistan Alladin Grand Prize – Performance [4]
North America  United States Arnelle "Elly" Nonon Grand Prize – Vocals [4]

2014

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The preliminary competition was hosted in 70 countries before the finals on October 19 in Changwon. Overall grand prize were awarded to girl group GGC Crew from Ireland who performed Girls' Generation's I Got A Boy. The performance grand prize were awarded to a group from Finland High Definition who performed BTS's Boy In Luv while a team from Japan, Flashy who performed Ailee's I Will Show You won the vocals grand prize. Guest performers included EXO-K, B.A.P, Block B, IU, Sistar and Apink.

Award

Award Contestant Country Song Original Artist Ref
Grand Prize - Overall GGC Crew  Ireland I Got A Boy Girls' Generation [6]
Grand Prize - Performance High Definition  Finland Boy In Luv BTS [6]
Grand Prize - Vocals Flashy  Japan I Will Show You Ailee [6]

Other Contestant

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These contestants didn't win an award, but they did perform and represent their country:

Contestant Country Act Song Original Artist
Vi.RUS Russia Vocal Come Back Home 2NE1
Double The Fire USA Vocal Ice Akdong Musician
X-Junior Laos Performance Overdose Exo
Natalie Turjeman Israel Vocal It's Alright, It's Love Davichi
R2E Greece Vocal You Don't Love Me Spica
Helena Dimmel Austria Vocal Who You? G-Dragon
Prism UK Performance One Shot B.A.P
Filipa Cardoso Portugal Vocal Lonely 2NE1
Effe(x)tion Czech Republic Performance Red Light f(x)
Inseong Mexico Vocal Eyes, Nose, Lips Taeyang
Ochirbat.B Mongolia Vocal Moon of Seoul Roy Kim
Level Two Chile Performance Ringa Linga Taeyang

2015

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Awards

The Pacific Starz of Nigeria won the overall Grand Prize of 12 Million South Korean Won ($12,000). The group led by Praise Nelson and made up of 5 members, performed the BTS song Danger.

Award Contestant Country Act Song Original Artist
Grand Prize Pacific Starz Nigeria Performance Danger BTS
Excellent Performance Epsilon Kueen Malaysia Performance Voodoo Doll VIXX
Excellent Performance Ryan Mexico Vocal Love Song Rain
Best Performance Nonlas Vietnam Performance Ah Yeah EXID
Best Performance Rebecca Strachan UK Vocal If Taeyeon
Audience Favorite Censored Finland Performance Call Me Baby Exo
Audience Favorite Crystal Uruguay Vocal Lonely 2NE1

Other Contestant

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These contestants didn't win an award, but they did perform and represent their country:

Contestant Country Act Song Original Artist
Pepero Australia Performance Mamma Mia KARA
VxZ Philippines Performance Joah Jay Park
Xplicit Ecuador Performance Don't Tease Me SPEED
Belleame Japan Vocal Who you? G-Dragon
Seoul Beat Romania Performance Crazy 4Minute
MAZE Morocco Performance Shake It Sistar

2016

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Scoring system

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70% Judges Choice (DJ Koo, Kim Jo Han, Seo In Young & Black Eyed Pilesung)
20% Local Choice
10% Global Vote (By TvuT App)

Award

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Award Contestant Country Song Original Artist
1st Place Grand Award (Daesang) Britaney Chanel United States U&I Ailee
2nd Place Performance Supreme Task Nigeria Fire BTS
2nd Place Vocal KARMA Italy Mr Ambitious Mamamoo
3rd Place Performance TOXIC$ Sweden Cheer Up Twice
3rd Place Vocal Priyanka Mazumdar India You & I Park Bom
Popularity Award I M2D Russia Ringa Linga Taeyang
Popularity Award II 4Divas Hungary 4 Walls f(x)

Other Contestant

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These contestants didn't win an award, but they did perform and represent their country:

Contestant Country Act Song Original Artist
FUXION Malaysia Performance Fly Got7
LGND Mexico Performance This Love Shinhwa
ABsunit Israel Vocal Dumb & Dumber iKON
KRYPTONITE Indonesia Performance Stuck Monsta X
Yumagichi Yada & Koroko Richama Japan Vocal Person Love Kim Bum Soo & Lena Park
Mongolian Namja Nepal Performance Monster Exo
WINK China Performance I Like That Sistar
Lotus Vietnam Performance Rough GFriend

2017

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Guest Performances was done by BTS, Monsta X, Twice, Ailee, NCT 127, J Black, Astro

Award

Award Contestant Country Act Song Original Artist
Grand Prize TiffaniAfifa & Alphiandi  Indonesia Vocal Inferiority Complex Park Kyung & Eunha
Best Performance Immortals Army  India Performance Blood, Sweat & Tears BTS
Best Vocal Akif  Singapore Vocal Eyes, Nose & Lips Taeyang
Excellent Performance One Piece  Canada Performance Not Today BTS
Excellent Vocal Sinem Kadioğlu  Turkey Vocal I Will Go To You Like The First Snow Ailee
Audience Favourite Award KINGSMAN  Malaysia Performance White Night Up10tion
Audience Favourite Award Ana Lucia  Peru Vocal I Will Show You Ailee
Twitter Popular Choice Award Sinem Kadioğlu  Turkey Vocal I Will Go To You Like The First Snow Ailee

Other Contestant

These contestants didn't win an award, but they did perform and represent their country:

Contestant Country Act Song Original Artist
Antsa  Madagascar Vocal Come Back Home 2NE1
PartyHard  Russia Performance Hobgoblin CLC
I.V.  USA Performance Boombayah Blackpink
R3DSEVEN  Hungary Performance Catch Me If You Can Girls' Generation
Oops Crew!  Vietnam Performance Don't Wanna Cry Seventeen
Fragiles Dance Crew  Nigeria Performance Hard Carry GOT7

2018

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Due to the Kong-Rey Typhoon this is the first time the performance was without an audience and with a special guest performer (even Stray Kids presenting the award). This is also the first time for the competition with a new concept of the "Bracket System" From 6 different category. In addition 2 Special Prizes which is "Grand Award (Daesang)" & "People`s Choice Award". In 2020 an academic article about this Changwon Festival focused on the 2018 contest was published in the journal Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch.[7]

Award Winner Country
Grand Prize ( 대상 ) K-BOY  Thailand
People's Choice Award ( 인기상 ) Lindsay Ketlego Setkena  South Africa
Song & Original Artist Contestant Country Result Category Result Country Contestant Song & Original Artist
Callin' By A.C.E TOXIC  Bulgaria LOSE Best Boy Group Performance WIN  Thailand K-BOY Burn It Up By Wanna One
Ddu Du Ddu Du By Blackpink LIMITLESS  Cuba LOSE Best Girl Crush Performance WIN  Ukraine LEVEL UP District 9 By Stray Kids
Danger By Taemin Lindsay Ketlego Setkena  South Africa LOSE Best Solo Performance WIN  Bangladesh Shefa Tabassum Gashina By Sunmi
Catch Me By TVXQ MONStar  Uzbekistan LOSE Best Composition Performance WIN  United States HARU Be Natural By Red Velvet ( Feat Taeyong Of NCT )
Mic Drop (Steve Aoki Remix) By BTS BNX  Ethiopia LOSE Best BTS Performance WIN  Canada East2West Blood Sweat & Tears By BTS
Melted By Akdong Musician UNICA  Poland LOSE Best Vocal Performance WIN  France Kevin Preisser Red Flavor By Red Velvet

2019

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Judging Score

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Criteria Percentage
Training Score 30%
Judging Score 70%
  • Training Score Are Score That Achieve During Their Training Before The Show
  • Judging Score Are Score That They Got During The Show ( Judges : JeA ( Brown Eyed Girls ), Changmin & Bae Yoon Jung )
  • For The First Time Ever The Dance Act & Vocal Act Are Combined Together.

Awards

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Award Winner Country
Grand Prize ( 대상 ) Sodem Solana  Ireland
Top Achievement Award Limelight  Canada
Top Achievement Award Mint Crew  United States
Excellence Award Josephine Hung  Singapore
Excellence Award Omega Evo  Madagascar
Friendship Award Omega Evo  Madagascar
  • The Friendship Award is based on staff choice.

List of competitors

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No Name (Individual/Group) Country Song Original Artist
1. The Bratz  Spain Kill This Love Blackpink
2. MDC  New Zealand Crown TXT
3. Limelight  Canada Butterfly Loona
4. BtoK  Germany Egotistic Mamamoo
5. MINT Crew  United States Shoot Out Monsta X
6. LTX  Cuba Hala Hala Ateez
7. Josephine Hung  Singapore Room Shaker Ailee
8. OMG  Cambodia Fancy + Love Shot + Fire Twice + Exo + BTS
9. Alyona Tyo  Kazakhstan Gotta Go Chungha
10. Pulse  Australia Under Cover A.C.E
11. Sodem Solana  Ireland Solo Jennie
12. Al-Shamari Ali Mhannaa  Kuwait Yanghwa Bridge Zion.T
13. Omega Evo  Madagascar Idol BTS

2021

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Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this is the second time the performance was without an audience. This is also the return of the "Bracket System" however the battle is based on the theme of nature and mainly focused on Dance Performance. In addition 2 Special Prizes was introduced which is "Best Performance" & "Best Story".

Judging Score

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Criteria Percentage
Judges Score 20%
Early Voting 20%
Live Voting 60%

Performances and awards

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Award Winner Country
Best Performance DX-SEVEN  Laos
Best Story The Priest Hood  Nigeria
Song Original Artist Contestant Country Result Theme Result Country Contestant Original Artist Song
90's Love NCT U Kimberly  Canada WIN Tree – Growth, Dream LOSE  Latvia Red Cherry Aespa Black Mamba
Boy Meets Evil BTS Jungsan  Austria WIN Fire – Passion, Energy LOSE  Uruguay Rodrigo Torres The Boyz D.D.D
Thunderous Stray Kids DX-SEVEN  Laos WIN Soil - Harmony, Connection LOSE  United States GROO7E Stray Kids The View
Save Me BTS The Priest Hood  Nigeria LOSE Metal – Will, Power WIN  Belarus SAVVY Ateez WIN
How You Like That Blackpink BITCHINAS  France WIN Water – Creativity, Inspiration LOSE  Russia HipeVision Monsta X Gambler

Controversy

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In 2024, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the State of Israel announced that they will be participating in the festival as a contestant.[8] This has resulted in calls to KBS for their exclusion from the contest.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "K-Pop Fans to Compete in Regional Preliminaries for K-Pop World Festival 2013". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (South Korea). Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  2. ^ a b "K-POP World Festival 2012". K-POP World Festival. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d "CHANGWON – Czech group O.M.G. won K-Pop World Festival". Embassy of the Czech Republic (Seoul). Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  4. ^ a b c "K-Pop World Festival unites global fans". Hancinema. October 26, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  5. ^ "K-Pop World Festival". CJ E&M MWave. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  6. ^ a b c "2014 festival prize winners". KBS World. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  7. ^ "Borrowed National Bodies: Ideological Conditioning and Idol-Logical Practices of K-pop Cover Dance by CedarBough T Saeji". Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  8. ^ "Korea Festival 2024". 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
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