The All India K-Pop Contest 2025, organised by the Korean Cultural Centre India, is back with more excitement, fresh additions, and a growing fan base.
Kicking off on May 14, the contest is now in its 15th year and is set to wrap up with the much-anticipated Grand Finale in New Delhi on July 19.
What makes this year’s competition special is the introduction of a brand-new ‘Rap’ category, giving Indian K-Pop fans a bigger stage to show their talent. Until now, the contest featured only Dance and Vocal categories, but with rap added to the mix, the contest is embracing the full spectrum of K-Pop’s global appeal.
The contest is divided into three rounds: Online, Regional, and the Grand Finale. The online registration phase, which ran from May 14 to June 7, saw a massive turnout with 1,278 teams from all over India signing up.
After an initial screening by judges from local Korean fan communities, selected participants will compete in regional preliminaries throughout June. The regional rounds will kick off in Chennai on June 22 and then travel to major cities like Bengaluru, Kolkata, Itanagar, Bhopal, New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kohima, and Hyderabad. Local fan communities will host each of these rounds will be with support from the Korean Cultural Centre India, bringing K-Pop fever to fans nationwide.
Winners from each of the 10 cities will head to New Delhi for the Grand Finale on July 19. The final event promises big moments, including a fan meet-and-greet, live performances by special K-Pop idol groups from Korea, and cash prizes for the winners.
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First place winners will receive ₹2,00,000, second place will get ₹1,00,000, and third place will take home ₹50,000. The champions will also earn the chance to represent India at the prestigious K-Pop World Festival in Changwon, South Korea.
Hwang Il Yong, Director of the Korean Cultural Centre India, shared how meaningful this journey has been: “For the past 15 years, this contest has remained a vibrant festival for Indian youth who love Korean culture. I’m especially grateful to the leaders of fan communities in 10 cities who have worked hard to organise the regional rounds. It’s heartwarming to see K-Pop building a bridge between young people in India despite the country’s vast diversity.”
In addition to the contest, the Korean Cultural Centre India recently hosted a surprise K-Pop Random Play Dance event in New Delhi on June 1, in partnership with the Korean Culture India Fan Club.
About 400 fans came together to dance to their favourite K-Pop hits, creating a lively and unforgettable scene.
Prerna Tiwari, president of the fan club, expressed how much the contest and these events mean to Indian fans: “Watching the Korean Wave grow in India over the years has been incredible. This contest is now a source of pride for the entire K-Pop community here.”