Delhiites Witness Thrilling Performances at K-pop Grand Finale 2024 in Yashobhoomi Convention Centre

Pushkar Negi, New Delhi: The Grand Finale of the All-India K-pop Contest 2024 was organised by Korean Cultural Centre India at the state-of-the-art Yashobhoomi International Exhibition and Convention Centre in New Delhi. Eight-member K-pop group from Arunachal Pradesh, ‘The Trend’ was awarded the top prize in the dance category after a scintillating performance to ‘God’s Menu’ by Stray Kids. In the vocal category, Abhipriya Chakraborty from Kolkata, was announced as the winner after her soulful performance on ‘Love Wins All’ by IU. Both of these winners have earned themselves an opportunity to visit Korea and experience its culture first-hand. 

Other participants who performed exceedingly well at the contest include, New Delhi-based Outkasts, who performed to ‘O.O’ by Nmixx and were announced as the first runner-up in the dance category. Sejal Dubey from Hyderabad was the second runners-up in the dance category and performed to ‘Criminal’ by Taemin. Similarly, in the vocal category, Bem Khuvung from New Delhi was adjudged as the first runners-up after his performance on ‘Still Love You’ by Lee Hong Gi & Yoo Hwe Seung. Nuu Anu from Kohima went on to become the second runners-up after crooning to ‘You Are My Everything’ by Gummy. 

As the largest and only K-pop event of its kind in India, the contest received a large fan following since its announcement. This year marks the 14th edition of the event, which made history by opening up large-scale seating for the first time. Promotional posts related to the contest, totalling 190, have garnered nearly 7.9 million views, solidifying the event’s position as India’s premier K-pop celebration.

The highly anticipated finale featured 12 teams, selected through regional qualifiers and semifinals from a pool of 10,559 registrants across 11 cities in India, including Bengaluru, Kohima, Kolkata, Mumbai, Itanagar, Chennai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, and Bhopal. The performances of the finalists were judged by a panel of entertainment experts, including choreographer Park Bong-Young, a former member of One Million Dance Studio.

Ahead of the Grand Finale, a variety of Korean cultural events took place at the New Delhi Convention Centre on November 23. At 1:30 p.m., a Vegan Kimchi Performance by renowned chef Jang Yun Jeong was held, allowing 300 K-pop fans to participate and take home the kimchi they prepare. Following this, at 3 p.m., YouTuber Go Tae-kyung, famous for his "dancing pharmacist" persona, lead a K-pop Random Play Dance, igniting excitement among the audience.

Boy group LUN8, which debuted in June 2023, brought a special experience to Indian Hallyu fans, making them feel as though they are attending a live performance in Korea. With their intense stage presence, LUN8’s performance has generated high anticipation among Indian fans.

In gratitude for the passionate support from Indian fans, the Korean Cultural Centre also organised a giveaway event. Two lucky K-pop fans - Amisha Chettry and Elly M Swu, were selected through a lottery of pre-booked ticket reservation codes, and they won a round-trip flight tickets to Korea. Additionally, K-pop merchandise sourced from Korea were distributed to fans, creating unforgettable memories. 

Hwang Il Yong, Director of the Korean Cultural Centre in India, expressed his gratitude, stating, "Thanks to the enthusiastic support from Indian fans, K-pop has gained tremendous love, leading us to this Grand Finale. We look forward to returning next year with an even more spectacular stage for our Indian fans."