K-POP fever 2020: Huge response for maiden online K-POP contest
NEW DELHI: The nationwide lockdown has not been able to dampen the spirit of K-POP enthusiasts in India as entries from the contestants for the first round of first-ever online K-POP Contest 2020 have started pouring in from 18 states.
Launched online on May 15 this year by the Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI), the contest for the first time is inviting single person entries only in consideration of the pandemic situation and safety of the contestants.
These precautionary measures are being taken to facilitate carefree and safe engagement, as avoiding any gatherings in enclosed spaces. 
Contestants are required to post their performance videos on Youtube, and register at www.kpopindia.com from 15th May to 15th June, 12 pm for the 1st round instead of visiting physically at the contest centers.
Ever since the launch of the K-POP contest in India in 2012, it is for the first time the KCCI is inviting solo entries online as all earlier events were organized with the physical participation of the contestants in teams.
The regional round will be held online with performance videos of the selected winners from the 1st round in 18 cities of Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Guntur, Hyderabad, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, and Pune. The rule and regulations are announced on the website www.kpopindia.com
Kim Kum-pyoung, Director, Korean Cultural Centre India said, “In this difficult time, we want everyone to stay safe and healthy while enjoying K-POP. As music connects us, we can stay strong together.” “We hope this contest remains as the annual festival of K-pop community in India”, he added.
The annual competition was initiated in 2012 is for Indian nationals who love K-POP, Korean pop music. Along with the gaining popularity of K-POP, the event has witnessed a growing number of participants, and it had 3,475 participants in 1,952 teams last year.
Also read: KCCI launches K-POP Contest 2020; Korean language and Taekwondo training on online platform
