The annual K-pop contest saw over 16 teams that passed a video audition compete in the preliminaries, with the winners representing Brazil at the K-Pop World Festival, an annual event organized by South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (Image: Yonhap)
BRAZIL, Jul. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — This year’s iteration of a K-pop contest sponsored by the Korean Cultural Center Sao Paulo was held successfully last night at the Gazeta Theatre, attracting hundreds of K-pop fans and Korean culture enthusiasts.
The annual K-pop contest saw over 16 teams that passed a video audition compete in the preliminaries, with the winners representing Brazil at the K-Pop World Festival, an annual event organized by South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Eight singing and eight dancing teams were provided with lessons from professionals in both fields prior to the contest, in a bid to raise the overall quality of the performances, with cash prizes worth 5.6 million won in total awarded to the top three teams.
At the entrance of the theater, Korean food and K-pop video booths prepared by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation and the Korea Creative Content Agency were set up to welcome event attendees and offer opportunities to experience different aspects of Korean culture.
This year’s iteration of a K-pop contest sponsored by the Korean Cultural Center Sao Paulo was held successfully last night at the Gazeta Theatre, attracting hundreds of K-pop fans and Korean culture enthusiasts. (Image: Yonhap)
“The warm reception to K-pop is helping the music become a significant part of Brazil’s pop culture. As this year’s contest was held ahead the very first K-pop audition in South America hosted by South Korea’s biggest entertainment agency, S.M. Entertainment, we have made an effort to discover local K-pop talent,” said Kwon, who is the head of the cultural center.
Following the culture center’s event last night, S.M. Entertainment, which boasts famous K-pop artists including EXO and Girls’ Generation, will host the 2017 S.M. Global Audition in Brazil in Sao Paulo in September.
As Kwon noted, it’s the first time a large-scale K-pop audition will be held by a major South Korean entertainment agency in South America.
At the entrance of the theater, Korean food and K-pop video booths prepared by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation and the Korea Creative Content Agency were set up to welcome event attendees and offer opportunities to experience different aspects of Korean culture. (Image: Yonhap)
Categories will range from singing and dancing to acting, modeling and songwriting, and anyone interested is eligible to apply regardless of age, gender, and nationality, with winners offered a contract to work with S.M. Entertainment.
To spread the word among K-pop fans and musicians in Latin American countries, the Korean Cultural Center will offer promotion videos and other PR materials through its official website.
M.H.Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
