Sunchang County to host Global K-POP Song Festival alongside 21st Jangryeo Festival in October

On September 14, Sunchang County announced the Sunchang Global K-POP Song Festival as a special program running alongside the 21st Sunchang Jangryeo Festival starting October 15. The festival earned preliminary global designation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's 2026 Cultural Tourism Festival program—making this K-POP competition the first major event staged under that new status.

Who can enter, and how

Any foreign national in South Korea, whether resident or visiting, can sign up. No age or nationality restrictions apply. There's one rule: if you've won an award at a previous domestic foreigner song festival, you're out.

You can enter solo or as a team. Foreign community groups and international student clubs are welcome to compete together. Entry costs nothing.

Three categories are open:

• K-POP
• My Life Song (성인가요, adult songs)
• Sunchang Original Song (순창 창작곡)

Preliminary submissions close October 20. Judges review video entries. Fill out a Google Form and upload your song—three minutes max—via YouTube or Google Drive. Phone recordings work. Backing tracks are fine.

Finals: October 17, main stage

The finals happen October 17 from 6 PM to 9 PM on the main stage at the Sunchang Jangryeo Festival. Prize pool: 5,000,000 won.

Grand Prize goes for 3,000,000 won. Excellence Award is 1,000,000 won. Superior Award pays 500,000 won. Encouragement Award is 300,000 won. Popularity Award and Special Award each offer 100,000 won.

A county official said the event "will be a meaningful occasion where foreigners of various nationalities will directly take the stage and communicate through K-POP, which is enjoyed by people around the world."

(Questions about participating? Contact the Sunchang branch of the Korean Indigenous Music Association, 한국향토음악인협회 순창지회.)