All India K-Pop Contest 2025: New Rap Category Unveils Fresh Beats!

The Korean Cultural Centre India is turning up the volume with the All India K-Pop Contest 2025, introducing a 'Rap' category for the first time. This annual event, running since May 14, will reach its crescendo with the Grand Finale in New Delhi on July 19. Now celebrating its 15th anniversary, the competition invites performers to reinterpret K-Pop in their unique styles across Dance, Vocal, and Rap categories.

This year, the competition garnered 1,278 team registrations during its online phase, illustrating the growing popularity of K-Pop across India. The event unfolds through online, regional, and a grand finale stage. Regional preliminaries kicked off on June 22 in Chennai and will ripple through other major cities including Bengaluru and Kolkata. Oversight from Korean Cultural Centre India ensures a consistent and fair assessment process, managed by local fan communities.

The excitement is slated to peak at the grand finale in Delhi, which will also feature fan meetings and performances by Korean idol groups. Eventual winners will walk away with significant cash prizes and the opportunity to compete at the K-Pop World Festival in Changwon, South Korea. Director Hwang Il Yong emphasized the cultural unification K-Pop brings to India's diverse communities, while participant Oinam Surchandra expressed gratitude for the new platform the contest provides for aspiring rappers.

(With inputs from agencies.)