About K-Pop World Festival

The KBS Changwon K-Pop World Festival (KWF) is one of the largest Korean government-sponsored K-pop cover competitions in the world. Hosted by KBS (Korean Broadcasting System), this global competition brings together K-pop cover artists from all over the world to compete for a chance to perform in Korea on an international stage.

The USA Midwest Regional in the Midwest is hosted by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chicago, providing local performers the opportunity to showcase their talent and advance through the competition.

How the KWF competition works

  1. Online Registration & Entry Submission

    Participants register online and submit their information to secure their spot in the preliminary round.

  2. Onsite Preliminary Round (The day before the USA Midwest Regional Round)

    Registered participants will perform live on stage. Judges will evaluate each performance in person.

  3. Golden Pass Selection (On the same day of the onsite preliminary round)

    Outstanding performers will receive a Golden Pass, allowing them to advance to the Regional Final. Golden Pass recipients will also be considered for selection to compete in the International Round in Korea.

  4. USA Midwest Regional Round in July

    Golden Pass holders will take the stage to compete for the championship title and a spot on the global stage.

  5. Global Selection Round (KBS Online Round) in August

    The regional champion and three other participants/teams will be selected for evaluation by official KBS judges, competing with winners from around the world.

  6. Grand Final in Korea (All Expenses Covered) in October

    Selected finalists will be flown to Korea (travel and accommodation fully covered by KBS) to compete in the K-pop World Festival global finals.

Eligibility

  1. The contest is open to residents of all U.S. states and territories.

  2. Participants of all ethnicities are welcome to join in the Midwest Preliminaries. However, those of Korean descent are only eligible to advance if they hold U.S. citizenship. Korean participants who hold green cards, other visas, or non-U.S. citizenship, regardless of their residency status, are not eligible to move forward in the global selection process. You are still welcome to participate in the USA Midwest Regional round; however, if selected, you will not be able to proceed to the KBS global selection round.

  3. Applicants must possess an unrestricted capacity to travel overseas and must hold a current passport. If selected as a finalist (winner of the Midwest Preliminary), a copy of your passport must be submitted within one week of selection.

  4. Each participant may submit up to two entries per category, except for the Solo category, which allows only one entry per person. For all other categories, participants may join a maximum of two different teams.

Important Dates

June 1st 12:00 PM

Application Opens

Online

July 1st 11:59 PM

Application Closes

Online

July 12th 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

Preliminary Round

Minneapolis, MN

July 12th 2:30 PM-4:00 PM

Dance Workshop

University of Minnesota, Rec Center

July 13th 1:00 PM-4:00 PM

KWF Midwest Regional Fianl Round

Mall of America

July 13th 6:00 PM-8:00 PM

P Nation Private Audition

TU Dance Studio

Competition Rules

  • Participants can compete in the following categories:

    • Category

      • Vocal

      • Dance Solo (1 person)

      • Dance Small Group (2–4 people)

      • Dance Large Group (5 or more people)

    Multiple submissions are allowed!

    • You may compete in multiple categories (vocal, dance solo, dance small group, dance large group) as long as each submission is registered separately.

    • Each participant may submit up to two entries per category, except for the Solo category, which allows only one entry per person. For all other categories, participants may join a maximum of two different teams.

    • However, each team can only submit one performance per category. If you wish to submit multiple performances in the same category, please register under a different team name.

  • Entry fees for the 2025 K-Pop World Festival USA Midwest Regional Round are as follows:
    • Vocal category: $30 per person
    • Dance (Solo): $30 per person
    • Dance (Small Group, 2–4 people): $20 per person
    • Dance (Large Group, 5+ people): $15 per person

    All payments must be made by credit card or Venmo. You can find the registration and payment deadline on the official event website.

    Payments made after the registration deadline will be subject to a late fee and must still be paid by credit card or Venmo.

    Returned or failed payments may result in disqualification from the competition.

  • Perform a dance and/or vocal cover featuring either a single K-pop song or a mix of multiple K-pop songs.

    If performing a mix, you may combine songs from different artists.

    At least one “main” song must be performed in its entirety.

    • Example: You may mix "Deja Vu" by TXT, "Feel My Rhythm" by Red Velvet, and "Siren" by RIIZE. But one of these songs must be performed from start to finish as the main song.

    • If selected to proceed to the Global round, you will be required to compete with that main song only.

    Performance duration must be between 2 to 4 minutes 30 seconds.

    Original choreography is allowed but must not exceed 1 minute of the total performance.

  • Performances (including music, dance, outfits, and gestures) must be suitable for all age groups.

    Excessive skin exposure or inappropriate gestures are not permitted.

    The chosen song must be a K-pop song by a K-pop artist.

    • Note: Covers of artists such as XG, &TEAM, or NCT WISH, Katseye are not allowed.

  • 32’ x 24’

  • Music must be submitted in advance in MP3 format. (We will be sending out emails)

    All performers must check in at the venue at the designated call time.

    • Category Awards: One winner will be selected from each category – Dance Solo, Dance Small Group, Dance Large Group, and Vocal.

    • Cash Prizes:

      • Dance Large Group Winner: $1,000

      • Dance Small Group Winner: $500

      • Dance Solo Winner: $300

      • Vocal Winner: $300

      Next Round Opportunity: Each category winner will receive a KWF award and a chance to advance to the next round.

      All Expenses Covered: Selected winners advancing to the global stage will have their flights, accommodation, and meals covered.

  • Coming soon

Vocal

Showcase your vocal talent by performing a K-pop song! Contestants will be judged on vocal technique, pronunciation, stage presence, and overall performance. Whether you’re singing solo or in a group, this is your chance to impress the judges and take the stage!

Dance

  • Solo (1 person)

  • Small Group (2-4 people)

  • Large Group (+5 people)

Bring your best K-pop choreography to the stage! Contestants will be evaluated on dance technique, synchronization, stage presence, and energy. Soloists and groups are welcome to perform dynamic routines that capture the essence of K-pop performances!

Guest Performance

Submission Deadline: TBD

Experience exclusive guest performances and showcases from talented artists, special guests, and K-pop cover groups. These performances are non-competitive and designed to entertain, inspire, and highlight the diversity of K-pop culture.

Judges

  • Rino Hur

    Music Producer & Film Composer K-Pop Music Technology Instructor

    YG Entertainment Publishing Writer

    * Private vocal lessons for idol group 4minute, U-Kiss members, etc.

  • Shiggy Nakano

    Shiggy is a dancer and choreographer born in Japan and raised in Los Angeles. A core member of the acclaimed dance crew S-Rank, he has performed with and contributed choreography to major artists including TXT (HYBE), RIIZE (SM), and dearALICE (SM Entertainment UK).

    His work has appeared in music videos, award shows such as the MAMA Awards, and on platforms like Steezy and Kinjaz Dojo. Shiggy continues to perform and teach internationally, sharing his movement and creative voice with dancers around the world, while remaining deeply rooted in the Los Angeles dance community, where his journey began.

  • P Nation Casting Team

    P NATION (피네이션) is South Korean record label and entertainment agency. It was founded by singer and producer PSY.

Contact us

Have questions or want to get involved? Reach out to Midwest Kculture Foundation for inquiries about events, partnerships, or participation in the Midwest K-pop Festival and KBS K-pop World Festival Preliminaries. We’d love to hear from you!