K-pop festival, competition to run in Vietnam

The eagerly-awaited HEC Korea Festival concert, to be held in Ho Chi Minh City late this month, will kick off the performing tour of several Korean star bands in 10 countries.

The concert, to be held at Military Zone 7 Stadium, Pho Quang street, Tan Binh district on Mar 22, will feature popular bands, including SNSD, 2PM, Sistar, Miss A, The Gate.

The highlights of the Vietnam show include the performances in Vietnamese and Korean traditional music instruments and dances by the new champion of the local online Cover Dance Contest, which will close on Mar 21.

Jointly put on by the Korean Ministry of Culture and Information and MBC Television, the concert will be recorded and broadcast in 90 countries.

According to the organizers, 20,000 tickets will be sold and vary from VND400,000 to 4 million (US$189) apiece nationwide.

Meanwhile, “Ngoi sao Viet” (Vietnamese stars), a music competition/ reality show in K-pop style, will be aired on VTV3 starting Mar 15.

Unlike other local versions of European and American singing contests, such as Vietnam Idol and The Voice Vietnam, “Ngoi sao Viet” aims at seeking versatile performers, who are equally good at singing, dancing, composing and playing instruments.

The jury comprise of local and Korean singers, producers and composers, including Korean Ballad queen Baek Ji Young, K-pop composer Kim Do Hoon, music producer Shinsadong Tiger, training director Kim Jin Woo and expat Vietnamese choreographer John Huy Tran.

According to the organizers, 15 outstanding contestants will earn tickets to a two-month K-pop training course in Korea before eight of them will be eliminated.

Seven remaining contenders will compete in a five-week marathon starting June 21. The champion at the July 19 finale will walk away with a whopping VND7.5 billion (US$353,774) prize.

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