- Live communication with global music fans on “ROUND 2021”, 16 teams from various countries! 1st lineup announcement!

- ASEANㆍKOREA MUSIC FESTIVAL “ROUND 2021” ADOY(KR), SB19(PH), and more confirmed to participate.

The global festival where 10 ASEAN member states and South Korea are participating together will be held in Korea this coming January.

“ROUND 2021”, hosted by KBS and sponsored by the 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam/ In alphabetical order), the ASEAN Secretariat (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, will be held on January 9th next year.

The “ROUND” festival, sponsored by the ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund (AKCF), was originally planned as an offline participatory concert where musicians and audiences from the 10 ASEAN countries and South Korea can gather together to share their culture. However, the concert was switched to an ON-TACT (Compound word for Online and Contact) format due to the COVID-19. In particular, it was recognized for its efforts to overcome the distance limitations through the implementation of online participation-inducing communication with the audience and won the 2021 Digital Content Award at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.

The “ROUND 2021” will present “Hello to New Normal” as the event’s concept as a means to strengthen the cultural bond and support among the ASEAN member states and South Korea through the power of music to connect with each other.

The interest regarding cooperation with ASEAN countries are greater than ever, and the event aims to provide an opportunity for younger generations from various countries to communicate through music and promote the formation of an active pop music network connecting all countries.

The “ROUND” festival began in 2020 laid the foundation for cultural and artistic exchange through music among the ASEAN countries and South Korea by establishing the ASEAN-Korea Music Committee (AKMC) with 10 experts from 10 ASEAN countries and the singer Kim Hyun Chul from Korea. 

In 2021, the event continued its efforts to prepare for the music festival in January 2022 through online meetings and music forums that continue to examine the music trends of each ASEAN countries. 

16 talented top musicians across various genres from the 10 ASEAN countries and Korea will participate in “ROUND 2021.” The first lineup will feature SB19 (Philippines), nominated as the Top Social Artist at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, MY ANH (Viet Nam), presenting colorful music inspired by the 80s, and SOPHIA LIANA (Malaysia), a female hip-hop rapper who doesn’t hesitate to take on new challenges, were unveiled. From South Korea, Jambinai, a group that captivated the world through a fusion of Korean traditional music, and ADOY, a synth-pop band with trendy yet unique qualities, have confirmed to participate.

The KBS producer Hwang Kuk Chan working on planning and production of “ROUND 2021” said, “It will be an online festival where global music fans will be emotionally moved and ASEAN and Korean musicians can communicate with each other even amidst the pandemic age,” and also added, “We will do our best to present a safe and passionate stage by complying with all quarantine regulations.”

“ROUND 2021” will maintain the live ON-TACT format for viewers worldwide. Many expect the event to convey a message of hope to musicians and fans in the face of the New Normal era along with the “phased recovery to normal” plan following vaccination efforts.

The event will accept pre-applications starting December 1st (Wed) for the “global online audience” who will participate in the ON-TACT Festival. The audience entering the online VIP ZONE will be shown to the musicians onstage through a large screen, creating a space that will look as if the audience is actually there. Details for applying will be announced later on the “ROUND FESTIVAL” social media channel and the website (roundfestival.net).