A children’s choir performs at the 2011 Migrants' Arirang festival in which the Korea Migrants' Song Festival is a main event. (KMSF)
Singing is a staple of Korean culture, from the mass media television music shows and singing competitions to noraebang outings with colleagues and friends.
Enter a festival in which foreigners in Korea can also showcase their talent, and get the chance to belt out a tune and maybe claim some fame.
The Korea Migrant’s Song Festival, which celebrates multiculturalism and singing talent, has been held annually since 2007 in Changwon City. The song festival is part of the Migrant’s Arirang Festival, which brings in various kinds of international showcasing events.
The festival began “as an educational motive to promote a unifying and sustainable multicultural society,” according to festival organizers. It is now one of the biggest events for migrants ― foreign workers and immigrants who move here either temporarily or permanently ― in South Korea.
But not only is the festival a chance to gain more cultural awareness, it is also an opportunity to get a foot ― or voice ― in the door of the Korean music and entertainment industry.
“The festival has become a gateway for migrants in Korea to debut as a pop singer or entertainer in the Korean entertainment industry,” a festival organizer wrote to The Korea Herald.
Competitors ― any migrant over the age of five is eligible ― might have the chance to make it big.
“The winner of 2010 KMSF was a Bangladeshi migrant worker called Khan,” wrote an organizer. “Khan has now become an entertainer who gets a lot of support from Koreans and he actively appears in movies and television shows.”
The winner of the festival gets more than fame ― there is also a 10 million won ($8750) prize for the top singer.
The international draw of the festival means that people from all over the world participate for a chance to perform in front of an audience of about 100,000 and appear on local TV.
Gyeongnam Migrant Community Service, a non-governmental organization located in Changwon that aids foreign workers and migrants, is the main event host. Various other companies, like STX Foundation, businesses and local government agencies are also helping to sponsor the festival.
The festival is currently holding its first elimination rounds as it gears up for its main annual singing competition in September. First-round qualifying editions are being held throughout July in 14 regions across Korea including Incheon, Busan, Daegu and Jeju, and two locations in Seoul. According to the organizers, the 2011 festival had 656 teams, some 1,000 individuals, competing in the first round. Similar numbers are expected for this year.
The second elimination round will be held Aug. 12 in Changwon, and will have around 50 teams competing and a total of 20 countries participating. Those who pass both rounds will have a chance to compete at the main Sept. 14-16 event, which will also be held in Changwon.
There, competitors will share the stage with some big name performers in Korea and Asia. These singers and artists also perform at the events’ Asia Pop Music Concert, which is one of the main events of the festival and is held a day before the final round of the singing competition. Among the entertainers slated to perform this year is rock singer Yoon Do-hyun.
In accordance with the theme of multiculturalism in Korea, there will also be other cultural events throughout the three-day festival. The second and third day are chock full of international-themed events, including an international customs, culture and food fair, a traditional Mongolian wrestling competition, fortune telling from all over the world, and an exhibition of traditional instruments from various countries.
And, of course, expect there to be plenty of singing in between.
By Sarah Berlow (
sarah.berlow@gmail.com)