Celebration Sets by STAYC, Oksang Dalbit, Choi Yuri, Lee Mu-jin, BIBI and More
Total Scholarships: 40 million KRW (30,000 USD), Plus Overseas Performance Slots in Indonesia and Mongolia
The Han River College Song Festival, credited with reviving the once-dormant college song contest tradition, returns for its third year. At 7 p.m. on May 2, a special stage at Jamwon Han River Park will host 10 teams of young performers from four countries — Korea, China, Japan and Mongolia — competing for top honors.
This year drew 189 entries, all original compositions. After two rounds of preliminaries, 10 teams advanced to the final. The field spans a wide range of styles, from rock and pop to R&B, city pop and fusion gugak.
The finalists are Pluto (Seoul Institute of the Arts, Hongik University, Dong-Ah Institute of Media and Arts), 8ighty7even (Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, Japan), 332 Blues (Seoul Institute of the Arts), Dongyoung (Howon University), Zhang Xiyue (Chongqing Radio & TV University, China), Naranir Band (Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture), Hwangsaeng (Ewha Womans University, Hanyang University), Garo Indeul (Seoul Institute of the Arts, Howon University, Dong-Ah Institute of Media and Arts), Kim Taeyoung Band (Howon University, University of Seoul, Jeonghwa Arts College, Seokyeong University) and Park Haewon Band (Kyung Hee University).
Established artists will lend their support with celebratory performances. K-pop group STAYC, female duo Dodori and Oksang Dalbit, and soloists Choi Yuri, Lee Mu-jin, BIBI, Park Jae-jung, along with mixed band Touched, are scheduled to perform.
Composer Kim Hyung-seok will chair the judging panel, joined by lyricist Kim Eana, singer Harim, Jung Seung-hwan and Oh My Girl’s Hyojung. The event will be hosted by announcer Nam Hyun-jong and Red Velvet’s Wendy.
The competition carries a total of 40 million KRW (30,000 USD) in scholarships. The grand prize team will receive 20 million KRW (15,000 USD) and an invitation to perform in Jakarta, Indonesia; the gold prize team will be awarded 10 million KRW (7,500 USD) and a performance opportunity in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Additional awards include a silver prize of 5 million KRW (3,750 USD), a bronze prize of 3 million KRW (2,250 USD), and two Youth Empathy Awards of 1 million KRW (750 USD) each. Winners will also receive opportunities to release their music.
Park Haewon Band, one of the finalists, said, “As our last chance before graduation, we want to deliver a performance with no regrets — to fill the stage with raw energy and leave a lasting impression on the audience.”
Seoul’s Future Han River Headquarters has organized a slate of public activities. From 11 a.m., attendees can try balloon darts, a roulette game, a four-shot photo booth, retro arcade machines and a cotton candy event. Food trucks will be on site throughout the day, serving a variety of options.
Park Jin-young, director of Seoul’s Future Han River Headquarters, said, “We hope the Han River — a symbol of Seoul — becomes a stage where young creators from around the world inspire citizens with original work. We will continue to grow the Han River College Song Festival into a recognized global cultural and arts event that discovers outstanding young musicians.”
The 2026 Han River College Song Festival is scheduled to air on KBS2 on May 16 at 10:40 p.m.
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