On February 1st, the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil held a Korean song competition in celebration of the Lunar New Year as one of the main programs of the event in São Paulo, organized by the Korean Town Development Association (President Ko Woo-seok). The competition took place at Tiradentes Square, in the Bom Retiro neighborhood.

The online preliminary round, held from January 4 to 19, received applications from 79 participants. Among them, 12 were selected to advance to the final stage, which was marked by intense competition.

In the final round, a total of 15 participants (nine soloists and three duos) took the stage, performing songs from a variety of genres. Approximately 150 spectators attended the event in person, offering strong support to the contestants.

The judging panel consisted of KCCB Director Cheul Hong Kim, opera singer Lee Jeong-geun, and singer Kim Yoon-ji, ensuring a fair and thorough evaluation.

The number of applicants increased significantly compared to previous years, highlighting the continued growth of interest in k-pop in Brazil.

As for the winners, first place was awarded to Cho Lu (24), who performed “Singing Got Better” by Ailee. Second place went to Priscila (32), from Rio de Janeiro, with “Someday” by Park Eun-bin. Third place was claimed by Isabela (16), who sang “Twenty Five, Twenty One” by the band Jaurim.

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At the end of the event, Director Cheul Hong Kim thanked both the audience and participants for attending despite São Paulo’s weather conditions, and stated that the song competition will be held regularly with the aim of strengthening the vocal segment of k-pop in Brazil and encouraging the discovery of new local talent.

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