The 2021 K-pop World Festival, the largest K-pop event on the planet, will be held online on Oct. 15. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

By Lee Jihye and Kim Hayeon

The 2021 K-pop World Festival, the largest event of its kind on the planet, will take place online on Oct. 15, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Oct. 12. 

The festival, a competition for foreign K-pop fans, marks its 10th anniversary this year.

Sponsored by the city of Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, the event is being jointly hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) and Korean Broadcasting System (KBS).

This year's contest featured 80 teams from 74 countries competing in the preliminary rounds at Korean diplomatic missions and Korean Cultural Centers. Ten acts from Nigeria, Laos, Latvia, Russia, the U.S., Belarus, Austria, Uruguay, Canada and France made it to the finals. 

The finals on Oct. 15 will be livestreamed on KBS' YouTube channel "KBS World TV" at 6:30 p.m. Korean Standard Time and later aired in 120 countries via the channel KBS World. 

Actor Yoo In-na will host the finals, with K-pop idols including Monsta X, The Boyz, Stray Kids, Oh My Girl, ATEEZ, Aespa, Oneus and Cravity to perform against the backdrops of iconic tourist attractions in Korea. 

shaadiya1223@korea.kr