K-Pop stardom beckons with song-writing and artwork contest

K-Pop lovers are invited to enter a contest launched by the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) and York St John University and submit lyrics or album artwork for a unique competition launching on 19 April. The contest precedes the Yor-K festival celebrating Korean culture which will take place in York later in the summer. 

To take part entrants should go to www.yor-k.com and download an instrumental version of the K-Pop song soundtrack and write their lyrics to match the track. Entries should be written in Korean for sections of hooks and choruses, and entries containing more Korean words and sentences will be favoured. Album artwork submissions should reflect Korean culture through mediums such as pen drawing, watercolour painting or computer graphics.  

Dr Yeji Han, Lecturer in Korean and Linguistics at York St John University, said: 

“Korean pop music, also known as K-Pop, is growing in influence globally and now there’s a chance to be part of it! This is a fantastic opportunity for K-pop fans, songwriters, Korean language students and artists to showcase their creative talent and kick-start or advance their career.” 

Winners will be chosen by a team of music and language experts from York St John University alongside specialist songwriters from the K-Pop industry. The selected lyrics will be sung and recorded by professional vocalists and York St John University student-artists. The award-winning lyrics and artwork will be released with the song through streaming platforms such as iTunes, Spotify and Melon. Winners have the opportunity to debut as an artist and be paid for copyright every time the song is played.  

The contest winners will feature in a Korean festival taking place later in the summer, featuring a dance show, an exhibition of the submitted artwork and a variety of Korean cultural pastimes, food and activities. More details to follow. 

To enter the K-Pop contest: Go to www.yor-k.com and follow the instructions online. The contest is open from 19 April to 2 June 2021.