COMPETE AT KOREAFEST

Submissions for KoreaFest 2026 are now CLOSED

Thank you for your interest, check back in the Fall!

Guidelines

All Large Group Dance performances are required to include music and must not exceed 3.5 minutes in length. Performance must have a minimum of 7 members. The audition video should closely resemble the live performance intended for the stage, should the group be accepted. While minor adjustments to choreography or staging are allowed, any major changes must receive prior approval from the InWave team.

Props are permitted, but they must be clearly disclosed in the audition submission form. Props that are unsafe, oversized (too large for stage size), or not previously approved may lead to disqualification. Any exceptions to performance rules must be approved by the InWave team.

A submission fee of $50 per person is required and must be paid using one of the approved payment methods listed on the official submission form.

The submission deadline is from Saturday December 27th 2025 to Saturday January 17th 2026... Results will be emailed to all participants on, or before, Saturday February 7th, 2026. For all questions or concerns, please contact InWaveContest@gmail.com.

Music must be free from political or religious references, abusive language, obscenities, or any content deemed inappropriate by the InWave team. Song choices must be from Korean music industry artists. If a group chooses to perform songs by artists outside of this scope such as: XG, Katseye, or similar they must receive pre-approval from the InWave team. Performances may include a mix of songs, provided that all selections meet the above criteria. Accepted participants will be required to submit their final performance music through a form provided in the acceptance email.

InWave reserves the right to disqualify any participant or group at any stage of the contest under the following circumstances:

Submission of an audition video that does not accurately represent the intended live performance, including significant unapproved changes.
Failure to adhere to time limits, contest guidelines, or performance requirements as outlined.
Submission of incomplete or incorrect information, or failure to include all group members in required group auditions.
Use of unauthorized music, including tracks containing prohibited content (political, religious, obscene, or abusive language).
Use of unapproved props or unauthorized artists without prior consent from the InWave team.
Non-Payment of submission fees by the deadline or use of unapproved payment methods.

Disqualification decisions are final and made at the discretion of the InWave team. No refunds will be issued for disqualification entries.

The Idol Contest is a singing and dancing contest. All performances are required to include music and must not exceed 3 minutes in length. The audition video should closely resemble the live performance intended for the stage, should the group/individual be accepted. While minor adjustments to choreography or staging are allowed, any major changes must receive prior approval from the InWave team.

All participants must sing live while dancing, backing vocals are not allowed in the audio track. Submissions must feature your raw, live vocal performance with an instrumental track only. Additionally, no post-production or vocal enhancements such as tuning, EQ, reverb, or other effects are allowed. This ensures a fair evaluation of each contestant’s natural vocal ability.

For group performances, all members must appear and perform both singing and dancing in the audition video. Any exceptions to these rules must be pre-approved by the InWave team.

Props are permitted, but they must be clearly disclosed in the audition submission form. Props that are unsafe, oversized (too large for stage size), or not previously approved may lead to disqualification. Any exceptions to performance rules must be approved by the InWave team.

A submission fee of $50 per person is required and must be paid using one of the approved payment methods listed on the official submission form.

The submission deadline is from Saturday December 27th 2025 to Saturday January 17th 2026... Results will be emailed to all participants on, or before, Saturday February 7th, 2026. For all questions or concerns, please contact InWaveContest@gmail.com.

Music must be free from political or religious references, abusive language, obscenities, or any content deemed inappropriate by the InWave team. Song choices must be from Korean music industry artists. If a group chooses to perform songs by artists outside of this scope such as: XG, Katseye, or similar they must receive pre-approval from the InWave team. Performances may include a mix of songs, provided that all selections meet the above criteria. Accepted participants will be required to submit their final performance music through a form provided in the acceptance email.

InWave reserves the right to disqualify any participant or group at any stage of the contest under the following circumstances:

Submission of an audition video that does not accurately represent the intended live performance, including significant unapproved changes.
Use of backing vocals, vocal effects, or any form of post-production where prohibited.
Failure to adhere to time limits, contest guidelines, or performance requirements as outlined.
Submission of incomplete or incorrect information, or failure to include all group members in required group auditions.
Use of unauthorized music, including tracks containing prohibited content (political, religious, obscene, or abusive language).
Use of unapproved props or unauthorized artists without prior consent from the InWave team.
Non-Payment of submission fees by the deadline or use of unapproved payment methods.

Disqualification decisions are final and made at the discretion of the InWave team. No refunds will be issued for disqualification entries.

The Korean Singing Contest is a vocals-only contest. Dancing or choreography is not permitted. All performances must include music and are limited to one song. The audition video must feature the exactly same song and arrangement that will be performed live on stage if accepted. No major changes will be permitted without prior approval from the InWave team.

Backing vocals are strictly prohibited. Submissions must feature a raw, live vocal performance with an instrumental track only. Additionally, no post-production or vocal enhancements such as tuning, EQ, reverb, or other effects are allowed. This ensures a fair evaluation of each contestant’s natural vocal ability.

For group performances, all members must appear and perform in the audition video. Any exceptions to these rules must be pre-approved by the InWave team.

A submission fee of $50 per person is required and must be submitted using one of the approved payment methods listed on the official submission form.

The submission deadline is from Saturday December 27th 2025 to Saturday January 17th 2026... Results will be emailed to all participants on, or before, Saturday February 7th, 2026. For all questions or concerns, please contact InWaveContest@gmail.com.

Music must be free from political or religious references, abusive language, obscenities, or any content deemed inappropriate by the InWave team. Song choices must be by Korean music industry artists and sung in the original Korean version, even if an official English version exists. Accepted participants will be required to submit their final performance music through a form provided in the acceptance email.

InWave reserves the right to disqualify any participant or group at any stage of the contest under the following circumstances:

Submission of an audition video that does not accurately represent the intended live performance, including significant unapproved changes.
Use of backing vocals, vocal effects, or any form of post-production where prohibited.
Failure to adhere to contest guidelines, or performance requirements as outlined.
Submission of incomplete or incorrect information, or failure to include all group members in required group auditions.
Use of unauthorized music, including tracks containing prohibited content (political, religious, obscene, or abusive language).
Use of unapproved props or unauthorized artists without prior consent from the InWave team.
Non-Payment of submission fees by the deadline or use of unapproved payment methods.

Disqualification decisions are final and made at the discretion of the InWave team. No refunds will be issued for disqualification entries.

All Small Dance Group performances are required to include music and must not exceed 2.5 minutes in length. The audition video should closely resemble the live performance intended for the stage, should the individual be accepted. While minor adjustments to choreography or staging are allowed, any major changes must receive prior approval from the InWave team.

Props are permitted, but they must be clearly disclosed in the audition submission form. Props that are unsafe, oversized (too large for stage size), or not previously approved may lead to disqualification. Any exceptions to performance rules must be approved by the InWave team.

A submission fee of $50 is required and must be paid using one of the approved payment methods listed on the official submission form.

The submission deadline is from Saturday December 27th 2025 to Saturday January 17th 2026... Results will be emailed to all participants on, or before, Saturday February 7th, 2026. For all questions or concerns, please contact InWaveContest@gmail.com.

Music must be free from political or religious references, abusive language, obscenities, or any content deemed inappropriate by the InWave team. Song choices must be from Korean music industry artists. If a group chooses to perform songs by artists outside of this scope such as: XG, Katseye, or similar they must receive pre-approval from the InWave team. Performances may include a mix of songs, provided that all selections meet the above criteria. Accepted participants will be required to submit their final performance music through a form provided in the acceptance email.

InWave reserves the right to disqualify any participant or group at any stage of the contest under the following circumstances:

Submission of an audition video that does not accurately represent the intended live performance, including significant unapproved changes.
Failure to adhere to time limits, contest guidelines, or performance requirements as outlined.
Submission of incomplete or incorrect information.
Use of unauthorized music, including tracks containing prohibited content (political, religious, obscene, or abusive language).
Use of unapproved props or unauthorized artists without prior consent from the InWave team.
Non-Payment of submission fees by the deadline or use of unapproved payment methods.

Disqualification decisions are final and made at the discretion of the InWave team. No refunds will be issued for disqualification entries.

All Solo Dance performances are required to include music and must not exceed 2.5 minutes in length. The audition video should closely resemble the live performance intended for the stage, should the individual be accepted. While minor adjustments to choreography or staging are allowed, any major changes must receive prior approval from the InWave team.

Props are permitted, but they must be clearly disclosed in the audition submission form. Props that are unsafe, oversized (too large for stage size), or not previously approved may lead to disqualification. Any exceptions to performance rules must be approved by the InWave team.

A submission fee of $50 is required and must be paid using one of the approved payment methods listed on the official submission form.

The submission deadline is from Saturday December 27th 2025 to Saturday January 17th 2026... Results will be emailed to all participants on, or before, Saturday February 7th, 2026. For all questions or concerns, please contact InWaveContest@gmail.com.

Music must be free from political or religious references, abusive language, obscenities, or any content deemed inappropriate by the InWave team. Song choices must be from Korean music industry artists. If a group chooses to perform songs by artists outside of this scope such as: XG, Katseye, or similar they must receive pre-approval from the InWave team. Performances may include a mix of songs, provided that all selections meet the above criteria. Accepted participants will be required to submit their final performance music through a form provided in the acceptance email.

InWave reserves the right to disqualify any participant or group at any stage of the contest under the following circumstances:

Submission of an audition video that does not accurately represent the intended live performance, including significant unapproved changes.
Failure to adhere to time limits, contest guidelines, or performance requirements as outlined.
Submission of incomplete or incorrect information.
Use of unauthorized music, including tracks containing prohibited content (political, religious, obscene, or abusive language).
Use of unapproved props or unauthorized artists without prior consent from the InWave team.
Non-Payment of submission fees by the deadline or use of unapproved payment methods.

Disqualification decisions are final and made at the discretion of the InWave team. No refunds will be issued for disqualification entries.

Scoring Rubric

Technique/Follow Through - 25 Points

Technique is measured by how effectively movement is being executed during the performance. The harder techniques executed well, should be rewarded higher scores.
Judges will be looking for:
- Are the performers using the correct dance technique for the dance style?
- How well are the performers executing the technique?
- Are they following through the whole motion?
- Are the details defined in the movement?

Cleanliness (Group) - 25 Points

Cleanliness is measured by how uniform movements are member to member, this includes transitions, angles, and movement during the duration of the performance.
Judges will be looking for:
- Is the movement uniform?
- Are the angles uniform?
- Is the group's rhythm on time?

Energy - 25 Points

Energy is measured by how effectively each member is engaging each moment and keeping it consistent between one moment to the next.
Judges will be looking for:
- Does the energy feel uniform across the group?
- If a member steps to the side as a part of the performance, do they disengage?
- Are the performers projecting their performance?
- Does their energy match the song?

General Effect - 10 Points

General Effect is measured by the sum of the entire performance and how effective your ideas are coming across to the adjudication panel. This would include any original choreography or transitions added to the performance.
Judges will be looking for:
- How effective are all of the ideas summed together?
- If there is original choreography (written by the performing group/member), does it fit the theme? (Previously scored as Creativity)
- Is there any part that sticks out as "needing improvement"?
Generally, a higher score in the previous 3 categories, would correlate with a higher General Effect score.

Expression - 15 Points

Expression is measured by how effectively your team's facial expressions and movement match the music's tone.
Judges will be looking for:
- Does the performance match the music/movement in expression? Are the ideas consistent member to member?

Vocal Performance - 30 Points

This is an evaluation of the performer’s vocal performance
This is an all encompassing metric:
- Technique, Breath control, Stability, Tone, Pitch, Rhythm
Judges will be looking for:
- Is the performer(s) vocal clear with a strong vocal technique despite dancing?
- How is the performer(s) pitch and rhythm?

Dance Performance - 30 Points

This is an evaluation of the performer’s dance performance
- This is an all encompassing metric:
  - Technique, Follow through, Detail, Rhythm
Judges will be looking for:
Is the performer(s) dance clear in detail and executing technique well?
Is the performer in time?
Is the performer following through the whole motion?

Energy - 15 Points

Energy is measured by how effectively the performer is engaging each moment and keeping it consistent between one moment to the next.
Judges will be looking for:
Is the performer projecting their performance?
Does their energy match the song?

General Effect - 10 Points

General Effect is measured by the sum of the entire performance and how effective your ideas are coming across to the adjudication panel. This would include any original choreography or transitions added to the performance.
Judges will be looking for:
How effective are all of the ideas summed together?
If there is original choreography (written by the performing member), does it fit the theme? (Previously scored as Creativity)
Is there any part that sticks out as "needing improvement"?
Generally, a higher score in the previous 3 categories, would correlate with a higher General Effect score.

Expression - 15 Points

Expression is measured by how effectively the performer's facial expressions and movement match the music's tone.
Judges will be looking for:
Does the performance match the music/movement in expression?

Technique (Tone, Breath) - 30 Points

Technique will be measured by evaluating the singer's technique and breath control.
Judges will be looking for:
- How strong is the performers singing technique?
- How strong is their breath technique?

Musicality (Rhythm, Pitch) - 30 Points

Musicality will be measured by evaluating the singer's rhythm and pitch.
Judges will be looking for:
- Is the singer(s) on time?
- Is the singer(s) on pitch?
- Are they using vibrato effectively?

Diction & Enunciation - 10 Points

Diction & Enunciation will be measured by evaluating the singer's ability to clearly sing the words of the song.
Judges will be looking for:
- Is the singer using proper diction and enunciation through their performance?
- Does it match the energy of the song?

Presentation - 10 Points

Presentation will be measured by evaluating the singer's presence and attire.
Judges will be looking for:
- Does the singer's outfit suit the music that is being played?
- How is their posture?

Expression - 20 Points

Expression is measured by how effectively the singer's facial expressions and movement match the music's tone.
Judges will be looking for:
- Does the performance match the music/movement in expression?
- How enticing is their performance? (including emotion)

Technique/Follow Through - 25 Points

Technique is measured by how effectively movement is being executed during the performance. The harder techniques executed well, should be rewarded higher scores.
Judges will be looking for:
- Are the performers using the correct dance technique for the dance style?
- How well are the performers executing the technique?
- Are they following through the whole motion?
- Are the details defined in the movement?

Cleanliness (Group) - 25 Points

Cleanliness is measured by how uniform movements are member to member, this includes transitions, angles, and movement during the duration of the performance.
Judges will be looking for:
- Is the movement uniform?
- Are the angles uniform?
- Is the group's rhythm on time?

Energy - 25 Points

Energy is measured by how effectively each member is engaging each moment and keeping it consistent between one moment to the next.
Judges will be looking for:
- Does the energy feel uniform across the group?
- If a member steps to the side as a part of the performance, do they disengage?
- Are the performers projecting their performance?
- Does their energy match the song?

General Effect - 10 Points

General Effect is measured by the sum of the entire performance and how effective your ideas are coming across to the adjudication panel. This would include any original choreography or transitions added to the performance.
Judges will be looking for:
- How effective are all of the ideas summed together?
- If there is original choreography (written by the performing group/member), does it fit the theme? (Previously scored as Creativity)
- Is there any part that sticks out as "needing improvement"?
Generally, a higher score in the previous 3 categories, would correlate with a higher General Effect score.

Expression - 15 Points

Expression is measured by how effectively your team's facial expressions and movement match the music's tone.
Judges will be looking for:
- Does the performance match the music/movement in expression? Are the ideas consistent member to member?

Technique/Follow Through - 25 Points

Technique is measured by how effectively movement is being executed during the performance. The harder techniques executed well, should be rewarded higher scores.
Judges will be looking for:
- Is the performer using the correct dance technique for the dance style?
- How well is the performer executing the technique?
- Are they following through the whole motion?
- Are the details defined in the movement?

Presence (Solo) - 25 Points

Presence is measured through how effectively the solo dancer is able to fill the stage and captivate attention from the audience.
Judges will be looking for:
- Is the performer utilizing the performance area effectively?
- Is the performer confidently capturing the audience's attention?

Energy - 25 Points

Energy is measured by how effectively the performer is engaging each moment and keeping it consistent between one moment to the next.
Judges will be looking for:
- Is the performer projecting their performance?
- Does their energy match the song?

General Effect - 10 Points

General Effect is measured by the sum of the entire performance and how effective your ideas are coming across to the adjudication panel. This would include any original choreography or transitions added to the performance.
Judges will be looking for:
- How effective are all of the ideas summed together?
- If there is original choreography (written by the performing member), does it fit the theme? (Previously scored as Creativity)
- Is there any part that sticks out as "needing improvement"?
Generally, a higher score in the previous 3 categories, would correlate with a higher General Effect score.

Expression - 15 Points

Expression is measured by how effectively the performer's facial expressions and movement match the music's tone.
Judges will be looking for:
- Does the performance match the music/movement in expression?

Submit an Audition

Questions? Email INWAVECONTEST@gmail.com

COMPETE AT KOREAFEST

Submissions for KoreaFest 2026 are now CLOSED Thank you for your interest, check back in the Fall!

Guidelines

Scoring Rubric

Submissions for KoreaFest 2026 are now CLOSED

Thank you for your interest, check back in the Fall!