In November, Laos will host the ASEAN-Korea Music Festival 2024 (2024 ROUND). The event is organized by the South Korean Broadcasting Corporation (KBS) and supported by the South Korean government through the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund.
The theme of this year's festival is "Step Out, Sing As One", which aims to strengthen cultural ties and promote dialogue among ASEAN member countries and South Korea through the universal power of music, according to the ASEAN Secretariat.
The ASEAN-Korea Music Festival is held annually following the rotation of ASEAN chairmanship. Therefore, Laos is taking on the role of hosting the festival this year in line with its ASEAN chairmanship.
Since its inception in 2020, the festival has entered its fourth year and has become an important platform for cultural exchange and understanding between ASEAN countries and South Korea. Originally planned as an offline event in 2020, ROUND was adapted into two virtual shows in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It wasn't until 2023 that the festival successfully resumed offline in Jakarta, Indonesia, featuring 18 artists from 11 countries, including Korea. With over 2,000 attendees and sold-out advance tickets, the festival's growing popularity and public interest were evident. It is hoped that the upcoming festival in Laos will continue the legacy of strengthening cultural ties.
Before the main 2024 ROUND festival, the ASEAN-Korea Music Forum will be held in Seoul on March 5-6. The event will bring together music professionals from South Korea and ASEAN countries to discuss the vision and potential of music from both regions in the global market. The success of K-pop and J-pop and the prospects for ASEAN musicians will also be discussed.
During the event, KBS will showcase VVERTIGO, an AI-based video editing solution used in the production of KBS's leading K-pop music show, Music Bank.
This year also marks the 35th anniversary of the ASEAN-Korea partnership, which began in 1989. The ASEAN-South Korea relationship has evolved significantly from sectoral dialogues to comprehensive cooperation in 2004 and later to a strategic partnership in 2010.
