K-Pop gala rocks Dar with electrifying rhythm

DAR ES SALAAM: THE electrifying rhythms of the global K-pop Festival rocked the Little Theatre in Dar es Salaam over the weekend, as dozens of Tanzanian youths took to the stage to showcase their talents in singing and dancing during a competitive event.

The festival was organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Tanzania as part of the annual Korean Week celebrations. The South Korean Ambassador to Tanzania, H.E. Eunju Ahn, attended the event and praised the participants for their talent and dedication in promoting awareness of Korean culture.

The Deputy Head of Mission at the Korean Embassy, Mr. Seungyun Lee, said the event is one of the key ways the embassy fosters closer cultural ties between Seoul and Dar es Salaam, with the aim of building intergenerational friendship and deeper cultural understanding.

Mr. Lee announced that the winners of the competition will advance to an international preliminary round, which will be held virtually. Those who qualify will then move on to the finals scheduled for November in Korea, with the global grand finale set to take place in Seoul, Korea.

He noted that the festival has been held annually for nearly 10 years, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and each year has seen significant improvements and an increase in the number of talented participants.

“Every year, we see new participants who, surprisingly, tend to be even better. We’ve seen tremendous growth, especially over the last two years,” said Mr. Lee.

He added that Korean culture, including its food, films, and music, continues to gain worldwide popularity, especially in Tanzania. He emphasized that the festival offers Tanzanian youth who love K-pop a valuable platform to showcase their talents and deepen people-to-people relations between the two nations.

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In this year’s competition, Givenes Kitale (24) secured second place. Speaking to reporters, she shared that singing and the Korean language hold special meaning in his life.

“I love singing, and I love the Korean language. Singing in Korean is very meaningful to me. I’m very happy to win, and I look forward to representing Tanzania in the next round,” said Givenes.

Third-place winner Sophia Juma said she began preparing in 2023 after hearing about the competition from friends through IYF. Although she competed in 2024 without winning, she returned this year more determined.

“After losing last year, I made a vow to win in 2025. I trained using YouTube, took on challenges, and had the support of my friends. Today I’ve succeeded. I’m really happy because not everyone can do this,” she said.

This year’s finalists were selected from more than 30 online applications, which included solo singers, dancers, and group performers.

The Korean Embassy stated that the festival continues to serve as a vital platform for strengthening cultural ties between Tanzania and South Korea and encouraging youth to engage in global exchange through music, art, and creativity.