The 4th Korea International Musical Competition, hosted by the Korea Musical Association, wrapped up its finals at the D-Cube Art Center on August 18. Han Eun-bin from the Korea National University of Arts clinched the overall grand prize with her rendition of “Past is Catching Up to Me” from the musical The Great Gatsby.
This year’s competition broadened its scope, welcoming individual and group entries from elementary, middle, high school, and university/general divisions. The newly introduced group category allowed teams to showcase their talents on stage.
The competition unfolded through preliminary rounds in Seoul and Busan before culminating in the finals. Seoul’s preliminaries ran from July 20 to 24 at Boas Studio, while Busan’s took place on July 27 at the Sohyang Theatre Wooribank Hall.
The finals adopted a public showcase format, with contestants demonstrating their skills and unique flair through musical performances encompassing singing, acting, and choreography.
The event drew international attention, with Japanese casting directors from the Shiki Theatre Company, including Hirano Makoto, Ooshima Ai, and Zaimu Ayako, attending the finals. The association aims to expand its network and collaborations with both domestic and international arts organizations.
The preliminary judging panel featured industry heavyweights such as Go Kang-min, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MBT Company, director Yoo Hee-sung, and musical music director Lee Beom-jae. For the finals, the judging duties fell to an esteemed panel including musical music director Kim Sung-soo, Professor Won Jong-won from Soonchunhyang University, CEO Lee Seong-hoon from Show Note, Professor Lee Yoo-ri from Seoul Arts University, and acclaimed musical actress Cha Ji-yeon.
Top honors in each category were awarded to Go Eun (elementary), Kim Eun-kyo (middle school), Seong Ye-seul (high school), and Han Ma-eum (university/general). In the group category, Hanulnari took home the top prize, while Kim Chae-eun and Hwang Ye-eun received excellence awards. Kang Da-in, Kim Ri-an, Yoon Seo-a, Lee Seol-a, Jo Yeon-a, Jo Ha-yoon, Choi Min-geun, and Choi Yeon-jin were recognized with encouragement awards.
The 18 winning teams were awarded certificates, trophies, cash prizes, and workshop opportunities. As an added bonus, they’ll receive automatic passes through the document screening phase when auditioning for any of the 18 major musical production companies affiliated with the association for the 2026-2027 season.
Lee Jong-kyu, chairman of the Korea Musical Association, expressed his hopes that the competition would serve as a springboard for participants to uncover their potential and advance their careers. He extended his congratulations and encouragement to all finalists who graced the stage.