Republic of Korea has got a brand-new generation of artists that it’s ready to share with the world – get ready to meet Korea’s Next Wave.
The National Selection Show is all set to find an entry for the country’s first outing on the Eurovision Song Contest Asia stage. Eight artists will be taking part, coming from a broad selection of music genres.
You can watch, you can take part and you can help decide which song will be hitting the Bangkok stage on Saturday 14 November.
Here’s all you need to know:
How to Watch
Korea’s Next Wave is happening on Friday 04 September, at 16:00 CEST (23:00 KST).
Anyone tuning in from the Republic of Korea can watch the show via broadcaster ENA. If you’re watching from anywhere else in the world, you’ll be able to stream the full show live via the Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel. The show is expected to run for approximately 90 minutes.
How to Vote
Make your voice heard and help decide which song will be representing the Republic of Korea on the Eurovision Song Contest Asia stage.
Regardless of whether you are based in the Republic of Korea or anywhere else in the world, you can vote for your favourite Korea’s Next Wave entries at the Eurovision Asia website. Voting is free of charge and you can up to eight times across at least three songs.
If you’re voting from outside the Republic of Korea, your vote will count towards 20% of the final result, while public votes from inside the country will contribute 40%. The remaining 40% of the score will come from a professional jury.
The voting window will be opened during the broadcast, so listen out for the announcement!
The Show
Your host for the evening is an extra-special one… K-Pop megastar Jo Kwon.
The singer, TV presenter, actor, musical theatre performer and member of boyband 2AM will be taking viewers through a schedule of star-powered entertainment, and encouraging viewers at home to make their opinions known!
Broadcaster ENA has put together a truly esteemed panel of judges especially for the occasion. Major names across the music and wider entertainment industry, JOO YOUNG HOON, CHAERINA, Yoonhan, Hyungtag Lee and KLOZER will be on hand to provide commentary after each of the eight performances.
Jo Kwon will be your host for the inaugural Korea’s Next WaveThe Songs
Eight songs will be competing for YOUR vote on Friday 04 September.
Below you can listen to them all in advance of the show and also learn a little more about the artists behind them. Eight performers who all have one thing in common: the wish to be given the honour of representing Republic of Korea at the inaugural edition of Eurovision Song Contest Asia.
Sojeong Shim – EHERADIYA
Sojeong Shim is a South Korean harpist and singer-songwriter aiming to reimagine the harp for modern pop music. Classically trained, she blends both acoustic and electric harp with pop and electronic sounds, as well as her own vocals, to create music that she regards as both dreamy and powerful.
Sojeung loves to surprise audiences, revealing the unexpected layers to harp music, and she’s always exploring new musical ideas that connect the traditional with the contemporary.
KIK – F1
KIK are a tall trio band who say they seek simplicity in a complex world. They make music that has a natural blend of alternative rock and Britpop, vibes wise!
With a real passion for the music they produce, the band loves gathering over good food and discussing what they’re making. The band members focus on tuning into each other’s individual moments, which helps inform the choices they make together.
huiAe – If I Knew Love
huiAe is a solo artist from South Korea, creating R&B music and emotional ballads with producer JUNGL$ and composer Tomajo. huiAe finds inspiration for music in two very different places – their cat and Squishy ASMR.
Angel Noise – NAN NAYA !
ANGEL NOISE are two musicians who refuse to pick a lane. Haena sings and dances; Kepi writes the songs and plays the keys. Their name puts ‘angel’ beside ‘noise’ because as far as they are concerned, that is what they sound like!
They debuted in October 2024 with TOY TOY and have since performed in Tokyo, on Korean television and in Jakarta. Their next goal is to perform in Europe. Offstage the contrast holds: Haena is the sporty one, who watches every Manchester City match; Kepi is the anime devotee, who dresses like a princess.
Younghoon Ji – Tiny Signal
Younghoon Ji is a Korean singer-songwriter who creates his own sound, guitar in hand. Bringing together the energy of rock and the sensibility of pop, he writes and performs his own songs, showing both the freedom of a guitarist and the honest charisma of a vocalist on stage.
Since debuting with the EP Trace in 2017, he has released plenty more music, contributed to soundtracks including Climax and Fifty Percent, and appeared on Superstar K7 and Sing Again 3. Always searching for new sounds and forms of expression, he loves to expand his own musical territory.
9278 – MAKEITLOUD (SHEBARKS)
9278 is a band formed by alumni from the same university, playing a variety of pop genres including rock, R&B, and ballads. Their members are GAYÜN on vocals, Hyewon on drums, Zion on bass and KyeongA on keyboard.
The band tends to capture the thoughts and feelings they have in the moment into songs, whether individually or all together. They then work on completing each of those pieces, bit by bit, as the song starts to take shape.
PLZY – toc
PLZY is a South Korean singer-songwriter who weaves everyday emotions, personal experiences and deep reflections into both pop and R&B music through a calm and comforting vocal tone.
The artist aims to offer a warm, reassuring space where listeners can find comfort in life’s quiet moments. PLZY draws profound musical inspiration from ambient music, naturally integrating its serene and cozy atmosphere into his own sound.
JUNHEE – DEEP DIVE
JUNHEE is a solo singer-songwriter based in South Korea, who mainly focuses on pop, R&B and dance music. The artist prefers bright, mainstream-sounding music over more niche styles, and one of the reasons he makes music is to deliver positive energy to people.
Other than making music, JUNHEE enjoys working out as a hobby. Recently, after establishing his own one-person agency, he’s been trying to balance both roles of CEO and singer, while building his music career.