After more than a decade away from the spotlight, South Korea's legendary "MBC Campus Song Festival" is officially returning in 2025. The beloved college music competition, which has been credited with launching numerous K-pop hits and discovering some of Korea's most celebrated artists, announced its comeback following a 13-year hiatus that began in 2012.
The 2025 edition of the festival has opened its doors wide, welcoming applications from all university and graduate students regardless of their age, nationality, or geographic location. Both domestic and international students are encouraged to participate, reflecting the global reach of Korean music culture. The competition accepts a diverse range of musical genres, spanning from emotional ballads and energetic dance tracks to traditional Korean music, ensuring that various musical talents can find their place on the stage.
Eligible participants include solo artists as well as musical groups, with the requirement that all members must be currently enrolled students or those on an official leave of absence from their respective institutions. The festival's structure maintains its traditional format, beginning with preliminary rounds and culminating in a grand finale that will be broadcast on television.
The competition timeline has already begun, with the first preliminary round taking place in mid-August in Seoul, South Korea's capital city. The highly anticipated finals are scheduled for October 3, 2025, and will be held at Korea Maritime & Ocean University located in Busan, the country's second-largest city and major port destination.
The festival's legacy is built on the remarkable success stories of its alumni, many of whom have become household names in the Korean music industry. Among the most notable past winners is the legendary rock band Sanulrim, which is now known as the Kim Chang-wan Band and continues to influence Korean rock music. The late singer Shin Hae-chul, who performed as a member of the group Infinite Track, also emerged from this competition and went on to become one of Korea's most respected musicians. Additionally, acclaimed singer Kim Dong-ryul, known for his soulful ballads and artistic contributions to K-pop, represents another success story from the festival's rich history.
Since its original launch in 1977, the "MBC Campus Song Festival" served as a crucial platform for emerging college talent across South Korea. The competition distinguished itself by focusing on original compositions, encouraging student musicians to showcase their songwriting abilities alongside their performance skills. For 35 consecutive years, the festival ran annually and became a cultural institution, providing a launching pad for countless artists who would later shape the Korean music landscape.
The festival's temporary end in 2012 reflected significant changes in South Korea's entertainment industry. The rise of highly structured trainee systems within major entertainment agencies fundamentally altered how musical talent was discovered and developed. Simultaneously, the Korean entertainment landscape experienced a boom in television music competitions, creating new pathways for aspiring artists and shifting audience attention away from traditional college-based competitions. These industry transformations contributed to the festival's declining popularity and eventual hiatus, marking the end of an era for college music competitions in Korea.
