Since 2019,  the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and  the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE)  have held the K-Community Festival (KCF), an annual Korean cultural festival that promotes global cultural exchange through Korean traditional culture. 

Since 2020, the event also features the K-Community Challenge, a contest to promote Korean traditional performing arts like dance, music and crafts by encouraging participants to engage with Korean traditions by creating videos, incorporating cultural elements from their own culture into that of Korea. The contest, which presents a fresh interpretation of Korean culture through the display of a unique blend of diverse cultures and their characteristics, is part of a broader initiative to connect with Hallyu communities globally.

This year’s challenge invited participants to showcase their performances and demonstrations across four categories: Joseon-pop (fusion Korean music), Taekwonmu (Taekwondo dance), Sogochum (hand-held drum folk dance), and Hansik (Korean cuisine) by following the guide and tutorial videos of demonstrations by traditional culture experts chosen as mentors for different categories..

The 2024 K-Wave Festival, held on November 2 at YES24 Live Hall in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, was a grand celebration of Korean culture and the global community that supports it. Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, this highly anticipated event honoured individuals and groups worldwide who promote Korea through their creative content. The second part of the festival awarded top prizes to the winning teams in each category of the K-Community Challenge.

In this year’s competition, ‘XPLODE’ from Argentina won in the Joseon pop category, ‘The Moving Stones’ from Spain were the winners in Sogochum category, while ‘Celestial Steppers’ from Nigeria took the grand prize in Taekwonmu category. As part of the awards ceremony, the winning teams performed alongside mentors who guided them in mastering their respective categories

Watching their captivating performances during the festival, which was also live streamed on Korea.net’s YouTube channel, motivated me to reach out to these teams to learn more about their journey, challenges, and unique experiences.

Below are excerpts from interviews conducted with the three teams via email from Nov. 6-18.

Could you share a bit about your team—when and how it was formed, and what brought you all together? What styles of dance or music does your team typically perform? 

XPLODE: We’re XPLODE, an Argentine girl band made up of four passionate artists brought together by our love for Korean culture and our explosive energy on stage! It all started in August 2022, when our leader, Paw, reached out to each of us on social media, sharing her vision for a group that could bring K-pop to life in Spanish and create original music inspired by the genre. From there, a great friendship was born, and by January 2023, we made our debut at a K-pop event in Argentina. Since then, we’ve been captivating audiences with Spanish-language covers of popular K-pop songs and our own original tracks, all infused with dynamic rhythms, choreography, and the unmistakable style of Korean pop. With over 15 years of experience as fans of Korean culture, each of us brings dedication and a unique perspective to create something truly special—a fusion of Latin spirit and K-pop’s vibrant essence. Through our music and performances, we’re here to promote the Korean wave in Argentina, showcase local talent, and break cultural boundaries with every performance. We’re so excited to keep sharing the energy and excitement of K-pop with the world!

The Moving Stones: We have known each other for a long time. The group The Moving Stones was formed in 2014, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that those of us who now make up the group came together, with the goal of sharing more about Korea and its culture, which is something we are all passionate about and love. We were brought together by K-pop choreographies and artists. Each of us has different dance styles, and we all help one another with dancing by sharing knowledge of our styles. For example, our leader specialises in classical dance, contemporary, and flamenco; Marcelly leans more towards Hip Hop; and Maysa’s style is more heel dancing, with high heels, etc. The music we listen to is diverse and comes from all over the world, with different rhythms. We are open to everything and always ready to learn something new and different.

Celestial Steppers: Team Celestial Steppers was formed in 2007, and it was our passion for dance that brought us together. Each of us felt drawn to express our creativity and talents, and together we found a way to bring that vision to life. We believe we are a gift of dance, so we came together to make it more elaborate and showcase this gift for the world to see. Our style is rooted primarily in Afro dance, which has always been a core part of our performances as a team. We also include elements of hip-hop, commercial, and band-style dance, as well as traditional dance, blending genres to keep our routines fresh and dynamic. After participating in the K-Community challenge, we believe that everyone can also consider us as K-pop dancers and Taekwonmu performers 

What motivated your team to participate in the 2024 K-Community Challenge, and why did you choose this category?

XPLODE: We’re passionate about singing and love challenges, so when we saw the chance to bring a different genre of Korean music to our followers, we couldn’t resist. As a girl band, we’re dedicated not only to our music but also to promoting Korean culture, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to share something more traditional with young people. We found out about the contest through social media. Last year, we participated in the same category and won second place, with the prize being the hanboks we proudly wore in this year’s video, which helped us secure first place. Both last year and this year, our goal was to show something beyond just K-pop. Joseon Pop brings Korean traditions to life in such a joyful way, and we saw this challenge as a chance to grow and continue bringing Korean culture closer through music, beyond just the K-pop genre.

The Moving Stones: We have been participating in this contest since it began because we always enjoyed its challenges and learning traditional Korean choreographies. We chose Sogochum because we were very drawn to the complexity and the challenge of learning to play an instrument while dancing fluidly, which was quite a challenge for us. It was a great experience, one we would like to continue learning from and share with those who are unfamiliar with these traditional dances.

Celestial Steppers: We were motivated to participate in the 2024 K-Community Challenge because of our love for Korean culture. We've always felt connected to it, and joining this challenge was a way to express that passion. We chose the Taekwonmu category because it aligns closely with our own dance style, blending discipline and rhythm in a way that resonates with us. 

Please describe the process of creating your video for the K-Community Challenge. Were there any memorable moments during your practice sessions?

XPLODE: We had to create props, like a hat and a mask, which was a real craft challenge. When recording the vocals, we focused on being very precise with the pronunciation, and filming the video was so much fun. The song radiates great energy, and we really enjoyed performing it. We had limited time to shoot the video, so we were running through the streets of Buenos Aires in hanboks—a truly wonderful experience.

The Moving Stones: First, we carefully analysed the video of our mentors and the guidance they provided on the K- Community Festival's YouTube channel. We decided on the costumes for the video and selected locations to make everything look beautiful and harmonious. For the costumes, we wanted to combine the colours of our flags—the greenish tones of Andalusia and the red and white tones of our city, Almería, in Spain. We chose dresses that were easy to move in and had flow to add fluidity to our movements. We began our rehearsals with simple tambourines we had at home, or even just clapping our hands to remember each drumbeat. As the weeks went by, we came up with a drum as close as possible to the Korean one, with help from our parents for the more challenging cutting tools. We added a handle for gripping, incorporated lights, ribbons, and painted them by hand with Korean symbols like Talchum masks, ancient buildings, flowers, and more. I think every rehearsal was memorable, as each time we added elements to make it as authentic and close to the real Sogochum as possible. The locations we filmed in included La Alcazaba of Almería, a historic castle, and the Almería Cathedral, one of our city's most iconic monuments, adding a touch of tradition to our video.

Celestial Steppers: The process of creating our video for the K-Community Challenge was smooth, as Taekwonmu naturally fits with our dance style. This made it relatively easy for us to learn the moves and prepare for filming. One of the most memorable moments was during our practice sessions when we were working on the Taekwonmu kicks and flips. These moves presented a bit of a challenge, especially when it came to maintaining stability, but we kept practising and eventually perfected them. 

Learning this Korean art form must have been quite an experience. Was there a particular aspect of it that you found especially interesting or challenging to integrate into your performance?

XPLODE: Joseon-pop is quite a unique music genre that blends traditional Korean music with modern pop elements. It has a very important vocal technique—guttural, powerful, with strong vibratos—so it was a big challenge but especially interesting to tackle. We rehearsed intensively to polish the vocal technique of Joseon pop , especially the pronunciation. We knew that we were not only XPLODE, but also a representative of Argentina to Korea, so we wanted to leave the best possible impression.

The Moving Stones: As we mentioned, we love trying new and different styles, so we aimed to make our Sogochum performance look as professional as possible. The experience was very motivating for us, and we wanted to learn more and more about this dance. Of course, meeting the Biseul Group was even more inspiring, as we loved watching how they moved and danced. The most interesting part was coordinating the drum with all the movements, and having each foot and drum movement hold its own meaning. For example, creating a heart when you hit the drum, followed by another movement or a spin. The most challenging part to learn was the coordination and ensuring everything sounded in unison, which we ultimately achieved through a lot of effort. I think we put on a beautiful performance together with Biseul.

Celestial Steppers: Taekwonmu combines elements of Taekwondo and dance and we wanted to skillfully approach this unique blend of martial arts and choreography. As dancers, we believe it's essential to be able to incorporate various styles into our performances, so we embraced the challenge of blending Taekwondo with our dance skills. Integrating Taekwondo martial arts with our own dance style felt natural, and we worked hard to merge the two into a cohesive choreography. Creating this fusion was an exciting process for us, bringing a fresh dynamic to our routine. One of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects was mastering the Taekwondo kicks and flips. These moves required precision and control, which added a unique challenge to our practice sessions. Despite the difficulty, we kept pushing ourselves, and in the end, we were proud of how it all came together.

What cultural elements of your country did you incorporate into your performance video? How did you perfectly balance the elements of Korean culture with elements of your culture in your performance? Did you learn anything new or surprising about Korean culture that influenced your approach?

XPLODE: We aimed to incorporate elements from both cultures, starting with the aesthetics of the space. We showcased key architectural structures, blending Korean attire with Argentine spaces, flags of both countries, and traditional Argentine fans. The song mentioned a crying rooster, so we added a rubber chicken character dressed in an Argentine poncho, which is traditional clothing from our country. It was the first time we recorded in Hanboks, and it felt really special. We also learned new words while working on the song, focusing on pronunciation and translation to properly interpret it.

The Moving Stones: Rather than adding elements, since holding a drum made it more difficult to incorporate other instruments like castanets, a shawl, or a fan (though we tried), we focused on incorporating our most folkloric movements. When we spun or made other movements, we added a more folkloric and flamenco touch. We also included historic and traditional locations to balance Korean and Spanish culture. We discovered that our dances can blend well with Korean dances since some of our movements are quite similar.

Celestial Steppers: In our performance, we incorporated elements of the Igbo tribe dance, a traditional style from southeastern Nigeria that is vibrant, expressive, and deeply rooted in our culture. The Igbo dance style often emphasizes rhythmic footwork, dynamic arm movements, and expressive storytelling, which allowed us to add a unique cultural dimension to our routine. Balancing Igbo dance with elements of Korean culture was a rewarding experience. Since we are so familiar with our own cultural expressions, it wasn’t too difficult to blend them with Taekwonmu. We adapted some of the movements in a way that preserved our cultural identity while embracing Korean influences, creating a harmonious fusion of both. Through this process, we also gained new insights into Korean culture, particularly how martial arts can be both a form of self-discipline and an art form. This understanding inspired us to approach the choreography with a fresh perspective, allowing us to celebrate both cultures side by side.

What was your experience like working and and sharing the stage with the mentors for your category at the 2024 K-Community Festival? What kind of guidance did they provide, and how did it shape your final performance at the event?

XPLODE: Our mentors ‘ADG7’ were absolutely wonderful with us. They were surprised at how well-prepared we were in terms of vocal performance and pronunciation during rehearsals. They congratulated us on our professionalism and told us they saw the potential of idols in us, and that was an immense pride for us.  We had already learnt not only the choreography but also vocal technique and pronunciation through the tutorial videos provided to us back at home, and then we perfected everything with our mentors during rehearsals in Korea. Our mentors supported us throughout and made rehearsals a lot of fun. They were genuinely impressed by our preparation, especially with our vocal skills and pronunciation, which required only minor tweaks on a few new parts we’d added.  Our mentors from ADG7 were so much fun, kind, and collaborative. Honestly, it was a great experience sharing the rehearsals and stage with them. They are amazing, as is their band. It was our first time performing with a live band, and it was splendid. Performing live with their band was truly magical and added a whole new dimension to our show. We worked so hard, and we hope we represented our country and our passion for Korean culture well.

The Moving Stones: Our mentors from ‘Biseul Dance Company’ treated us with such kindness and warmth, giving us lots of words of encouragement and support every day. Even though we had never done this type of dance before, we adapted perfectly, and I think they felt our determination and passion to learn more and perfect each movement. We came with a foundation, but once we were there, we realised our movements and rhythms were very different. However, they were very patient, and we were eager to learn. We adapted well to one another, and during the performance, you could feel that sense of harmony and connection between us all. It was magical. We want to go back to that day a thousand times because we loved meeting everyone.

Celestial Steppers: Our experience working with the Taekwonmu mentors, 'Taekwoncre,' at the 2024 K-Community Festival was incredibly valuable. The mentors helped us refine our movements, especially in terms of precision with our arm techniques, which made a big difference. They guided us on how to execute each move with more accuracy and discipline, allowing us to feel more confident on stage. Their guidance really elevated our performance, helping us to achieve a polished look that we might not have reached on our own. This mentorship truly shaped our final performance, making it a memorable experience.

Now that you've returned home, what are your reflections of participating in the event, watching various popular K-pop idols perform live,meeting K-creators from all over the globe and also connecting with a live audience in Korea ? Could you share any meaningful interactions or memorable moments with other teams, organisers or any K-pop group that participated in this year’s challenge, during the event?

XPLODE: All the idols, creators, and other participants were so kind, and we shared many smiles and memorable moments while sightseeing. The cultural exchange was incredibly enriching. We were so thrilled by a surprise visit from a Korean fan at our hotel. At the event, we got to interact with other artists—not only the teams from the other K-Community disciplines, who are incredibly talented, but also their mentors, like EPEX and BEBE—and we were lucky enough to get an autograph from SF9. We were treated so well by everyone, from the organisers to the audience, and we felt the crowd truly enjoyed our performance. We did face a small technical issue: before going on stage, we checked multiple times to ensure the microphones were working, but during the performance, Aysel’s mic failed. Although one of her parts didn’t come through clearly, our stage experience helped us carry on strongly without letting it affect our energy. One moment that we would never forget was being backstage with EPEX members before going on stage. They went out of their way to take a photo with us, and after interacting both on stage and backstage, they even signed their album for each of us, a thoughtful gift we’ll always cherish. Everyone was incredibly kind, and many expressed how surprised they were by our pronunciation, enthusiasm, energy, and charisma.We’re deeply proud of our performance and believe we left a lasting, positive impression. We hope we represented both our country and our passion for Korean culture well, and we’re grateful for this opportunity that has inspired us in so many ways.

The Moving Stones: I don't think words can express all the happiness it brings and the range of emotions you feel. It's like an enormous dream that passes so quickly, and you just want to enjoy it even more. Seeing idols in person is like seeing gods—they radiate a completely different light and energy. Being applauded by the audience we had at this festival is a satisfying feeling, knowing they enjoyed what we did. We honestly couldn’t feel more grateful. We had the chance to interact with Team BEBE; they were kind and welcoming to us the entire time. We got to take photos, they signed autographs, and we even shared the stage with them. It was absolutely incredible. You could say we cried tears of happiness that day.

Celestial Steppers: Now that we're back home, we’re still overwhelmed by the incredible experience. Watching K-pop idols live, especially having SF9 present us with our award, was truly a moment of honor and excitement. It felt amazing to meet the idols we’ve admired from afar—it’s something we think about often, and it always makes us smile. We made so many wonderful memories with the other teams from around the world. We took pictures, shared conversations, made videos, and really felt a sense of connection with everyone involved. Being part of the K-Community Festival was a blessing, and we feel so grateful to have been part of such a meaningful event.

Please tell us about your experience visiting Korea. What places did you visit and what activities or Korean cultural experiences you had that you really loved? How has this experience influenced your team’s perspective on Korean culture?

XPLODE: None of us had travelled to Korea before, so it was the first time for all of us. We knew Korea from K-Dramas, so the culture, language, and streets already felt somewhat familiar. We were thrilled to finally explore them in person—everything looked just like in a drama! Korea left a huge impression on us and far exceeded our expectations. It’s such a well-organised, clean, and beautiful country where you can see tradition, technology, nature, and urban life all together. We were eager to visit everything, but convenience stores, palaces, and certain brand shops were at the top of our list. Luckily, we were able to do a lot of sightseeing. We went to HiKR Ground, which had amazing backgrounds for dancing and recording, and visited Gyeongbok Palace, which was a unique, breathtaking, and majestic experience. We toured several museums, makeup and skincare companies, strolled through the Myeongdong Night Market, and even went to Lotte World and up to Seoul Sky at the top of Lotte Tower. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience. We also tasted so many different foods!

The Moving Stones: We visited a ton of places, although we would have liked a bit more time because there were so many activities that we didn’t have much time to explore on our own. But everything was fantastic, especially the food. We started strong on the first day by visiting HiKR Ground, where there were different K-pop stages where you could play music, take photos, and make videos—it was really fun. Our first meal with all the teams was at Seoulgaon, and we felt like super important people, being treated like queens. The food was on another level. Then we went to Gyeongbokgung Palace, where we saw a reenactment of historical Korean troops with period costumes. Walking around the palace, which was beautiful, was such a treat. The next day, we visited Hansik Space E, where we learned in-depth about both traditional and modern Korean cuisine. In the afternoon, we visited a lab called The House of Beauty Scientist and saw just how much Koreans care for their skin and hair—it was amazing. We also learned which shades complement our skin tones. It was very interesting. The following day, we were advised to wear older clothes or ones that could get dirty, as we were going to make our own kimchi. It still has a strong smell today, but we’re so excited to try it with our families at home. We also visited the Kimchigan Museum, where we learned that there are hundreds of types of kimchi and that it’s one of Korea’s most iconic dishes. Then the nerves set in, as the next day we were going to perform at the Yes24 Live Hall. It was a day filled with a thousand emotions—we got our makeup and hair done, met our favourite idols, and danced in front of the audience. An unforgettable experience that will stay with each of us forever. And to end the day, we went to a Korean BBQ, one of the meals we were most eager to try. In the days after the festival, we visited the shops and streets of Myeongdong, where we did a lot of shopping and tried street food. To wrap up our trip, we visited Lotte World, the amusement park. We would have loved more time there to go on more rides, but if we ever return to Korea, it will definitely be one of our stops. To say goodbye to all the teams, we went up to Seoul Sky Tower, with its 123 floors.This whole trip felt like a dream we didn’t want to wake up from, but it has left us wanting to return to Korea again and again, as there are so many more places to explore. It has influenced us so positively that we now have a new, more beautiful, and constructive way of thinking about ourselves.

Celestial Steppers: We had an incredible experience during our time in Korea, filled with a series of exciting cultural activities and tours. One of the highlights was attending a class where we learned to make kimchi—which we’re thrilled to bring home and share with friends and family.The kimchi-making class truly deepened our interest in Korean cuisine, and it’s inspired us to learn even more about Korean food.Throughout our journey, we visited many fascinating spots. At HiKR Ground, we had a fantastic time exploring the interactive K-pop-themed stages and creating dance videos against its vibrant backdrops. Visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace was another memorable moment—seeing the guards in traditional costumes and walking through the beautiful historic grounds was an unforgettable experience for us. At Hansik Space E, we got to learn more about both traditional and contemporary Korean cuisine. Toward the end of our tour, we explored Myeongdong’s lively shopping streets, sampled street foods, and picked up some great souvenirs to bring home. Our trip wrapped up with a visit to Lotte World, where we enjoyed the amusement park rides, and a breathtaking view from the top of Seoul Sky Tower. Visiting Korea gave us a deeper love for its culture, and we can’t wait to go back someday to explore even more.

Finally, do you have a message for Korea.net readers and future K-Community Challenge participants?

XPLODE: If there’s one thing that guides us, it’s our dreams, and we’ve been fighting for years, step by step, to achieve them. We’ll keep fighting for them. This weekend, we’re starting to film the music video for our third single, so we’re not stopping for a second because we truly love what we do. We enjoy working together and making music so much. To the readers of Korea.Net and future participants, we say: fight for your dreams, try new experiences, learn from everything, and remember that creating this type of content is really fun.

The Moving Stones: Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for this wonderful opportunity. We still can't believe we were in Korea and got to live through this irreplaceable experience. It feels like a dream. This journey has truly broadened our minds, allowing us to discover aspects of Korea we didn’t know before—its cuisine, architecture, culture, and so much more. We carry a piece of Korea in our hearts, and we will continue sharing and teaching others about it.

To future K-Community participants, don’t stop trying, and don’t be afraid to explore and embrace styles different from your own. There will always be someone to lend a hand, and once you achieve it, you won’t want to let go of this dream. It’s such a beautiful experience that everyone should get to experience at least once in their lifetime.

Celestial Steppers:To Korea.net readers, all we have to say is—watch out for Celestial Steppers! This isn’t the end for us, and there’s much more to come. For future K-Community Challenge participants, our advice is to just be you. Make sure your entry video is very creative, of high quality, and well-thought. Don’t forget to incorporate both K-culture and unique elements from your own culture—blend them together to make something truly special.