02/09/2026
Posting on behalf of Itaewon News.
NOTE: This is NOT an Itaewon GVC event. For inquiries, please get in touch with them directly.
2026 INTERNATIONAL ARTIST APPLICATION
2026 ITAEWON WORLD MUSIC SPIRIT Festival
Tribute · Healing · Unity & Peace · Vision
October 4–6, 2026
ITAEWON WORLD FOOD STREET & HAMILTON HOTEL, Itaewon, Seoul
Share Your Voice. Share a Message of Hope with the World!
The ITAEWON WORLD MUSIC SPIRIT Festival was born from a desire to remember and honor the young lives lost in the unexpected tragedy of October 29, 2022, at ITAEWON WORLD FOOD STREET—a vibrant place where people from around the world had long gathered to enjoy international cuisine, warm conversations, friendship, love, business, culture, and the unique spirit of Itaewon.
The Festival also began with a heartfelt commitment to comfort and heal those who were left with deep emotional wounds—the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims, those who witnessed the tragedy firsthand, and all those who courageously stepped forward to help and rescue others at the scene.
But the message of this Festival does not end in Itaewon.
It reaches beyond Itaewon to the world.
We remember those whose lives have been lost in unexpected accidents and disasters around the globe. Through the power of music and culture, we seek to comfort those who carry grief and pain, bring people together beyond national, racial, linguistic, and cultural boundaries, and inspire humanity to pursue peace and build a brighter and more compassionate future together.
The spirit of the Festival is expressed through four core values:
Tribute — Remembrance & Honor
We remember and honor the young lives lost in Itaewon, as well as precious lives lost through tragedies and disasters around the world.
Healing — Healing Through Music & Culture
Through the power of music and culture, we offer comfort to those who carry sorrow and pain and seek to bring healing to a wounded world.
Unity & Peace — Together Beyond Borders
Beyond nationality, race, language, and culture, we encourage people around the world to understand one another, come together in unity, and pursue peace.
Vision — A Shared Future
We share a vision of a peaceful and hopeful future in which humanity moves forward together with mutual respect, compassion, and love.
Every October, artists, musicians, and citizens from around the world who share and believe in these values gather in Itaewon.
Coming from different nations, cultures, and languages, they come together through music and culture to share healing, unity, peace, and a common hope for a brighter future for humanity.
A message that began in Itaewon reaches out to the world,
and voices from around the world come together again in Itaewon.
Artist Participation
The ITAEWON WORLD MUSIC SPIRIT Festival is more than a singing competition based solely on vocal talent.
We welcome artists who understand and share the Festival's core values of Tribute · Healing · Unity & Peace · Vision, and who wish to use their voices and music to share these messages with the world.
Eligibility: Open to all nationalities, races, and ages · Amateur and professional artists welcome · Solo and group performances welcome · No restrictions on musical genre or language.
Application & Video Submission Deadlines
1st Round — AUGUST 30, 2026
2nd Round — SEPTEMBER 15, 2026
Submit to: [email protected]
Applicants should submit one video of their own singing performance, together with the following information:
Full Name / Nationality / Country & Current City of Residence / Date of Birth / Email Address / Phone or WhatsApp / Short Biography / Performance Video File or Link
Applications should, as a general rule, be submitted directly by the participating artist.
There is no application or video screening fee.
Benefits & Support for Selected International Artists
Selected international artists may receive the following benefits and support according to the Festival's selection criteria:
Airfare Support — Subject to Selection Criteria
Complimentary Hotel Accommodation During the Festival
Seoul Cultural & Sightseeing Program
K-Beauty · K-Food VIP Package
International Stage Performance & Global Networking Opportunities
The Festival brings together music producers and industry professionals, diplomatic missions and representatives, and international networks from the cultural, tourism, and business sectors, providing participating artists with meaningful opportunities for international exchange and connection.
What We Expect from Participating Artists
Final selection is not based solely on singing ability.
Participating artists are expected to understand the origin and spirit of the Festival and genuinely share its values of Tribute · Healing · Unity & Peace · Vision.
As participants in an international cultural event, selected artists are also expected to demonstrate mutual respect, responsibility, and appropriate professional conduct throughout the Festival.
Anyone can join. All languages and ages are welcome!
From Itaewon to the World.
Tribute · Healing · Unity & Peace · Vision
Hosted by | ITAEWONNEWS
Organized by | ITAEWON WORLD MUSIC SPIRIT Festival Organizing Committee
Email | [email protected]
Korea | +82-10-8554-2103
USA | +1-213-296-9995
