'MBC Campus Song Festival' returns after 13 years

Finals slated for Oct. 3 at Korea Maritime & Ocean University in Busan

"2025 MBC Campus Song Festival" poster (MBC)

After a 13-year hiatus, "MBC Campus Song Festival," the Korean college music competition that launched legendary K-pop hits, is making its return.

The 2025 edition opened applications to all university and graduate students, domestic and international, who have a passion for singing, regardless of age or nationality. The festival welcomes a wide spectrum of genres, from ballads and dance to traditional Korean music.

Eligible applicants included solo artists or groups of students currently enrolled or on leave of absence.

The first preliminary round took place in mid-August in Seoul, while the finals are slated for Oct. 3 at Korea Maritime & Ocean University in Busan, with a subsequent TV broadcast planned.

Legendary rock band Sanulrim (now known as Kim Chang-wan Band), the late singer Shin Hae-chul who performed as a member of Infinite Track and singer Kim Dong-ryul are just a few of the well-known contest alumni who went on to successful careers in music.

"MBC Campus Song Festival" has long been a showcase for emerging college talent, pitting students from across the country against one another with original songs. The festival originally launched in 1977 and ran annually until 2012, when its popularity waned amid the rise of structured trainee systems within major entertainment agencies and the boom of TV competitions in the Korean entertainment landscape.