Round Festival

ROUND Festival
ROUND Festival in 2025
FrequencyAnnually
Years active2020–present
InauguratedDecember 6, 2020 (2020-12-06) in Seoul, South Korea
Previous eventJune 21–22, 2025 (2025-06-21 – 2025-06-22) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Next eventApril 18–19, 2026 (2026-04-18 – 2026-04-19) in Quezon City, Philippines
Organized byKBS World
SponsorASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund
Websitehttps://roundfestival.net/

The ASEAN–Korea Music Festival (AKMF), branded as the ROUND Festival, is an annual music festival that features performances from artists from South Korea and ten member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), with each nation taking turns in hosting the event. Organized and presented by KBS World, the festival aims to promote cultural exchanges between South Korea and ASEAN countries through the medium of popular music.

The first edition of the festival was held virtually on December 6, 2020, with its first in-person edition held in Jakarta, Indonesia from October 21 to 22, 2023. The latest edition of the festival was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from June 21 to 22, 2025.

Background

The ROUND Festival is organized and presented by KBS World, the international broadcasting division of the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), the national public broadcaster of South Korea.[1] It is also supported by ASEAN and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea.[2]

The event is sponsored by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund, a fund established by ASEAN and the government of South Korea aimed to foster regional cooperation between ASEAN and South Korea by advancing sustainable and inclusive development across ASEAN member nations, as well as enhancing people-to-people connectivity through education, cultural exchange and tourism, and strengthening economic resilience and digital transformation in member states, among other objectives.[3]

The first two editions of the festival, held in 2020 and 2021, were organized online due to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea and in Southeast Asia, with the 2021 festival being delayed until January 2022.[4] According to KBS World director Lee Han-sol, the COVID-19 pandemic also caused a planned in-person edition of the inaugural 2020 festival to be scrapped, which was originally scheduled to be held in Manila, Philippines.[5] Its first in-person festival was later held on October 2023, hosted in Jakarta, Indonesia at Beach City International Stadium. Since then, editions of the ROUND Festival are hosted in nations that hold the position of chairmanship of ASEAN in their respective years.

Broadcast

KBS World has also broadcast the festival worldwide through its television channel and on YouTube, where the recorded telecast would be split into two parts broadcast in separate days.[6] Previously, the festival was broadcast in South Korea on KBS1.[7]

KBS World's organization and broadcast of the inaugural 2020 festival won the 2021 Digital Content Award from the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU).[4]

Editions

Year Date(s) Host country Host city Venue Host No. of artists Ref.
2020 December 6 South Korea Seoul Nodeul Island Live House[a] none 20 [8]
2021 January 9, 2022 Chuncheon Chuncheon Performing Arts Theater[a] Yoon Sang 15 [9]
2023 October 21–22 Indonesia Jakarta Beach City International Stadium Ji Hyun-woo 18 [10]
2024 July 6–7 South Korea Busan KBS Busan Hall BamBam 17 [11][12]
November 2–3 Laos Vientiane National Convention Centre 13 [13]
2025 June 21–22 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Zepp Kuala Lumpur Paul Kim 14 [14]
2026 April 18–19 Philippines Quezon City Araneta Coliseum 10cm 15 [15]

Line-ups

ROUND Festival line-ups by year
Year Performer(s) Ref.
Brunei Cambodia Indonesia Laos Malaysia Myanmar Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam South Korea
2020 Dila Junaidi Smallworld Smallband Isyana Sarasvati Aluna Thavonsouk Zamaera Thar Dee Lu Ben&Ben Charlie Lim Gam Wichayanee Vũ. & Skylines Beyond Our Reach Daybreak, Hoppipolla, Song So-hee & Second Moon, Soran, Elaine, George, Sunwoo Jung-a, Jamie, Leenalchi, 10cm [8][16]
2021 Dila with the Stars Kesorrr Barasuara Taiy Akard Sophia Liana —[b] SB19 Linying Two Popetorn Mỹ Anh Jambinai, Adoy, Sam Kim, Peppertones, Lucy, N.Flying [17][18]
2023 Dila Aisyah & TheBoys One Peace Band Isyana Sarasvati, Barasuara, Pamungkas, Ardhito Pramono Black Eyes Gerhana Skacinta Velocity x Jewel SB19 brb. ASIA7 Pháo SURL, Jimmy Brown, Se So Neon, Galaxy Express, SGO [10]
2024
(Busan) 		Rizal Rasid Chet Kanhchna Nogei Thinlamphone Masdo Bunny Phyoe Zack Tabudlo, Josh Cullen Jasmine Sokko Television Off Tiên Tiên Touched, Nerd Connection, H1-Key, Kim Yuna, Nell, BamBam [19]
2024
(Vientiane) 		Rizal Rasid Chet Kanhchna Nogei Black Eyes, Taiy Akard Masdo Bunny Phyoe Kaia Club Mild Dept Tiên Tiên Nell, BamBam [13]
2025 The Pujanggas Tep Boprek Yan Josua Thay Champasak Dolla, Marsha Milan He' Lay 1st.One Yung Raja Retrospect Minh Tốc & Lam Dragon Pony, Paul Kim, Touched [20]
2026 Syafiq Abdillah G-Devith Pamungkas JoJo Miracle Mimifly Velocity Hori7on, Cup of Joe, Ben&Ben, TJ Monterde Regina Song Tilly Birds Chillies 10cm, MeloMance [21]
  • A live performance at the ROUND Festival in Jakarta (2023).
  • Indonesian and Korean crews gathered for a group shot after the 2023 show in Jakarta
  • View from the upper balcony of a live performance in Busan (2024)
  • View of the control booth and the stage in Vientiane (2024)
  • Cheering crowd at the ROUND Festival in Kuala Lumpur (2025)

Notes

  1. ^ a b Held online with live and pre-recorded content due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. ^ Burmese singer-songwriter Wai La was supposed to perform at the 2021 festival as the sole Burmese representative, but the pre-recording of his performance was delayed due to the Myanmar civil war and could not be completed in time for the festival. As a result, Myanmar did not have a representative at the 2021 festival.[9]

References

  1. ^ Jeong, Ga-yeong (January 9, 2022). "한·아세안 ★모였다…'ROUND in Korea' 오늘(9일) 개최" [Korea and ASEAN ★Gather… 'ROUND in Korea' held today (9th)]. sportsworldi.com (in Korean).
  2. ^ "ROUND 2021: ASEAN-Korea music festival to take place online for second year". asean.org. December 14, 2021.
  3. ^ "ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF)". aseanrokfund.org. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  4. ^ a b "ASEAN-RoK Music Festival ROUND 2021 to be held online". VietnamPlus. Vietnam News Agency. December 17, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
  5. ^ Santiago, Camille (January 28, 2026). "Ben&Ben, HORI7ON to headline the 2026 ROUND Festival at the Araneta Center". PhilStar Life. Retrieved January 28, 2026. Originally scheduled to hit Manila in 2020, the pandemic put the plans on ice for six years. Director Lee Hansol of KBS WORLD TV shared that this "fulfilled promise" makes the event even more emotional and meaningful.
  6. ^ "[2025 ROUND in Malaysia] World broadcast and YouTube Premiere announcement". ROUND Festival. July 25, 2025. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  7. ^ Song, Seung-hyun (November 3, 2020). "Korea, ASEAN music festival Round 2020 announces additional lineup". The Korea Herald. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  8. ^ a b "ASEAN, Korea to launch ROUND 2020 music festival". asean.org. November 3, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Jie, Ye-eun (January 11, 2022). "Musicians from S. Korea, ASEAN harmonize through 'Round in Korea'". Asia News Network.
  10. ^ a b "The 2023 ROUND Music Festival in Jakarta". Independent Observer. October 1, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  11. ^ Jeong, Ji-hye (July 7, 2024). "'2024 한-아세안 뮤직페스티벌', 6∼7일 KBS 부산홀에서 개최 | 세계일보" [The 2024 Korea-ASEAN Music Festival will be held at KBS Busan Hall on the 6th and 7th]. Segye Ilbo (in Korean).
  12. ^ Lim, Jae-seong (June 27, 2024). "다음 달, '한·아세안 뮤직페스티벌 2024' 부산서 열려…김윤아·넬·뱀뱀 무대" [Next month, the 'Korea-ASEAN Music Festival 2024' will be held in Busan, featuring performances by Kim Yoon-ah, Nell, and BamBam]. KBS (in Korean).
  13. ^ a b "[2024 ROUND in Lao PDR] Festival LINE UP". ROUND Festival. October 1, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  14. ^ "Asean-Korea Music Festival 'ROUND' is Coming to Malaysia This June!". The Beat Kuala Lumpur. February 7, 2025.
  15. ^ Severo, Jan Milo (January 1, 2026). "Philippines to host ASEAN-Korea Round Music Festival 2026". Philstar.com. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  16. ^ Ilaya, Felix (December 2, 2020). "Ben&Ben to represent the Philippines in ASEAN - Korea Music Festival this December". GMA Entertainment.
  17. ^ Haryanto, Yuda (March 5, 2022). "Dila Junaidi Performed at ASEAN-Korea Music Festival". Music Press Asia.
  18. ^ Singh, Surej (December 20, 2021). "Linying, Sam Kim, Barasuara and more added to ROUND ASEAN-Korea Festival line-up". NME.
  19. ^ "Papuan songs at ASEAN-Korea Round Music Festival". Independent Observer. July 21, 2024.
  20. ^ "ASEAN Korea Music Festival '2025 ROUND' to be held in Malaysia". asean.org. June 19, 2025.
  21. ^ "Cup of Joe, Ben&Ben among performers at 2026 ROUND Festival". ABS-CBN Entertainment. January 28, 2026. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
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