Kim Hye-kyung Attends K-Dream Stage Competition in New Delhi, India

Kim Hye-kyung, the spouse of President Lee Jae-myung who is on a state visit to India, attended the K-Dream Stage event held at the Yashodbhim Convention Center in New Delhi. At the venue where around 3,000 spectators gathered, participants danced and sang along to songs by Korean artists.

This event is part of the “All India K-Pop Grand Championship 2026,” organized by the Korea Cultural Center in India and held annually since 2011. This year’s edition featured a “Champion of Champions” format, with winners from the past five years competing in vocal and dance categories. The event was hosted by Indian actor Anupam Tripathi, who gained international fame through Netflix’s series “Squid Game.”

Judging was handled by Park Jin-young, founder of JYP Entertainment and co-chairman of the Korea Popular Culture Exchange Committee. Describing all the performances as “truly amazing,” Park said, “I am truly grateful for the support shown toward K-pop.”

Mrs. Kim delivered a speech stating, “Culture possesses the power to connect people across borders.” She added, “You will play a key role in creating new trends in global popular culture, including between India and Korea.” She further expressed hope that this event would deepen and broaden the friendship between the two countries.

At the venue, Mrs. Kim greeted the audience with the Indian greeting “Namaste” while clasping her hands, prompting cheers from the crowd. After watching the performances, she remarked, “It’s truly incredible. I wondered what it would have been like if I were forty years younger. I too had a time when I nurtured dreams at an art school.”

This event serves as an example of the rapid growth of Korean culture in India. Since its first edition in 2011, K-pop’s popularity among Indian youth has increased year by year, and this event continues to strengthen cultural ties between the two nations.