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 eleven member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste 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 Quezon City, Philippines from April 18 to 19, 2026.
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. It is also supported by ASEAN and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea.
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.
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. 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. Its first in-person festival was later held in 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. Previously, the festival was broadcast in South Korea on KBS1.
KBS World's organization and broadcast of the inaugural 2020 festival won the 2021 Digital Content Award from the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU).
Editions Year Date(s) Host country Host city Venue Host(s) of artists 2020 December 6 Seoul Nodeul Island Live House none 20 2021 January 9, 2022 Chuncheon Chuncheon Performing Arts Theater Yoon Sang 15 2023 October 21–22 Jakarta Beach City International Stadium Ji Hyun-woo 18 2024 July 6–7 Busan KBS Busan Hall BamBam 17 November 2–3 Vientiane National Convention Centre 13 2025 June 21–22 Kuala Lumpur Zepp Kuala Lumpur Paul Kim 14 2026 April 18–19 Quezon City Araneta Coliseum 10cm and Gabbi Garcia 17
Line-ups
ROUND Festival line-ups by year Year Performer(s) Brunei Cambodia Indonesia Laos Malaysia Myanmar Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam South Korea 2020 Dila Junaidi Isyana Sarasvati Aluna Thavonsouk Thar Dee Lu Ben&Ben Charlie Lim Gam Wichayanee & Skylines Beyond Our Reach Daybreak, Hoppipolla, Song So-hee & Second Moon, Soran, Elaine, George, Sunwoo Jung-a, Jamie, Leenalchi, 10cm 2021 Dila with the Stars Kesorrr Barasuara Taiy Akard SB19 Linying Jambinai, Adoy, Sam Kim, Peppertones, Lucy, N.Flying 2023 Dila Aisyah & TheBoys One Peace Band Isyana Sarasvati, Barasuara, Pamungkas, Ardhito Pramono Black Eyes Gerhana Skacinta Velocity x Jewel SB19 brb. Pháo , Jimmy Brown, Se So Neon, Galaxy Express, SGO 2024 Rizal Rasid Chet Kanhchna Nogei Thinlamphone Masdo Bunny Phyoe Zack Tabudlo, Josh Cullen Jasmine Sokko Television Off , Nerd Connection, H1-Key, Kim Yuna, Nell, BamBam 2024 Rizal Rasid Chet Kanhchna Nogei Black Eyes, Taiy Akard Masdo Bunny Phyoe Kaia Club Mild Dept Nell, BamBam 2025 The Pujanggas Tep Boprek Yan Josua Thay Champasak Dolla, Marsha Milan He' Lay 1st.One Yung Raja Minh Tốc & Lam Dragon Pony, Paul Kim, 2026 Syafiq Abdillah G-Devith Pamungkas JoJo Miracle Velocity Hori7on, Cup of Joe, Ben&Ben, TJ MonterdeProject P-Pop: Rising Regina Song Tilly Birds Chillies 10cm, MeloMance
Gallery
Notes
References
External links Official website