Sanskriti Pun, Delhi
Kohima Regional Round of the K-Pop India Contest 2020 was conducted online on 27th July 2020, at 5 p.m. IST on the YouTube channel, HallyuWave Nagaland. Here is an excerpt from the statements of the winners of the Dance and Vocal categories, and the Regional Round organiser, HallyuWave Nagaland regarding their experience of this event.
Dance Category
Ms. WemheΓΌ Thahu (Winner)
Hello! My name is WemheΓΌ Thahu, and I am 25 years old. I am the winner of the Kohima Regional Round in the Dance category. This is my first time participating in this contest, and I never imagined that I would win the Regional Round. I thank God for that! I wanted to participate in the contest since 2017, but I did not have a crew or dance partners, so I was not able to. Also, I didnβt have the confidence to go solo. Being on the lockdown, I thought that I could invest a little time dancing while being at home, and this led me to join the contest. The whole experience was a journey that I’ll never forget. Thank you KCCI.
Ms. Lithunglo Yanthan (First Runner-up)
Hi, my name is Lithunglo Yanthan. I’m 21, and I’m the first runner-up of the Kohima Regional Round in the Dance category. I am a big K-Pop lover and love doing K-Pop covers. When I got to know about this competition, I was quite determined to participate, but I wasn’t confident at first when the information was out about it being a solo competition. But I knew that I couldnβt let this opportunity slip away. My love for K-Pop and dance was what motivated me to participate in the first place. After being selected for the Regional Round, the support that I received from my family and friends inspired me more. My family DIY-ed my costume and also did my hair. Their hard work and motivation inspired me the most to do my best in this competition. And I’m so thankful to them!
Ms. Litsala Mongzar (Second Runner-up)
I am Litsala Mongzar. Iβm 19 years old, and I am from Kohima. Iβm the second runner-up of the Kohima Regional Round in the Dance category. Participating in this contest was very unexpected, but at the same time, I had a lot of fun. I didnβt expect to win any position at all as there were many talented participants, but I was overjoyed when the results were out. I was very excited by last yearβs contest, and it motivated me to take part this year. I love K-Pop a lot, and until now, I didnβt have many opportunities to showcase my talent or my love for K-Pop. This contest offered a stage for us K-Pop lovers to showcase our talent, love, and support. I want to thank the organizers for making this possible for us.
Vocal Category
Ms. Vidisenuo (Winner)
Hello! My name is Vidisenuo, and I am 20 years old. I am the winner of the Kohima Regional Round of the K-Pop India Contest 2020 in the Vocal category. This is my first time participating in the K-pop India Contest, and so far, I have had an amazing experience. I loved singing from a very young age, and I am a big fan of K-Pop singers such as Heize, IU, Super Juniorβs Yesung, Buzz’s Min Kyung-hoon, and many more. These singers’ unique voices and tastes in music inspired me to groom myself and push myself to take part in this contest.
Ms. Tulika Boro (First Runner-up)
Hi, Iβm Tulika Boro. I’m 21 years old. I am the first runner-up in the Vocal category of the Kohima Regional Round. I’m from Guwahati, Assam. This was my first ever K-Pop competition, and I was very excited to participate. It’s a very nice experience. I’ve been watching K-Dramas since 2011, so I always wanted to learn the language. Then, I got to know about BTS in 2014 (maybe), and since then, they inspired me to sing Korean songs. I’ve always wanted to know the lyrics and sing them. Eventually, I ended up learning the language, and I am trying to sing Korean songs.
Ms. Atuna Shikhu (Second Runner-up)
My name is Atuna Shikhu, and Iβm 17 years old. I feel honoured to win the second runner-up spot in the Vocal category of the Kohima Regional Round. This was my first time participating in the contest, and without a doubt, it was an awesome experience! I had to really work hard and allocate ample time to practice. When I got through the Online Round, I started getting support from the people around me, which made me work even harder. It has helped me build up my confidence and find joy in singing. My friend, Khrienuo, had asked me to participate in this contest with her, and I’m thankful to her for helping me learn about this K-Pop contest. Overall, I really enjoyed being a part of this contest and am looking forward to more events in the future.
Regional Organiser: HallyuWave Nagaland
Ms. Ken Ecilia
First of all, we would like to thank the Korean Cultural Centre India for organising such an amazing event and giving us the opportunity to showcase our abilities and talents. Throughout this auspicious event, it was an amazing experience to interact with many young people of North East India who are gifted with so many skills. Amidst the ongoing pandemic, the KCCI has done a great job of organising this online event. Our heartiest congratulations and appreciation to Hallyuism for their contribution to this event and coming out with an article about the K-Pop India Contest 2020! Thank you.