JINJJA K-POP BATTLE

GLAND (VAUD, Switzerland), COMPLEXE DE MONTOLY

 

Saturday 22 AUGUST 2026 18:00 – 19:00

 

Registration has ended on 30 JUNE 2026

As the number of participants has  exceeded the maximum limit of 16, a pre-selection has taken place. Please read the selected candidates hereunder as well as the cover songs to prepare.

 

JINJJA KOREA FESTIVAL 2026 – K-POP BATTLE OFFICIAL RULES

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

The K-POP Battle will take place outside during the Jinjja Korea Festival 2026 in the festival’s free-access zone, alongside food and beverage booths and other public activities. The contest will be filmed and shared on multiple media platforms.

The competition is open to solo dancers only. 

Important Information

• Total duration of the battle: maximum 1 hour
• Maximum number of participants: 16 dancers
• Battle format: elimination tournament (Top 16 → Final)
• Minimum age of the participants at the date of the event : 16 years

 As the number of spots is limited to 16 participants, the organization team reserves the right to organize a preliminary selection process if the number of applications exceeds the available spots. 

The official list of selected participants will be announced on our social media channels approximately 1 week before the event.

The organizers reserve the right to modify the final participant list in case of cancellation, absence or failure to check in on-site.

In such a case, the jury will evaluate applicants based on the dance content available on their Instagram accounts or social media profiles provided in the registration form.

Information regarding the jury members, MC, DJ, and prizes will be announced at a later stage through the festival’s official communication channels.

To register, participants must complete the official Google Form available here:

👉 REGISTER HERE

2. BATTLE STRUCTURE

ROUND 1 — QUALIFIERS

• 16 participants
• Divided into 4 groups of 4 dancers
• Each group performs 1 K-POP cover song

Evaluation

• Judges score all dancers using a points system
• At the end of the round, judges select the Top 8 dancers overall
• Qualification is based on the global ranking, regardless of group position

✅ 8 dancers advance

ROUND 2 — QUARTERFINALS

• 8 participants
• 4 battles (1 vs 1)

• Each battle is performed on 2 different K-POP cover songs
• Dancers perform one after the other on each track

Evaluation

• Judges select 1 winner per battle

✅ 4 dancers advance

SEMI-FINALS

• 4 participants
• 2 battles (1 vs 1)

Each battle includes:

• 1 K-POP cover round
• 1 freestyle round – Random K-POP music selected by the DJ

Evaluation

Judges evaluate:

• Precision during the cover round
• Creativity during the freestyle round

✅ 2 finalists advance

FINAL

• 2 participants
• 1 final battle

• 2 freestyle rounds – Random K-POP music selected by the DJ

Evaluation

Judges select the overall winner

🏆 1 Champion

3. MUSIC RULES

• All cover songs will be announced in advance by the organizer
• Participants must perform the original choreography of the selected songs
• Freestyle music will be randomly selected by the DJ
• Only K-POP music will be used

 

4. JUDGING CRITERIA

Cover Rounds

Judges evaluate:

• Accuracy and choreography execution
• Musicality
• Stage presence and facial expressions

Freestyle Rounds

Judges evaluate:

• Technique
• Musicality
• Creativity and Originality
• Crowd engagement

5. GENERAL RULES

• Participants must be present and ready before their round starts
• Missing a battle or arriving late may result in disqualification
• Respect towards dancers, judges, staff members, and the audience is mandatory at all times
• Any inappropriate behavior may lead to immediate disqualification
• Judges’ decisions are final and non-negotiable
• In case of bad weather the K-POP battle could be rescheduled on 23 August 2026 same time. 

FAQ – your questions

Does it matter which member we learn the choreography from? Since there sometimes are slight differences in the movements and the choreography depending on the member you learn it from.

It is recommended to learn and perform the choreography of the member who is in the center for each part, as this generally showcases the most complete performance. However, you are also welcome to perform another member’s choreography if you prefer. Please keep in mind that some members have very little choreography during certain sections of a song. If you choose one of those members, it may be more difficult to fully demonstrate your dancing skills during the battle. For this reason, we encourage you to select a member whose choreography contains enough movement throughout the performance to best showcase your abilities.

Does the organization cover transportation costs?

No we don’t, but we can help you to find someone who can host you for free. Please contact us for this.

When you mention “cover songs,” do we have to learn the entire dance or just the chorus? because how long will a battle last? / do we get the exact timestamp for the choreography or do we have to learn the whole dance?

This is written in the page above in the list of the cover songs, please read carefully all the rules.

Do we have to perform as a group together in the first round or do we all just do the same dance?

For the first round, the four of you will not perform as a group. Each of you will perform the same song simultaneously, with everyone dancing the choreography of the member they selected.

Also, how are we supposed to do the lifting figures? Can we improvise or do we just have to figure out how we do it?

There are no choreography sections involving lifts during the first chorus.

DRESS CODE

Participants are free to wear any outfit of their choice. There is no mandatory dress code, and costumes inspired by K-pop artists are welcome but not required.

For safety reasons, outfits must allow free movement and must not include accessories or items that could pose a risk to yourself, other participants, or the audience. Participants must wear appropriate footwear suitable for dancing.

Clothing or accessories displaying offensive, discriminatory, hateful, or explicit content are strictly prohibited. The organizers reserve the right to refuse participation or request a change of outfit if it does not comply with these rules.

As this is a public, family-friendly event, participants are expected to wear appropriate attire throughout the competition.

CHOREOGRAPHIES

Even if mirrored choreos are put in link (to ease your learning), original choreographies are expected.

Here is an additional message from the jury :

“While your dance skills are obviously important, luck also plays a role in determining which song your group receives. If you are not equally comfortable with a wide range of dance styles, certain songs may make it more difficult for you to fully showcase your abilities.”