''EBS Hello Rookie Contest'' () is a South Korean

music competition A music competition is a public event designed to identify and award outstanding musical ensembles, solo (music), soloists, composers, conducting, conductors, musicologists or compositions. Pop music competitions are music competitions which are h ...

aimed at discovering rookies, which began in 2007. The competition began as a project for rookies at The EBS space in 2007, and has been hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and co-hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency and The EBS space since 2008. The two teams selected through video screening and public auditions every month have been introduced as "Hello Rookie of the Month (이 달의 헬로 루키)" on the stage of The EBS space, and application qualifications will be given to rookie musicians whose first album has been released for less than 2 years, or who have never released an album. EBS Hello Rookie Contest is considered an influential competition in the Korean

independent music Independent music (also commonly known as indie music, or simply indie) is a broad style of music characterized by creative freedoms, low-budgets, and a DIY ethic, do-it-yourself approach to music creation, which originated from the liberties aff ...

industry, the competition that sets the stage for rookie musicians to become famous.

History

2007

Hello Rookie began in 2007, and the first year was a side program of The EBS space, where EBS's solo competition was held.

2008

Since 2008, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Korea Creative Content Agency, and

Naver Naver (; stylized as NAVER) is a South Korean online platform operated by the Naver Corporation. The company's products include a search engine, email hosting, blogs, maps, and mobile payment. History Naver was the first Korean web provide ...

have co-hosted the competition with The EBS space, and with the final stage and award newly held. The competition have been divided into the first place "the Grand Prize", and the second place "the Special award for judges" and the "Popularity Award". Cha Seung-woo and

Jang Yoon-ju Jang Yoon-ju (; born November 7, 1980) is a South Korean model, television personality, singer-songwriter and actress. Yoon-ju began modeling in 1997 when she was 17 years old, and became one of the most successful Korean fashion models, with ...

hosted the final stage, and

Kim Chang-wan Kim Chang Wan (; born February 22, 1954) is a South Korean singer, actor, and writer. Early life and education Kim along with his younger brothers Kim Chang-hoon and Kim Chang-ik, began composing music during their mid-teens, and formed the ...

Band and

Onnine Ibalgwan Onnine Ibalgwan (), also known as Sister's Barbershop'','' was a South Korean modern rock band. The group debuted in 1996 with the album, '' Pigeon is a Rat in the Sky'', which received rave reviews from critics and music fans. The group disbanded ...

performed special performances.

2009

In 2009, 22 new musicians and bands were named Hello Rookie, and 7 of whom made it to the final stage. There were special performances by Guckkasten, Kiha & The Faces,

Kim Soo-chul Kim Soo-chul (; born April 7, 1957) is a South Korean singer, musician, and composer. He began his career in the late 1970s as a rock singer and musician, later releasing "modernized" traditional Korean music, and composing numerous film scores. ...

and

Lee Seung-hwan Lee Seung-hwan (; born December 13, 1965) is a South Korean singer and record producer known as the country's "King of Live Performances" for his frequent solo concerts. Lee debuted in 1989 as a pop ballad singer and later incorporated rock el ...

. Kim C and

hosted the final stage.

2010

In 2010, Jang Ki-ha and

hosted the final stage, coinciding with the sixth anniversary of EBS Space Hall. There were special performances by

Bom Yeoreum Gaeul Kyeoul Bom Yeoreum Gaeul Kyeoul (), also known as SSAW, was a jazz-rock fusion band from South Korea. SSAW debuted in 1988. It had the hit songs, "Bravo, My Life," and "Somebody's Dream." SSAW disbanded on December 28, 2018, following the death of m ...

Crying Nut Crying Nut () is a punk rock band from South Korea. They are often credited as being pioneers of the Korean punk rock and indie rock scenes. The group began performing in 1995 in the Hongdae (area), Hongdae club scene in Seoul. They released the ...

, Clazziquai Project, Sweet Sorrow, Guckkasten, Apollo 18 and Supreme Team.

2011

In 2011,

was both the special stage and the host without a separate guarantee. Horan co-hosted the final stage, and there were special performances by Garion, Galaxy Express and Yaya.

2012

In 2012,

and

Younha Ko Younha (; born April 29, 1988), known mononymously as Younha, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and record producer. She began her career in 2004 in Japan, where she was nicknamed the "Oricon Singles Chart, Oricon Comet" for her success o ...

hosted the final stage, and there were special performances by Bye Bye Badman, Daybreak and

. From the year, the Popularity Award disappeared, and it was divided into the second-place qualifying Excellence Award and the third-place qualifying Special award for judges.

2013

Since 2013, the number of musicians who can perform in the final stage has decreased to six.

and

Rooftop Moonlight Rooftop Moonlight (; also known as Okdal) is a South Korean duo formed by Magic Strawberry Sound in Seoul, South Korea. They debuted on January 22, 2010, with ''Okdal Radio''. Career Rooftop Moonlight was formed when they were students of vide ...

hosted the final stage. Core Magazine, Hello Rookie OB Special ( Gate Flowers, Lee Jeonghoon, Baek Joonmyeong) and Delispice performed a special stage.

2014

One of the final-stage bands, We hate JH failed to qualify earlier, but was selected as a wildcard.

and Lady Jane hosted the final stage and there were special performances by Rock N Roll Radio,

Idiotape Idiotape is a South Korean electronic music band. They released their debut EP ''0805'' in July 2010 and their first album '' 11111101'', a year later, which won "Best Dance & Electronic Album" at the 2012 Korean Music Awards. They have performed ...

, Hello Rookie OB Special ( Daybreak X Romantic Punch), and

Jeon In-kwon Jeon In-kwon (; born September 4, 1954) is a South Korean singer-songwriter and former lead singer of the band Deulgukhwa, who were known as the "Beatles of Korea." Career Jeon debuted as the lead singer of the folk rock band Apart and Toge ...

Band.

2015

In 2015,

and Choi Hee hosted the final stage, and there were special performances by Ham Chun-ho & Jang Pil-soon, Guckkasten, The Solutions X The Koxx, and Cranfield.

2016

In 2016, Lee Wonseok of Daybreak and

Joo Woo-jae Joo Woo-jae ( ; ; born November 28, 1986) is a South Korean model and actor. Best known for his roles in ''Come and Hug Me'' (2018) and ''Strong Girl Nam-soon'' (2023), he currently stars as a regular cast member of ''Hangout with Yoo'' (since ...

hosted the final stage. There were special performances by Song Chang-sik, Lee Seung-yeol x

The Monotones The Monotones were a six-member American doo-wop vocal group in the 1950s. They are considered a one-hit wonder, as their only hit single was " The Book of Love", which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1958. Biography The Monot ...

, Sultan of the Disco, and A-Fuzz.

2018

2017 was the year EBS moved to

Ilsandong-gu Ilsandong District () is a district in Goyang, South Korea. Ilsan-gu was divided into Ilsandong District, meaning 'east of Ilsan' and Ilsanseo District, meaning 'west', on May 16, 2005. Administration Ilsandong District is divided into 11 ''Subd ...

, and the competition was not held because it was difficult to proceed with the competition during this process. In 2018, a competition was held with six judges, including musicians, music critics, and performance producer. There were special performances of Moon Dancers, Romantic Punch, Kirara, Life and Time, and Daybreak.

2019

In 2019, Daybreak's Lee Wonseok and Soran's Ko Youngbae hosted the final stage. There were special performances by Peppertones, Se So Neon, Wussami and Surl.

2022

2020 and 2021 were not held due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. From July 2022, 6 musicians were selected for the final stage through two music screenings, live screenings, and the third round. There were special performances by Soran,

Nucksal Lee Jun-yeong (; born March 24, 1987), better known by his stage name, Nucksal (), is a South Korean rapper. He debuted in 2009 as a member of the hip hop duo Future Heaven, and became one of the most popular rappers in South Korea's underground ...

X Cadejo and

Silica Gel Silica gel is an amorphous and porosity, porous form of silicon dioxide (silica), consisting of an irregular three-dimensional framework of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms with nanometer-scale voids and pores. The voids may contain wate ...

References

External links

* {{inlang, ko Music competitions in South Korea 2000s South Korean television series 2010s South Korean television series 2020s South Korean television series South Korean music television shows Educational Broadcasting System original programming