KT&G (President Kyung-man Bang) successfully hosted the final competition of '2024 Band Discovery,' a program to discover and support potential indie musicians, at KT&G Sangsang Madang Hongdae on the 25th.

Now in its 16th year, 'Band Discovery' is a flagship cultural contribution program that KT&G Sangsangmadang has been running since 2007. To date, a total of 52 teams have been selected, receiving substantial benefits such as cash prizes, album production, and performance opportunities.

The '2024 Band Discovery,' which began its call for entries in March, saw a total of 294 teams apply. The final competition featured live performances from the 'TOP 6' selected through preliminary judging—Kim Jeong-hoon, The Joyfools, Longtime No Shhh, MRCH, 12BH, Poomba21—and a guest performance by 'The Vane,' a previous winner of the '2016 Band Discovery.' After evaluation by professional judges, MRCH and Poomba21 were declared the winners.

The winning teams were each awarded a prize of 5 million won and support for single album production, totaling benefits worth 16 million won. They will also have the opportunity to collaborate with famous musicians and participate in performances organized by KT&G Sangsang Madang.

Kim Cheon-beom, head of the Performance Department at KT&G's Cultural Contribution Division, stated, "Band Discovery has established itself as a gateway for new musicians to showcase their music to the public and take their careers to the next level," and added, "KT&G Sangsang Madang will continue to discover and nurture new artists through various programs such as performances and exhibitions, and strive to expand the cultural and artistic base." (End)

(Photo Description) KT&G (President Kyung-man Bang) conducted the final competition of '2024 Band Discovery' at KT&G Sangsang Madang Hongdae on the 25th, selecting MRCH and Poomba21 as the winning teams. The photo shows the winning teams taking a commemorative photo after the award ceremony.