NKC GENERAL RULES

I. Requirements for Application

The NKC qualifiers are a nomination within the K-POP Group Cover Dance Competition. All participants intending to apply for the qualifiers must adhere to the general rules of the K-POP Group Cover Dance Competition, especially :Rule 1: Nominations, Rule 2: Performance and Participation Restrictions (2.1 Performance Limitations) etc.

Below, you will find additional rules specific to the qualifiers that participants must follow.

1.2 Citizenship or Residency Requirement: 

• To be eligible to participate in the qualifiers, all members of the group must either be citizens or have a  permanent residency of Estonia.
• Any participant having questions about this article can directly refer to K-POP Team for more information.

1.3 Group Size Requirement:

• Only dance groups consisting of 4 to 8 members can apply for the NKC qualifiers.

1.4 Age Categories:

• The qualifiers is open to groups from all age categories.
• However, participants under the age of 18 years must have explicit permission from their legal guardian to participate in the qualifiers.
• Additionally, all participants must adhere to the J-Tsoon festival’s age category rules, which outline specific requirements based on the group’s age composition.

1.5. Specific Rules for Age Categories:

• KIDS Category

1. 1. Must have an assistant or a group member who is 21 years or older that will be assigned as the guardian.
   2. The assistant’s full name and date of birth must be submitted to the J-Tsoon organizers before the festival.
   3. If the group is selected to represent Estonia at the NärCon K-Pop Championship, the assistant will need to cover their own transportation, festival tickets, and accommodation expenses.

• JUNIOR Category

1. 1. The group must include at least three adult group members (18 years or older).
   2. These adults must be clearly identified in the application.
   3. The oldest group member should be assigned as the guardian.

• ADULT Category:

1. 1. If the group includes any members under 18, the oldest member must act as the guardian.
   2. This member’s name and role as a guardian must also be clearly noted in the application

1.6 Applications:

• Groups must indicate their willingness to participate in the NKC qualifiers on the J-TSOON6 K-POP Group Cover Dance Competition application form. A separate checkbox will be provided for this purpose.

2.Performance Rules

2.1 Music Length

• Performances must follow J-Tsoon rules for music length, with a maximum duration of 3 minutes and 30 seconds (210 seconds).

2.2 Song Selection

• The song selection must be from a Korean artist. Remixes are ONLY allowed if it already has an existing choreography. The remix must be an official remix and follow the other rules of the competition.
• Allowed languages for songs are Korean, Japanese, Chinese, or English

2.3 Dance Routine Requirements

• The dance routine must be the same as the original artist choreography. If the group chooses to do a cover of a remix, the remix has to have an existing choreography.

3. Selection Process

• Up to 10 groups will be chosen for the NKC qualifier.
• Other groups that did not go through the selection process for the qualifiers may be selected for the J-Tsoon Group K-Pop Cover Dance Competition instead of the NKC qualifiers.
• Groups selected for the NKC qualifiers will perform outside the main competition for their respective age group categories. However, they may still be eligible to compete for special nominations, such as the Best Costume award.

4. Stage

• All selected groups will be scheduled to perform first in blocks across both days of the event.
• Groups may indicate their preferred day for performance, however, due to time constraints, we cannot guarantee that the chosen day will be assigned.

5. Judging

• The evaluation of the groups will include scores for both their dance performance and their costumes.

6. If Selected for the NKC

• Travel and accommodation expenses for members of the selected group will be covered by the festival.
• The group can choose to add an intro (please refer to the NärCon K-Pop Championship rules for guidance). 
• All performance-related files (such as music tracks or other required materials please refer to the NärCon K-Pop Championship rules for guidance) must be submitted to J-Tsoon organizers as soon as possible after the festival. This ensures timely forwarding to the NKC organizers.
• If the group proceeds, the group members cannot be switched, added or deducted. In case of emergencies, such as illness or accidents, please contact the J-Tsoon organizers, who will contact NKC on your behalf.
• Selected group must adhere to all rules outlined in the NärCon K-Pop Championship guidelines to participate in the finals.

All rules regarding Finals could be find at NärCon site: https://www.narcon.se/kpop-championship

All questions regarding qualifiers could be send to kpop@jtsoon.ee email directly.