Known for its glitzy stage costumes and sometimes outlandish performances, the Eurovision Song Contest is now launching its first-ever Asia edition.
Broadcasters from 10 countries in the region, including South Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines, have confirmed their participation. According to the contest's website, which lists the participating countries, there are more to follow.
These countries will host their own national selections before the grand final in Bangkok, set to be broadcast live on 14 November.
First held in 1956, Eurovision has grown into the world's longest-running international music competition.
As 2026 marks its 70th anniversary, it felt especially meaningful to open this next chapter with Asia, a region rich in culture, creativity, and talent, explained Martin Green, director of the Eurovision Song Contest at the EBU, in a statement.
The idea of an Asian version of Eurovision, conspicuously not named Asiavision, has already generated excitement on social media, with people rooting for their home countries to win the contest.
Philippines will win every year, read an X post, while another questions why major Asian markets such as China and Japan are not yet part of the competition.
'A Celebration of Original Pop Music'
This is not the first time Eurovision has tried to expand beyond its core competition.
In 2022, it held the American Song Contest, which saw representatives from all 50 US states. However, this stateside edition, hosted by Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson, suffered from poor viewership and was not renewed for a second year.
Organisers hope the Asian contest will be more successful. After all, this is a region that truly loves its music.
Rising incomes, thriving social media, and young people who adore K-pop and karaoke have all given Asia's music business a boost over the years. Global music labels have also been investing in the continent, leading to a growing number of collaborations between Asian artists and Western names.
The region's most celebrated pop culture export is K-pop, which is taking the world by storm after having dominated Asian markets for decades.
In Thailand, there's the T-Wind, a parallel to K-Wave. Of course, Bollywood is also a significant player, although India has not confirmed its participation in Eurovision Asia.
Currently, the 10 participating countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The rules for Eurovision typically require that songs are original and performed live. While it's unclear if the same rules will apply for the Asia edition, the event’s website states that every vote will count, promising a celebration of original pop music.
Entrants to this year's contest will be aware that Eurovision has supercharged the careers of some of the world's most famous acts, from Swedish pop group Abba to Canadian singer Celine Dion.
Despite its age, Eurovision remains a popular annual event, with around 163 million people tuning in to last year's contest.
However, the contest has also become a site of international political tensions, with some countries boycotting over Israel's participation. Russia has been banned from entering since 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, prompting Moscow to launch its own international song contest, known as Intervision.
Attempts to create an Asian version of Eurovision have occurred since the 2000s, yet none have succeeded until now.
Chuwit Sirivajjakul, a senior official at the Thailand Tourism Authority, stated Bangkok's selection as the host city was a natural choice, given its rich cultural tapestry and vibrant music scene. This city has always been a place where cultures come together, where music fills the air, and where celebration is part of everyday life, he said.
The Asia edition of the contest is organized by the European Broadcasting Union alongside Voxovation and the Thailand-based S2O Productions.
