Five-member K-pop idol group IMFACT holds a congratulatory performance during the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 in Sikkim on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo

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By Ha Man-joo, India correspondent, AsiaToday - There was no doubt. The heart of the Korean Wave in India was Northeast India. The northeast regional round for K-Pop Contest India 2016 was held at Manan Bhawan, Gangtok, Sikkim, on July 1 with high-quality performances by vocal and dance category participants and 700 enthusiastic hallyu fans in attendance.

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Cho Hyun (fourth from left), Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, Kim Geum-pyeong (7th), director of the Korean Cultural Centre  India (KCCI) and their wives attend the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 in Sikkim on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo

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A total of 20 teams, 10 in the singing and 10 in the dancing category competed for this regional round. Considering there is a language barrier, it's unusual that the number of singing teams is equal to the number of dancing teams. Participants in the singing category were all females.

Participants amazed K-pop idol group IMFACT, who presented a congratulatory performance and judged for the regional round in Sikkim, with their excellent singing and accurate pronunciation. IMFACT revealed that they scratched their heads over selecting the winner between participants Adene and Priyanka until the end. Adene took the win by singing Lee Hi's 'Hold My Hand' while Priyanka won second place with Davichi's 'This Love' and Park Bom's 'You and I'.

Adene won the 1st place in the singing category of the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 by singing Lee Hi's 'Hold My Hand' on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo.

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Priyanka won 2nd place in the singing category by singing Davichi's 'This Love' and Park Bom's 'You and I' at the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo

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Seven-member male team 'Dance Xenos' won 1st place in the dancing category of the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 by singing Lee Hi's 'Hold My Hand' on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo.

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Six-member female team 'Crush' won 2nd place in the dancing category of the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 by singing Lee Hi's 'Hold My Hand' on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo.

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Seven-member female team 'Be Bangtan' participated in the dancing category of the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 by singing Lee Hi's 'Hold My Hand' on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo.

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Traditionally, the northeast team has a strong presence since the previous winning dance team won the K-Pop Contest India last year. The winner of this year's northeast regional round was seven-member male team 'Dance Xenos'. Six-member female team 'Krush' won the second place.

India Express reporter Anushree Majumdar, who is preparing a special report on the Korean Wave, said, "I was very amazed by celebratory performances, contest participants, and fans' fever. The performance was in a very high quality. I also covered a NCR regional round held in KCCI in New Delhi on June 25, but this time it's so impressive that I can feel the fever."

Another reporter from a regional newspaper in Sikkim said, "It's not easy to see a performance with such fever. It shows that the Korean Wave plays a big part of pop culture in Sikkim."

K-pop idol group IMFACT holds a congratulatory performance during the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 in Sikkim on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo

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K-pop idol group IMFACT judges the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 in Sikkim on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo

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K-pop idol group IMFACT makes hearts with their fingers after their congratulatory performance in the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 in Sikkim on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo

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K-pop fans shout 'I love K-pop. I love you so much' in Korean in the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 in Sikkim on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo

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Participants take a commemorative photograph after the northeast regional round of K-Pop Contest India 2016 in Sikkim on July 1./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo

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Sikkim is a small state of India with total population of 640,000 in India. It's the last to give up its monarchy and integrate into India in 1975. Located in the Himalayan mountains, the state is one of the best resorts in India with natural environment.

Fans who came to the venue were mostly women in their 10s and 20s. However, many early teenager fans attended the event unlike last year, showing that the Korean Wave is expanding across India.

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A 11-year-old male student said, "I came to know K-pop and Korean dramas through my older sister who came along together. Now I listen to K-pop almost every day."

The highlight of the event was IMFACT's congratulatory performance. The K-pop boy group sang two of their own songs before the contest, heating up the event. Upon fans' request, they sang two of BIGBANG's songs after the contest, filling the venue with excitement.

As cheers of the fans continued, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India Cho Hyun, KCCI director Kim Geum-pyeong and their wives joined the mood by standing up and clapping their hands with delight.

IMFACT's vocal Lee Sang-eun said, "This is the second time I'm visiting India, and this year is hotter than last year. I was inspired by the quality of the contest and fans' passion, and it will be a big help in preparing our second album."

The regional rounds of K-pop Contest India 2016 kicked off in NCR region on June 25, and are taking place in 7 regions including Kolkata, Bangalore, Patna, Mumbai, Chennai, and Sikkim. K-pop singer Dabit along with solo artist Hayana will be the judge for the regional rounds in Kolkata and Bangalore.

The K-pop Contest India 2016 grand finale will be held in Chennai at Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall on July 30.