On May 27, the finals of the 2023 Unification Music Competition, the 9th Popular Music Contest in Yearning for Unification, were held at Gwanghwamun Square.

A total of 106 songs were submitted for the 2023 Unification Music Competition, and after two preliminary rounds, 10 original songs and 2 remakes, totaling 12 songs, made it to the final stage.

Five musicians, including composer Yoon Il-sang, producer Song Kihong, guitarist Lee Se Hyung, producer Jung Yun-suk, and vocal trainer Han Bora served as judges for the event.

This year’s final performances were the first in-person performances in three years since the COVID-19 pandemic, and also featured congratulatory performances by the bands Boohwal and The Solutions, as well as SWAY, the grand award winners of the 2022 Unification Music Competition.

This year, the grand award of the 2023 Unification Music Competition went to G.I.F.T. with their song “We Will Meet Again,” the excellence awards went to Kim Kyungmin with “I Have Crossed the River” and to Leeyuka And Musicians with “You Whom I Love,” and the encouragement awards went to ode with “Growling,” Gukjeondan with “ABCDEFG,” and The Neighbors with “Wish.”