The annual summer K-pop concert event series known as the “Dream Concert” is back once again with this year’s show slated to feature some of the biggest names in the K-pop industry.

This year’s 19th annual Dream Concert lineup will showcase 21 acts: Girls’ Generation, SHINee, Infinite, KARA, B2st, T-ara, Sistar, 2AM, 4minute, Secret, U-Kiss, ZE:A, EXO, B1A4, Rainbow, Huh Gak, Girls Day, Speed, BTOB, EvoL and VIXX.

The Dream Concert series is one of the largest K-pop music festivals events of the year and attracts thousands of fans from all over Korea and around the globe. Last year’s festival brought in more than 20 K-pop star groups and more than 35,000 fans.?

한승연(좌측부터/가수/탤런트/카라),박규리(가수/카라),강지영(가수/카라),니콜(정용주/가수/카라),구하라(가수/탤런트/카라) KARA performs at the “2012 Dream Concert” K-pop music festival event. Hyundai Oilbank

“K-pop is the representative hallyu product and will continue to contribute and develop as a national brand in Korea,” said Kim Young-jin, chairman of the Korea Entertainment Producer’s Association. “Through this year’s 19th “Dream Concert” and well as next year’s 20th anniversary concert, we’re preparing the steps necessary to develop a new and valuable national brand image.”

SHINee, Girls’ Generation, Infinite, 2AM, U-Kiss and Huh Gak are among some of this year’s acts who have already made a splash in the music scene with the release of their new albums earlier this year. Girl groups 4minute and T-ara are also scheduled to release new material sometime next month.

The 2013 Dream Concert K-pop music festival will be held on Saturday, May 11 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)