10th Anniversary of SK Innovation's Music Festival for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: 326 Teams and 3,313 Participants

Six Teams Compete in Finals; Namsan ART Orchestra Wins Grand Prize
140 Participants Advance to Higher Education, Employment, or Entrepreneurship
Expanding to International Stages in the US, Hungary, and Beyond

The nationwide music festival for individuals with developmental disabilities, the Great Music Festival (GMF), sponsored by SK Innovation, marked its 10th anniversary this year. Over the past decade, more than 300 teams have participated, and some participants have expanded their activities to include further education, employment, and entrepreneurship.

On the 1st, after the 10th GMF Awards Ceremony held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, SK Innovation CEO Choo Hyungwook (11th from the left) and the award winners and guests are taking a commemorative photo. SK Innovation

SK Innovation announced on September 2, 2026, that it held the final stage of the 10th GMF at the COEX Auditorium in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on September 1.

The finals featured six teams that advanced through the preliminary rounds. The grand prize went to "Namsan ART Orchestra," which received the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award and prize money of 10 million won. The "Raon Trio" won the Excellence Award, while "Gugak Arts Group Sonullim" and "GCAP Band" received the Merit Awards. The "A Bientot" and "Haeum Orchestra" each won the Encouragement Award.

The 1,000-seat auditorium was sold out for the third consecutive year. The event was attended by Hyangmi Jung, Culture and Arts Policy Chief of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Hyungwook Choo, CEO of SK Innovation; Jicheol Oh, Chairman of the Heart-Heart Foundation; Junhwa Hong, Head of Advertising Business Division at SM C&C; and Daejin Kim, professor at Korea National University of Arts, among others.

Since 2017, the GMF has been held annually by the Heart-Heart Foundation, a non-profit social welfare corporation, with sponsorship from SK Innovation. Over the past 10 years, a total of 326 teams and 3,313 musicians with developmental disabilities have participated, attracting an audience of approximately 40,000 people.

This year, 36 teams from across the country participated in the preliminary rounds, and after evaluation, 6 teams advanced to the finals.

GMF not only discovers, educates, and provides performance opportunities for musicians with developmental disabilities but also supports their integration into society. To date, about 140 participants have succeeded in advancing to music colleges, securing employment, or launching their own businesses.

Award-winning teams have performed in collaboration with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, given performances at the Blue House State Guest House, and taken part in international stages such as invitations to perform at the United Nations (UN) International Day of Persons with Disabilities in New York, USA.

Overseas events are also expanding. After staging "GMF in USA" in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2023, "GMF in Hungary" was held in Budapest in both 2024 and 2025.

SK Innovation operates the festival in cooperation with the Heart-Heart Foundation, with additional support and sponsorship from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, SM C&C, and the Community Chest of Korea.

Chungshik Kang, Vice President of SK Innovation, stated, "We will support musicians with developmental disabilities so that their talents lead to social achievements, beyond education and performance," and added, "We aim to establish GMF as the flagship social contribution brand of the SK Group."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.