BTS Jungkook, NCT Mark's look-alike contest greenlit in the US after Timothée Chalamet competition kicks off new trend

K-pop fans are adopting the latest trend in town: look-alike contests. In the US, contestants dressed as NCT Mark and BTS Jungkook will compete to win prizes.

YouTube personality Anthony Po probably had no idea what he was putting into motion on October 27, when contestants in droves dressed up for a Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest in Manhattan, anticipating a $50 cash prize. Since then, the United States of America has found a ray of entertaining hope in a series of these competitions, with Dev Patel, Jeremy Allen White and Zayn Malik as inspiring muses next in line.

Jungkook and Mark look-alike contests to be held in Chicago and Manhattan, respectively. (X / Instagram )

This viral trend has now seeped into the K-pop fan community as well.

NCT Mark look-alike contest in Manhattan

Earlier this week, a social media post about a “Mark Lee Look alike Contest” invited “serious contestants” to the Washington Square Arch in Lower Manhattan, New York City, on December 13 (updated) at 1:27 PM (local time). @brokekpopgirls’ thrilling announcement revealed that the event’s winner would snag NCT Mark’s famously favourite fruit, a watermelon and random dance plays “with all of NCT bops.” Aligning with his K-pop group’s title, the organisers set the dress code as “NEO.” The original post has already made waves in the K-pop fandom, as fans continue sharing it across social media platforms. At the same time, the South Korean media also spread the news locally.

BTS Jungkook look-alike contest in Chicago

In addition to the Mark Lee contest, a Jungkook-like competition that will delight Chicago over a week in advance appears to be headed its way.

According to the BTS Charts Daily fan-handled account on X/Twitter, the Jungkook contest will be held at Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chicago, Illinois, on November 24 at 2 PM (local time). The winner gets a $20 cash prize and a bottle of Soju. Consequently, some fans joked online that the winner would get “to take his place in the military.”

The BTS maknae is expected to return in June 2025. Meanwhile, Mark Lee, a Canadian rapper based in South Korea and known as the “busiest man in K-pop,” recently dropped “DREAMSCAPE,” the fourth full-length album as a member of NCT DREAM. According to SM Entertainment’s previous announcements, Lee is set to release his debut solo album in February 2025.