Cover Twice, seen here in 2019, won their first Mama award in 2015; they’re up for Best Female Group in 2025 (Photo: Getty Images)
Twice, seen here in 2019, won their first Mama award in 2015; they’re up for Best Female Group in 2025 (Photo: Getty Images)
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The best known K-pop music awards released the nominations for this year’s Mama Awards ceremony, which will take place in Hong Kong in November.
One of K-pop’s biggest nights, the Mama Awards, will take place in Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium on November 28 and 29, and the nominations are out now. The awards are handed out in categories such as best artist, best group, best dance performance, best music video and best collaboration, as well as the four daesang, or grand prizes: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Worldwide Icon of the Year.
It should come as no surprise that BTS has been the most awarded act, taking a total of 52, which includes 21 daesang. This year, members Jin, J-Hope, RM and V are in the running in various categories, but the band members were completing compulsory army service; the last four finished in June 2025.
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But the nomination list of the Mama Awards is full of other stars. Twice, hot off their Victoria’s Secret performance, are in the running for Best Female Group; Blackpink’s Jennie, Jisoo and Rosé all received nods; G-Dragon has four nominations; Aespa, Seventeen and Enhypen appear on the list; and in news that will come as no surprise to fans of Netflix’s megahit K-Pop Demon Hunters, both Huntr/x’s Golden and Saja Boys’ Soda Pop have been recognised.
Last year’s awards featured a dual ceremony, with the event in Los Angeles featuring performances by acts including Katseye and Riize, while the Tokyo show included Ive, Enhypen, and Rosé and Bruno Mars with their massive hit Apt. A first list of performers for this year’s Hong Kong-based event has been revealed. Tickets go on pre-sale for Visa card holders on October 17 and public sales start on October 20.
The winners of the Mama Awards will be determined through a mix of expert judging, streaming and sales data and fan votes. Each major category combines professional evaluation with music performance metrics, while Fans’ Choice awards rely heavily on online voting.
Here are the nominees.
Best New Artist
Ahof
Allday Project
Baby Dont Cry
Close Your Eyes
Cortis
Heart2hearts
Idid
Izna
Kickflip
Kiiikiii
Best Male Artist
Mark
Baekhyun
Jin
G-Dragon
J-Hope
Best Female Artist
Yuqi
Jennie
Jisoo
Taeyeon
Rosé
Best Male Group
Seventeen
Tomorrow X Together
Boynextdoor
Enhypen
Riize
Stray Kids
Zerobaseone
Best Female Group
Aespa
Babymonster
I-Dle
Ive
Le Sserafim
Twice
Best Dance Performance Male Solo
Mark – 1999
Key – Hunter
G-Dragon – Too Bad (Feat. Anderson .Paak)
J-Hope – Mona Lisa
Kai – Wait On Me
Best Dance Performance Female Solo
Dayoung – Body
Minnie – Her
Jennie – Like Jennie
Jisoo – Earthquake
Karina (Aespa) – Up
Best Dance Performance Male Group
Seventeen – Thunder
Boynextdoor – If I Say, I Love You
Nct Dream – When I’m With You
Nct Wish – Poppop
Plave – Dash
Riize – Fly Up
Tws – Countdown!
Best Dance Performance Female Group
Illit – Cherish (My Love)
Aespa – Whiplash
Babymonster – Drip
Blackpink – Jump
Ive – Rebel Heart
Le Sserafim – Hot
Best Vocal Performance Solo
Doyoung – Memory
Roy Kim – If You Ask Me What Love Is
Lee Mu Jin – Coming of Age Story
Taeyeon – Letter To Myself
Rosé – Toxic Till The End
Best Vocal Performance Group
Davichi – Stitching
Highlight – Endless Ending
Meovv – Drop Top
Treasure – Yellow
Zerobaseone – Doctor! Doctor!
Best Band Performance
N.Flying – Everlasting
Cnblue – A Sleepless Night
Day6 – Maybe Tomorrow
Qwer- Dear
Xdinary Heroes – Beautiful Life
Best Rap & Hip Hop Performance
Haon – Skrr (Feat. Giselle of Aespa)
Dynamicduo & Gummy – Take Care
Big Naughty – Music (Feat. Lee Chanhyuk)
Ph-1 – Life Is a Movie (Feat. Jung Zi So)
Tablo & RM – Stop The Rain (Tablo X Rm)
Best Collaboration
Mark – Fraktsiya (Feat. Lee Young Ji)
Jennie & Doechii – Extral (Feat. Doechii)
G-Dragon – Too Bad (Feat. Anderson .Paak)
Rosé, Bruno Mars – Apt
V & Park Hyo Shin – Winter Ahead (With Park Hyo Shin)
Best OST
Park Hyo Shin – Hero (Firefighters OST)
Tomorrow X Together – When The Day Comes (Resident Playbook OST)
Boynextdoor – Never Loved This Way Before (Odd Girl Out Ost)
Huntr/X – Golden (K-Pop Demon Hunters OST)
Saja Boys – Soda Pop (K-Pop Demon Hunters OST)
Best Music Video
Lee Chanhyuk – Vivid Lala Love
Jennie – Zen
Aespa – Dirty Work
Allday Project – Famous
Blackpink – Jump
Best Choreography
Jennie – Like Jennie
Aespa – Whiplash
Allday Project – Wicked
Cortis – Go!
G-Dragon – Too Bad (Feat. Anderson .Paak)
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