Cover BTS at the 2019 Mama Awards’ red carpet at the Nagoya Dome in Japan (Photo: Getty Images)
BTS at the 2019 Mama Awards’ red carpet at the Nagoya Dome in Japan (Photo: Getty Images)
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Ahead of the highly anticipated K-pop event, the Mama Awards, Tatler revisits six of the most unforgettable performances in the awards’ history—from Stray Kids’ explosive 2022 set to BigBang’s Top sharing an unexpected kiss with Lee Hyo-ri in 2008.
Returning to the Hong Kong city region after seven years, the 2025 Mnet Asian Music (Mama) Awards confirms to go on on November 28 and 29, 2025 at Kai Tak Sports Park’s main arena.
Top K-pop artists including G-Dragon, Stray Kids, Super Junior, Aespa and Ive will deliver spectacular performances, while rookie acts such as Cortis and AlldayProject are set to make their Mama debut. Fans are also eager to see whether the K-pop Demon Hunters singers—Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami—will appear on stage to perform their 2025 hit Golden.
As anticipation builds, Tatler looks back at some of the most iconic moments from past Mama Awards performances, from BigBang to BTS, 2NE1 to Stray Kids.
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1. BigBang’s Top kissing Lee Hyo-ri on the lips (2008)
Above BigBang’s Top kissing Lee Hyo-ri on the lips at the Mama Awards 2008 (Video: courtesy of Mnet K-Pop)
In 2008, BigBang’s lead rapper Top stunned audiences when he kissed singer Lee Hyo-ri on the lips during their collaborative stage. The kiss was not part of the original choreography—he was only meant to kiss her forehead—but the crowd’s energy inspired a spontaneous change that caused a major sensation across the industry. At the time, such moments were rare in K-pop, and the performance remains one of the ceremony’s most talked-about.
2. BTS’s ‘Boy Meets Evil’ (2016)
Above BTS’s ‘Boy Meets Evil’ at the Mama Awards 2016 (Video: courtesy of Mnet K-Pop)
In 2016, BTS’s J-Hope released Boy Meets Evil as the comeback trailer for the group’s album Wings. Opening the album, the song is celebrated for its fierce choreography and lyrics confronting temptation and inner conflict. Its live performance at the Mama Awards in Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo became an instant viral phenomenon, marking one of BTS’s most dynamic Mama stages.
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3. BigBang’s ‘Monster in Me’ (2012)
Above BigBang’s ‘Monster in Me’ at the Mama Awards 2012 (Video: courtesy of Mnet K-Pop)
Another unforgettable moment came in 2012 with BigBang’s Monster in Me, based on the hit track Monster, co-written by G-Dragon and Top. Combining a haunting melody with a driving tempo, the song showcased the group’s ability to merge intensity with emotional vulnerability. Top, Seungri and G-Dragon’s impassioned performance at the Mama Awards at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre quickly went viral.
4. Stray Kids’ ‘Do You Want to Be Oddinary?’ (2022)
Above Stray Kids performing ’Do You Want to Be Oddinary?’ at the Mama Awards 2022 (Video: courtesy of Mnet K-Pop)
Stray Kids impressed fans in 2022 with their concept-driven performance Do You Want to Be Oddinary? at the Mama Awards held at the Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan. The piece, inspired by their EP Oddinary—a blend of “odd” and “ordinary”—celebrated individuality through an electrifying fusion of sci-fi visuals and high-energy choreography.
5. ’Cheer Up’ by Ive, Kep1er, NMIXX, Le Sserafim and NewJeans (2022)
Above Ive, Kep1er, NMIXX, Le Sserafim and NewJeans performing ‘Cheer Up’ at the Mama Awards 2022 (Video: courtesy of Mnet K-Pop)
That same year, 32 members from some of the industry’s most popular girl groups, including Ive, Kep1er, NMIXX, Le Sserafim and NewJeans, joined forces for a special collaboration stage performing Twice’s Cheer Up. The rare multigroup performance captured the spirit of unity and fun that defines K-pop’s global appeal.
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6. ’I Am the Best’ by 2NE1 (2011)
Above 2NE1 performing ’I Am the Best’ at the Mama Awards 2011 (Video: courtesy of Mnet K-Pop)
At the 2011 Mama Awards in Singapore, 2NE1’s I Am the Best not only won Song of the Year but also electrified the stage with its bold message of confidence and empowerment. Following their 2009 win for I Don’t Care, the group cemented its reputation for delivering fearless, high-fashion performances that pushed boundaries in K-entertainment. More than a decade later, the track remains one of K-pop’s defining anthems of self-assurance.
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Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
