MelOn Music Awards 2021: Air date, nomination, winners and all about the K-pop awards show
It looks like the K-pop industry awards season is drawing ever closer. Following the announcement of the lineup and nominations for AAA and MAMA 2021, we now have MMA releasing their show details. The MelOn Music Awards aka MMA is an award ceremony, as well as a music festival organized by the music platform MelOn. Known for having the toughest music charts, any artist who does so is considered commercially successful. Likewise, their awards show has also become popular with fans hoping their favorites will be nominated and win an MMA.
The 2021 MelOn Music Awards was launched in 2005 and was initially an online event. It went offline with a live audience from 2009 and was held in places like the Olympic Hall and the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul. MMA continued to honor the likes of Girls’ Generation, Highlight (Beast), EXO, and BTS. They also introduced a Top 10 Artist Award to honor 10 influential K-pop acts that year. They are also known for their inclusion of independent soloists and underground hip-hop artists as well as mainstream K-pop groups. Well, here’s everything we know about MMA 2021 so far.
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Broadcast date and time
The 2021 MelOn Music Awards will air on December 4 at 6 p.m. KST (5 a.m. ET).
where to watch
MMA 2021 will stream online on Kakao TV, MelOn’s website and app, and 1theK’s Youtube channel.
Performance range
Part of the performance lineup has been announced.
Soloists – IU, Heize, Lee Mujin and Lim Young Woong
Groups – MSG Wannabe MOM, The Boyz, TXT, Enhypen, Brave Girls, STAYC
K-pop nominations and winners
The winners are in bold.
Best Girl Group:
OH MY DAUGHTER
Aespa
STAY
TWICE
brave girls
Best Male Group:
BTS
NCT DREAM
SEVENTEEN
SHINee
friends
Best female solo:
UI
Girls’ Generation TAEYEON
ROSÉ by Blackpink
Heize
KyoungSeo
Best male solo:
Lee Mujin
Lim Young Woong
10cm
ASH ISLAND
lIlBOI
New Artist of the Year:
Aespa
STAY
ENHYPEN
Lee Mujin
KyoungSeo
Jeon Gunho
Hot Trend Price:
brave girls
Better collaboration:
‘My Universe’ – Coldplay ft BTS
Best Music Style:
friends
Music Video of the Year:
‘0x1=LOVE SONG’ – TXT
Best Music Project Award:
MSG Wannabe (MOM)
Best OST:
‘Rain and You’ (‘Hospital Playlist’ season 2) – Lee Mujin
Songwriter Award:
UI
Best performance:
The Boyz
Global rising artist:
Enhypen
1theK Original Content Award:
STAY
Performance Director Award:
Son Sung Deuk
Best Instrumental Session:
Kim Dong-min (guitar), Go Tae-yeong (bass), Gureum (keyboard)
Legendary Performance Award:
BTS’ “Idol” Stage at MMA 2018
Top 10 (Bonsang):
BTS
NCT DREAM
UI
EXO’s BAEKHYUN
Aespa
ROSÉ by Blackpink
JOY
OH MY DAUGHTER
TAEYON
STAY
SHINee
TWICE
brave girls
AKMU
Yerin Baek
ASH ISLAND
Heize
Lim Young Woong
MSG Wannabe (MOM)
10cm
Lee Seung Gi
Lee Mujin
Jung Eunji and Yang Yoseop
lIlBoI
hospital reading list
Huh Gak
friends
KyoungSeo
Mirani, Munchman, Kundi Panda and MUSHVENOM
Lee Yejoun
Netizens’ Choice Popularity Award:
BTS
UI
Aespa
OH MY DAUGHTER
red velvet
Yang Yoseop and Jung Eunji
Girls’ Generation TAEYEON
ROSÉ by Blackpink
brave girls
(G)I-DLE
Record of the Year (Daesang):
Aespa
Artist of the Year (Daesang):
UI
Song of the Year (Daesang):
‘Butter’ – BTS
‘Celebrity’ – UI
‘Next Level’ – Aespa
‘Dun Dun Dance’ – Oh Girl
‘On The Ground’ – ROSÉ by Blackpink
‘Traffic Lights’ – Lee Mujin
‘VVS’ – Mushvenom and Mirani ft JUSTHIS (prod. GroovyRoom)
‘HAPPEN’ – Heize
‘Shining Star’ (2020) – KyoungSeo
“I’ll be your shining star” – Song I Han
Album of the Year (Daesang):
‘BE’ – BTS
‘Hot Sauce’ – NCT Dream
‘LILAC’ – UI
‘Dear OH MY GIRL’ – Oh My Girl
“Don’t Call Me” – SHINee
‘Good Morning’ – The Joy of Red Velvet
‘Summer Queen’ – Brave Girls
‘NEXT EPISODE’ – AKMU
‘HAPPEN’ – Heize
‘tell us about yourself’ – Yerin Baek
MelOn has introduced a new award category called “Legend Stage” which honors performers for having a legendary performance in MMA history. It’s based on fan votes, and nominees include second-generation icons Girls’ Generation, 2PM, 2NE1, as well as current favorites like BTS, EXO, and Blackpink. Here is the full list.
Award criteria and how to vote
MelOn also released the Criteria for winning an award. Korean fans or those with a verified MelOn account can vote for their favorite nominees on the MelOn app. For the ‘Legends Stage’, everyone can vote for Melon’s website if they have a Kakao or MelOn account.
Artist of the Year: 60% digital + 20% judge + 20% vote
Album of the Year: 60% digital + 20% judge + 20% vote
Song of the Year: 60% digital + 20% judge + 20% vote
Record of the year: 100% judge
Top 10 (Bonsang): 80% digital + 20% vote
Rookie Of The Year: 60% digital + 20% judge + 20% vote