The 2025 MAMA Awards is about to return to Hong Kong later this month, staged on the metropolis’s new cultural landmark, Kai Tak Stadium. The occasion goals to highlight each the rising international affect of Ok-pop and the awards’ decades-long legacy.
Launched in 1999 by Mnet, a music channel beneath CJ ENM, the MAMA Awards have advanced alongside Ok-pop because it rises in international recognition. Since its first abroad version in Macau in 2010, the ceremony has develop into a touring showcase, held in cities equivalent to Singapore, Tokyo and Los Angeles.
This 12 months’s two-day occasion, set for Nov. 28 and 29, marks MAMA’s return to Hong Kong after seven years. The town hosted the occasion from 2012 to 2018, serving as one in every of its longest-running worldwide venues.
“In 2018, we held the present in a ten,000-seat venue,” stated Park Chan-uk, head of reside leisure at CJ ENM’s music content material division, throughout a press premiere occasion at CJ ENM headquarters in Seoul’s Mapo District, Tuesday. “This 12 months, we’re internet hosting it at Hong Kong’s new landmark, the Kai Tak Stadium, with over 70,000 seats, throughout two days.”
Park described the upcoming 2025 MAMA Awards as “probably the most Korean but most international” version to this point, to be broadcast reside throughout greater than 250 areas by way of Mnet Plus and different digital platforms.
“Our imaginative and prescient is to create a world united by means of music,” he stated. “Underneath that imaginative and prescient, MAMA started holding ceremonies around the globe — in Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and the U.S. — main the globalization of Ok-pop.”
Park Chan-uk, head of reside leisure at CJ ENM’s music content material division, speaks throughout a press occasion for the 2025 MAMA Awards on the CJ ENM headquarters at Mapo District, Tuesday. Courtesy of CJ ENM
Rooted in Korean spirit
This 12 months’s theme of “UH-HEUNG” fuses the Korean onomatopoeia for a tiger’s roar with the phrase for pleasure and pleasure. It symbolizes Ok-pop’s goal to unfold constructive vitality worldwide whereas evolving MAMA into a world music pageant.
“‘Heung’ represents the enjoyment that rises after we sing and dance freely,” stated Mnet producer Lee Younger-joo. “It is a assured cry to reside as your genuine self, transcending areas, races and cultures. This 12 months’s present will amplify that vitality greater than ever.”
The primary night time’s lineup will carry collectively Ok-pop acts together with AlphaDriveOne, BABYMONSTER, BOYNEXTDOOR, ENHYPEN, Hearts2Hearts, i-dle, IVE, MEOVV, NCT WISH, Tremendous Junior, TREASURE and TWS. The second night time will highlight performances by aespa, AllDay Challenge, Cortis, G-Dragon, izna, KickFlip, RIIZE, Stray Youngsters, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ZEROBASEONE and extra.
“We have introduced collectively 27 groups, from promising rookies to Ok-pop legends, international stars and even artists from Hong Kong,” Lee stated.
Actor Park Bo-gum will host the primary night time, extending his long-standing affiliation with the MAMA Awards, going again to 2017, whereas acclaimed actor Kim Hye-soo will take the helm on the second night time, making her the primary actor to host the occasion. Academy Award-winning actor Michelle Yeoh of “The whole lot In all places All at As soon as” will even attend as a world presenter.
“I’m genuinely excited simply desirous about assembly her,” Lee stated of Yeoh’s participation. “As Ok-pop continues to ascertain itself as a part of the worldwide mainstream, her presence provides even deeper significance.”
Mnet producer Lee Younger-joo speaks throughout a press occasion for the 2025 MAMA Awards on the CJ ENM headquarters at Mapo District, Tuesday. Courtesy of CJ ENM
Producers additionally revealed a number of performances created solely for this 12 months’s ceremony.
“BUMSUP from ‘World of Avenue Lady Fighter’ will take the stage, joined by Park Bo-gum in a shock look,” producer Ma Du-sik stated. “BOYNEXTDOOR and Cortis will even group up for a particular collaboration.”
“For the second night time, host Kim Hye-soo and Stray Youngsters’ Felix will open with a message efficiency,” Ma continued. “That might be adopted by a collaboration between ZEROBASEONE’s Sung Han-bin and Japanese dancer Kyoka from World of Avenue Lady Fighter.
The producers additionally introduced the creation of an “unique stage that blurs the road between animation and reside efficiency by means of an official collaboration.”
“A particular collaboration between the MAMA Awards and Netflix’s acclaimed animated movie ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ can also be scheduled to happen,” Ma stated, including that Ok-pop artists will carry to life the fictional animated Ok-pop bands Huntrix and Saja Boys for the section.
“The lineup for these roles is presently being finalized and we’ll announce it very quickly,” Ma concluded with a smile.
Ok-pop boy band Seventeen speaks throughout final 12 months’s MAMA Awards in Osaka, Japan, the place the group received Artist of the 12 months. Courtesy of CJ ENM
