Korean Music Awards, which is one of the most prestigious awards shows in South Korea that is also known as the Korean Grammys, will be back with a new set of nominees, presenters, winners list and star-studded performances soon. The 17th annual award ceremony will be held on February 27 at the Guro Arts Valley Theater in Seoul at 7pm KST.
The awards show is held every year in February to honor the artists behind some of the best songs and albums released in the previous year. Unlike other popular music award shows in South Korea, this awards show mainly focuses on the quality of albums and songs. Every decision related to the nominations list and winners list is based on the recommendations put forward by the judging panel consisting of radio show producers, music critics and other professionals from the field.
Who all are nominated this year?
This year, two artists and a group have been nominated for all the three Grand Prizes – Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Musician of the Year. They are singers Lim Kim and Baek Yuri as well as the rock band Jannabi. Yhe internationally popular K-Pop boy band BTS has been nominated in two of the Grand Prize categories – Musician of the Year and Song of the Year – once again this year.
Here is the complete list of nominees of Korean Music Awards 2020
- Musician of the Year – Lim Kim, Kim Oki, Kim Hyun Chul, BTS, Baek Yerin and Jannabi
- Album of the Year - Lim Kim for Generasian, The Black Skirts for Thirsty, Baek Yerin for Our Love Is Great, Jannabi for Legend and C Jamm for Keung
- Song of the Year – BTS for Boy With Luv, Lim Kim for SAL-KI, Baek Yerin for May be It's Not Our Fault, AKMU for How Can I Love the Heartbreak You're the One I Love and Jannabi for For Lovers Who Hesitate.
- Rookie of the Year – Chun Yongsung, Lee Joo Young, NET GALA, ITZY and Sogumm
- Best Pop Song – BTS for Boy With Luv, (G)I-DLE for Lion, ITZY for Dalla Dalla, Baek Yerin for Maybe It's Not Our Fault and AKMU for How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You're the One I Love.
- Best Pop Album – Kim Hyun Chul for Sail, AKMU for Sailing, Oohyo for Far from the Madding City, Baek Yerin for Our Love Is Great, Cacophony for Dream and Girl's Generation member Taeyeon for Purpose.
- Best Rock Album - The Bowls for If We Live Without Romance, Goonam for Moraenae Fantasy, Black Hole for EVOLUTION, Oh Chill for Oh, Two Animals, Jambinai for ONDA and National Pigeon Unity for 999
- Best Rock Song - Jambinai for ONDA, National Pigeon Unity for Same Same, SONIC STONES for Chocolate Milk, SE SO NEON for Go Back and Oh Chill for Oh, Two Animals
- Best Modern Rock Album - 9 And The Numbers for Many Minutes in Seoul, The Black Skirts for THIRSTY, Rock'N Roll Radio for You've Never Had It So Good, THORNAPPLE for Enlightenment and Jannabi for Legend
- Best Modern Rock Song - The Black Skirts for Queen of Diamonds, DECADENT for Lingu, Rock'N Roll Radio for TAKE ME HOME, THORNAPPLE for February and Jannabi for For Lovers Who Hesitate
- Best Metal and Hardcore Album - Eighteen April for Voices, Various Artists for Black Hole Tribute – Re-encounter The Miracle, Madmans Esprit for Glorifying Suicide, Method for Definition Of Method and CHAIN REACTION for FEATURES/CREATURES.
- Best Dance and Electronic Album - Lim Kim for GENERASIAN, NET GALA for re:FLEX*ion, Various Artists for Gookbo 3ho and Jang Myungsun for A Premature and Meaningless Confession
- Best Dance and Electronic Song - Lim Kim for SAL-KI, NET GALA for Quarrel, Peggy Gou for Starry Night, Pierre Blanche for Combat and Two Tone Shape for Constant
- Best Rap and Hip Hop Album - C Jamm for Keung, E SENS for The Stranger, FUTURISTIC SWAVER for BFOTY, XXX for SECOND LANGUAGE and CHOILB for Orientation
- Best Rap and Hip Hop Song - E SENS for Son of a, MUSHVENOM for Why Are You So Noisy? BewhY for GOTTASADAE, BILL STAX for Idungiva and YUMDDA for Don't Call Me (Prod. BRLLNT)
- Best R&B and Soul Album - Colde for Love part 1, dress and sogumm for Not My Fault, sogumm for Sobrightttttttt, Samuel Seo for The Misfit and SUMIN for OO DA DA.
- Best R&B and Soul Song - Colde for WA-R-R, Jclef for Mama, See, Brown Eyed Soul for Night and Day, Sunwoo Jung-A for CLASSIC and SUMIN for STARDUST
- Best Folk Album - Emon for The World Without You, Yeoyu and Seolbin for Song from Far Away, Lazy Blood for Sad Dreamy Funny, Lee Joo Young for Lee Joo Young and Chun Yongsung for Year of Kim Il-sung's Death.
- Best Folk Song - KwonTree for New Day, Lazy Blood for Go Yoonsik Go, Lee Joo Young for Heart, Jeongmilla for Nameless and Chun Yongsung for Heavy Snow Watch
- Best Jazz Album - Trio Works for Gunsan Gaka, Kim Oki for Spirit Advance Unit, Youn Sun Nah for Immersion, Jangeun Bae and Liberation Amalgamation for JB Liberation Amalgamation and Youngjoo Song, Sunny Kim for Tribute
- Best Crossover Album - NST & The Soul Sauce meets Kim Yulhee for Version, Black String for Karma, Jungmin Seo for HOME, SB Circle for Topology and Ji Park for DMZ.
- Best Jazz and Crossover Performance - Pureum Jin for The Real Blue, Trio Works for Gunsan Gaka, Jangeun Bae and Liberation Amalgamation for JB Liberation Amalgamation, Black String for Karma, Lee Myoung Gun Trio for Something Good Is Good and Minki for Invisible.
Who will perform at the annual awards ceremony?
The event is expected to be packed with stunning performances from popular K-Pop groups and Korean singers, including ITZY, Beak Yeri, Jannabi, Lim Kim, BTS, Girls' Generation, Kim Hyun Chul and AKMU. The organizers are yet to reveal the celebrity line up for this year.
How to watch the 17th annual Korean Music Awards live online
Live streaming details of the awards ceremony are yet to be revealed. Korean music lovers will have to wait a little longer to know more about the telecast details of the star-studded event.
