The 10th edition of Gaon Chart Music Awards 2021 was held on Wednesday, 13 January. The event, which is also known as Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards, was organized without live crowd due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The awards ceremony, which was kick-started in 2011, was hosted this year by Itzy group's Lia and SM Entertainment's iconic K-pop power group Super Junior's Leeteuk.
The event started getting global recognition after it started getting aired on live on Mnet and Vlive, but this year there was no live performance due to the pandemic and the winners gave their acceptance speech in a contact-free manner.
General Director of Gaon Music Awards Kwang-ho Choi, said in a statement: "Even without a splendid performance, it is meaningful. I'll show you that an awards ceremony is possible." Here is the list of Winners published by Soompi website:
Artist of the Year (Digital Music – Monthly)
December 2019: Red Velvet's "Psycho"
January 2020: Zico's "Any song"
February: BTS's "ON"
March: M.C the MAX – "BLOOM"
April: Oh My Girl's "Nonstop"
May: IU's "eight (prod. & feat. Suga of BTS)"
June: BLACKPINK's "How You Like That"
July: Zico's "Summer Hate (feat. Rain)"
August: BTS's "Dynamite"
September: Chungha, Christopher's "Bad Boy"
October: BLACKPINK's "Lovesick Girls"
November: BTS's "Life Goes On"
Artist of the Year (Physical Album – Quarterly)
First quarter: BTS's "Map of the Soul: 7"
Second quarter: EXO's Baekhyun's "Delight"
Third quarter: SEVENTEEN's "Heng:garae"
Fourth quarter: BTS's "BE"
Retail Album of the Year: BTS's "Map of the Soul: 7"
World K-Pop Rookie: ATEEZ, ITZY
Hot Performance of the Year: IZ*ONE, Stray Kids
Rookie of the Year: aespa (Digital category), ENHYPEN (Physical album category)
Social Hot Star of the Year: BLACKPINK
Music Steady Seller of the Year: IU's "Blueming"
Record Production of the Year Award: Changmo, AMBITION MUSIK
Mubeat Global Choice Award: Im Young Woong, BLACKPINK
Discovery of the Year: Young Tak
Top Kit Seller of the Year: NCT
World Hallyu Star Award: NCT
Lyricist of the Year: IU
Composer of the Year: Pop Time
Performer of the Year: Young (Instrumental performance), Kriz (chorus)
K-Pop Contribution Award: Lee Soo Man
Popular Singer of the Year: Hwang In Wook
Style of the Year: Son Sung Deuk (Choreography); Kim Bal Ko, Park Min Hee (Stylist)
International Rising Star of the Year: TONES AND I
Check out the nominations list:
Artist of the Year (Digital Music)
December 2019
Davichi - 'Dear'
Red Velvet - 'Psycho'
Yerin Baek - 'Square (2017)'
Baek Z Young - 'No Love, No Heartbreak'
Jung Seung Hwan - 'My Christmas Wish'
January 2020
BTS - 'Black Swan'
YOUNHA - 'Dark Cloud'
ZICO - 'Any Song'
Girls' Generation Taeyeon - 'Dear Me'
Paul Kim & Chungha - 'Loveship'
February 2020
IZ*ONE - 'Fiesta'
BTS - 'On'
BTS - 'Zero O'Clock'
BTS - 'Friends'
BTS - 'Filter'
March 2020
ITZY - 'WANNABE'
WINNER - 'Hold'
EXO Suho - 'Let's Love'
M.C The MAX - 'BLOOM'
OVAN - 'I Need You'
April 2020
Apink - 'Dumhdurum'
Oh My Girl - 'Nonstop'
Oh My Girl - 'Dolphin'
Kim Chungha - 'Stay Tonight'
Paul Kim - 'But I'll Miss You'
May 2020
EXO Baekhyun - 'Candy'
BOL4 - 'Leo' (featuring EXO Baekhyun)
BOL4 - 'Hug'
IU - 'Eight' (Prod. & Feat. BTS Suga)
Girls' Generation Taeyong - 'Happy'
To check out the nominees for the next months, click here.
Artist of the Year (Physical Album)
1st Quarter
ATEEZ - 'Treasure Epilogue: Action to Answer'
IZ*ONE - 'BLOOM*IZ'
Stray Kids - 'Cle: LEVANTER'
Red Velvet - 'The ReVe Festival: Finale'
BTS - 'Map of the Soul: 7'
2nd Quarter
GOT7 - 'DYE'
NCT 127- 'Neo Zone'
NCT 127 - 'Neo Zone: The Final Round'
NCT Dream - 'Reload'
EXO Baekhyun - 'Delight'
Rookie of the Year (Digital Music)
Aespa - 'Black Mamba'
STAYC - 'So Bad'
Bang Yedam - 'WAYO'
Gyeong Seo Yeji - 'Why Has Your Love Changed?'
Gunho - 'Actually I Miss You'
Rookie of the Year (Physical Album)
CRAVITY - 'Hideout: The New Day We Step Into - Season 2'
DRIPPIN - 'Boyager'
ENHYPEN - 'Border: Day One'
TREASURE - 'The First Step: Chapter One'
WEi - 'Identity: First Sight'
