Korean Music Awards (KMA) 2021: Date, Timings and Nomination List

The stage is set for the 18th Korean Music Awards, which is popularly known as Korean Grammys. The prestigious event will be held at Nodeulseom in Seoul on 28 February at 6 pm KST.

Korean Music Awards (KMA) 2021
Korean Music Awards (KMA) 2021. KMA Twitter Account

Unlike other popular music award shows in South Korea, Korean Music Awards mainly focuses on the quality of albums and songs. Every decision related to the nominations 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.

This event is considered as prestigious award as it does not just take sales of the albums as the parameter to honor the talents. Rather, the key criteria is quality. The awards are presented in four categories -- Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Artist of the Year and Rookie of the Year. This apart, there are 18 other specific categories along with two special awards.

Check out the Nominations' List:

Rookie of the Year

Meaningful Stone
DUOXINI
DeVita
Seo Bo-Kyung
Squash Vines

Song of the Year

BTS – Dynamite
Baek Yerin – Square (2017)
Sunwoo JungA – Run With Me
LEENALCHI – Tiger is Coming
Zico – Any Song

Best Folk Album

Kim Sawol – Heaven
Kim Jae Hyung – Flex
Bae Young Gyoung – "Travel Record
Jeongmilla – CheongPa Sonata
Jo Donghee – Sadness is the shadow of beauty

Best Folk Song

Kim Sawol – Key
Kim Jae Hyung – Failure Story
Kim Chang Wan – Old Man's Bench
Jeongmilla – The Square
Jeongmilla – Departing from Seoul Station

Artist of the Year

BTS
Baek Yerin
Sunwoo JungA
LEENALCHI
Jeongmilla

Album of the Year

BTS – Map of the Soul: 7
Baek Yerin – Every letter I sent you.
Sunwoo JungA – Serenade
LEENALCHI – SUGUNGGA
Jeongmilla – CheongPa Sonata
Jo Dongik – Blue Pillow

Best Pop Album

The BLANK Shop – Tailor
BTS – Map of the Soul: 7
Baek Yerin – Every letter I sent you.
EXO's Baekhyun – Delight
Yukika – SOUL LADY

Best Pop Song

BTS – Dynamite
Baek Yerin – Square (2017)
IU – eight
Oh My Girl – Dolphin
Yukika – SOUL LADY
Zico – Any Song

Best Rock Album

ABTB – Daydream
BADLAMB – Frightful Waves
Squash Vines – New World
Organic Beer – Trans-Continental Railway
JuliaDream – Life and Death

Best Rock Song

ABTB – Daydream (feat. YoonChul Shin)
BADLAMB – Frightful Waves
H a lot – We are
JuliaDream – El nuevo mundo
cotoba – reyn

Best Modern Rock Album

Gong Joong Geu Neul – Love Song
SE SO NEON – Nonadaptation
Shin Hae Gyeong – In Dreams, In Dreams
Jo Dongik – Blue Pillow
Hyukoh – through love

Best Modern Rock Song

Gong Joong Geu Neul – Season
Meaningful Stone – Bweep Bwoop-Bweep Bwoop
SE SO NEON – NAN CHUN
Shin Hae Gyeong – Colors of You
LEENALCHI – Tiger is Coming
Hyukoh – New Born

Best Metal and Hardcore Album

Remnants Of The Fallen – All The Wounded And Broken
Loss of infection – Dark dimension
Messgram – Cheers For The Failures
METHKAMEL – 20th Century
COMBATIVE POST – Whiteout

Best Dance and Electronic Album

Lofibaby – Art Museum
Mogwaa – Open Mind
swimrabbit – POND
UZA & SHANE – Classy
Two Tone Shape – Fantastic Machines

Best Dance and Electronic Song

Mogwaa – Reflex
Aseul – Bye Bye Summer
IDIOTAPE – Too Old to Die Young
Jang Myung Sun – Remiel
Two Tone Shape – The Prophet

Best Jazz Album

Sukyung Kim – Lilac Hill
MALO – Song Changsik Song Book
Seo Bo-Kyung – "INNER MOVIE"
Soojin Suh – Colorist
Jung Sumin – Sense of Agony
Cho Yoonseung & Kim Sungwon – Stellive Vol.5 – Blues in the Night

Best Crossover Album

Gonia – A Tension
Gray By Silver – Eternal Gray
GaYoung Bae – Sepia Painting
LEENALCHI – SUGUNGGA
Ji Park – VRI String Quartet 'Save The Planet

Best Jazz and Crossover Performance

KoHeean Trio – Live at Jazz First
Soojin Suh – Colorist
Sunjae Lee & Eunyoung Kim & Dayeon Seok – Pulse Theory
Jehee – On The Wind
Charlie Jung – Sein's Blues

Best Rap and Hip Hop Album

Nucksal – 1Q87
Deepflow – FOUNDER
B-Free – FREE THE BEAST
BILL STAX – DETOX
Khundi Panda – GAROSAWK

Best Rap and Hip Hop Song

Nucksal – AKIRA
MUSHVENOM – Nice Head
BILL STAX – Lonely Stoner
Swervy – Mama Lisa
Khundi Panda – Nevercomanie

Best R&B and Soul Album

Cadejo – FREEBODY
Samuel Seo – UNITY II
Sunwoo JungA – Serenade
A.TRAIN – PAINGREEN
Chudahye Chagis – Underneath the Dangsan Tree Tonight

Best R&B and Soul Song

DAMYE – I'm not your son
DeVita – EVITA!
Sunwoo JungA – Run With Me
A.TRAIN – HURT
Chudahye Chagis – Ritual Dance

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This article was first published on January 26, 2021