Melon Music Awards (MMA) 2021 is a few days away from its live broadcast, and the organisers have shared some exciting details about it with the K-pop fans around the globe. From host and lineup to nomination list and live stream details, here is everything to know about this annual award ceremony that will be held on December 4.
Just two days after AAA, MMA will feature a star-studded lineup of performers onstage. But it will be held online once again this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 situation in the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 cases in South Korea are high. The Government has asked people to get booster shots as new cases hit a record high. The country recorded over 2,500 new cases on November 11 and a total of 21 new deaths, according to Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The annual award ceremony that has been held annually since 2005 went offline in 2009. For a decade, the event was held offline and it went online again last year. In 2020, the award show was held online with a live broadcast for four days. It is dubbed MMA Week. This year, the event is back to its original format and it will help K-pop fans across the globe to enjoy the show.
Here are the details of MMA 2021
Date, Time, and Live Stream Details: The 13th annual award ceremony will kickstart with a live broadcast on December 4 at 6 pm KST. K-pop fans across the globe, including the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, India, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia, can watch the annual event live online through various streaming platforms. The organizers have revealed that music lovers can enjoy the show on Kakao TV, Melon, and the YouTube channel of 1the K.
With diverse content exclusive to Melon, MMA 2021 is a global festival that artists, music fans, industry officials, and anyone who loves K-pop can participate in and enjoy together, Lee Je Wook from Kakao Entertainment stated.
Host, Lineup, and Performances: With just three weeks left for the ceremony, music lovers are looking forward to all the details about it. IU is confirmed to perform at the annual award ceremony. She will be attending the event for the first time in four years. The theme for her performance will be "a door connecting the end of her 20s with the beginning of her 30s. The singer will perform her latest hit strawberry moon.
Singer and songwriter Heize, trot singer Lim Young Woong, and rising folk singer Lee Mu Jin are also gearing up to perform at the annual award ceremony this year. While Heize might set the stage on fire with a solo performance, Young Woong could entertain the viewers with his latest hits, and Mu Jin may showcase a live performance of his hit song Traffic Light.
K-pop bands, such as Brave Girls, STAYC, The Boys, ENHYPEN, and TOMORROW x TOGETHER will also attend the annual award ceremony.
Nomination: The nominees in 20 categories were announced earlier this week. Along with Top 10, the nomination list for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year were released. The voting for Top 20, Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Netizen Popularity Award are currently underway. While 60 percent of votes will be considered for determining the winners of the Netizen Popularity Award, 20 percent of voting will be counted for Top 10, Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year.
Here is the Nomination List
Top 10 and Artist of the Year
- 10cm
- aespa
- AKMU
- ASH ISLAND
- EXO member Baekhyun
- Baek Yerin
- Brave Girls
- BTS
- Heize
- Homies
- Huh Gak
- Im Young Woong
- IU
- Red Velvet member Joy
- KyoungSeo
- Lee Mujin
- Lee Seung Gi
- Lee Ye Joon
- lIlBOI
- Mido and Falasol from Hospital Playlist
- Mirani, Munchman, Khundi Panda, and MUSHVENOM
- MSG Wannabe M.O.M
- NCT DREAM
- Oh My Girl
- BLACKPINK Rosé
- SHINee
- STAYC
- Girls' Generation member Taeyeon
- TWICE
- Highlight member Yang Yoseob and Jung Apink member Eun Ji
Album of the Year
- AKMU for NEXT EPISODE
- Baek Yerin for tellusboutyourself
- Brave Girls for Summer Queen
- BTS for BE
- Heize for HAPPEN
- IU for LILAC
- Red Velvet member Joy for Hello
- NCT DREAM for Hot Sauce
- Oh My Girl for Dear OHMYGIRL
- SHINee for Don't Call Me
Best Song of the Year
- aespa for Next Level
- BTS for Butter
- Heize for HAPPEN
- IU for Celebrity
- KyoungSeo for Shiny Star (2020)
- Lee Mujin for Traffic Light
- Mirani, Munchman, Khundi Panda, and MUSHVENOM for VVS (feat. JUSTHIS) (prod. GroovyRoom)
- Oh My Girl for Dun Dun Dance
- BLACKPINK member Rosé for On The Ground
- Song I Han for I Will Be Your Shining Star
New Artist of the Year
- aespa
- ENHYPEN
- Jeon Gunho
- KyoungSeo
- Lee Mujin
- STAYC
Best Male Group
- BTS
- Homies
- NCT DREAM
- SEVENTEEN
- SHINee
Best Female Group
- aespa
- Brave Girls
- Oh My Girl
- STAYC
- TWICE
Best Male Solo Artist
- 10cm
- ASH ISLAND
- Im Young Woong
- Lee Mujin
- lIlBOI
Best Female Solo Artist
- Heize
- IU
- KyoungSeo
- BLACKPINK member Rosé
- Girls' Generation member Taeyeon
Netizen Popularity Award
- aespa
- Brave Girls
- BTS
- (G)I-DLE
- IU
- Oh My Girl
- Red Velvet
- BLACKPINK member Rosé
- Girls' Generation member Taeyeon
- Highlight singer Yang Yoseob and Apink member Jung Eun Ji
