World’s No. 1 K-POP Awards Celebrated Genre’s Achievements in Artistry and Music for First Time in Los Angeles and Osaka, Japan
The 2024 MAMA AWARDS concluded in dazzling fashion, marking a historic celebration of K-pop's global impact with star-studded performances and unforgettable moments in Los Angeles and Japan. With sold-out shows at the Dolby Theatre and KYOCERA DOME OSAKA, the 25th anniversary event brought together around 93,000 fans on-site and captivated audiences from over 200 regions worldwide via livestreams.
The U.S. ceremony, hosted by acclaimed actor Park Bo Gum, featured unforgettable performances and a lineup of presenters, including Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman. Special collaborations wowed the crowd, such as Anderson .Paak’s performance with J.Y. Park and KATSEYE's stage alongside the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders. The energy was palpable as artists like ILLIT, RIIZE, and YOUNG POSSE lit up the stage, setting the tone for what would follow in Japan.
Winners at the U.S. Ceremony included TWS, who took home BEST NEW MALE ARTIST and BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE MALE GROUP; J.Y. Park receiving the Inspiring Achievement Award; RIIZE earning the title of FAVORITE GLOBAL PERFORMER MALE; and ILLIT being crowned BEST NEW FEMALE ARTIST.
In Osaka, the 2024 MAMA AWARDS JAPAN delivered on its promise of iconic stages and breathtaking performances. G-DRAGON took the spotlight, delivering a mesmerizing solo performance and surprising fans with appearances by fellow BIGBANG members TAEYANG and DAESUNG, reuniting for an epic moment of nostalgia and artistry. Bruno Mars and BLACKPINK’s ROSÉ captivated audiences with their upbeat duet “APT.”, while the debut of izna’s first song, “IZNA,” ahead of their official launch on November 25 (KST), introduced the new powerhouse group formed through Mnet’s hit show I-LAND 2.
The signature stages—THEME STAGE, CINEMATIC STAGE, MEGA STAGE, and EXCLUSIVE STAGE— stood out as highlights of the event. TOMORROW X TOGETHER opened the THEME STAGE with a sci-fi-inspired performance, while ZEROBASEONE reimagined Romeo and Juliet on the CINEMATIC STAGE. (G)I-DLE commanded the MEGA STAGE with a massive dance crew, and BYEON WOO SEOK brought the EXCLUSIVE STAGE to life with a heartfelt rendition of “Sudden Shower.”
"Believing in the power of music under the theme 'Music Makes One,' this year's MAMA AWARDS strives to highlight the true value of K-pop," said Harry H.K. Shin, Head of Music Entertainment at CJ ENM. "With constant passion and creativity, the MAMA AWARDS will continue striving to create an award show that makes unforgettable moments for fans and artists and unites audiences across cultures."
This year’s winners celebrated the best in K-pop, with SEVENTEEN taking top honors as “VISA ARTIST OF THE YEAR” and “VISA ALBUM OF THE YEAR” and aespa winning “VISA SONG OF THE YEAR” with its impactful presence. Newcomers TWS and ILLIT made history with their debut-year wins.
The full list of winners includes:
2024 MAMA AWARDS US WINNERS
- BEST NEW MALE ARTIST (Presenter: Dustin Hoffman): TWS
- FAVORITE GLOBAL PERFORMER MALE (Presenter: Lance Bass): RIIZE
- BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE MALE GROUP (Presenter: Lee Isaac Chung): TWS
- BEST NEW FEMALE GROUP (Presenter: Da'Vine Joy Randolph): ILLIT
- INSPIRING ACHIEVEMENT (Presenter: Anderson .Paak): J.Y. Park
2024 MAMA AWARDS JAPAN: CHAPTER 1 WINNERS
- VISA FANS' CHOICE OF THE YEAR: Jimin
- FANS' CHOICE MALE TOP 10:
ENHYPEN
Jimin
Jung Kook
NCT DREAM
RM
SEVENTEEN
Stray Kids
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
V
ZEROBASEONE
- FANS' CHOICE FEMALE TOP 10:
aespa
BABYMONSTER
(G)I-DLE
IU
IVE
JENNIE
Lee Young Ji
NewJeans
TWICE
UNIS
- WORLDWIDE KCONERS' CHOICE: ZEROBASEONE
- FAVORITE DANCE PERFORMANCE GROUP: BOYNEXTDOOR
- FAVORITE MALE GROUP: TREASURE
- FAVORITE GLOBAL PERFORMER FEMALE: IVE
- FAVORITE NEW ASIAN ARTIST: ME:I
- FAVORITE RISING ARTIST: MEOVV
- GLOBAL SENSATION: ROSÉ, Bruno Mars
- OLIVE YOUNG K-BEAUTY STAR IN MUSIC: Lee Young Ji
- Ponta Pass GLOBAL FAVORITE ARTIST: TOMORROW X TOGETHER
- CJ GLOBAL PERFORMANCE: IVE
2024 MAMA AWARDS JAPAN: CHAPTER 2 WINNERS
- VISA ARTIST OF THE YEAR: SEVENTEEN
- VISA SONG OF THE YEAR: aespa - Supernova
- VISA ALBUM OF THE YEAR: SEVENTEEN
- BEST MALE GROUP: SEVENTEEN
- BEST FEMALE GROUP: aespa
- BEST MALE ARTIST: Jung Kook
- BEST FEMALE ARTIST: IU
- BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE MALE SOLO: Jung Kook - Standing Next to You
- BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE FEMALE SOLO: JENNIE - You & Me
- BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE FEMALE GROUP: aespa
- BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE SOLO: BIBI - Bam Yang Gang
- BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE GROUP: (G)I-DLE - Fate
- BEST BAND PERFORMANCE: OWER - T.B.H
- BEST RAP & HIP HOP PERFORMANCE: ZICO - SPOT! (feat. JENNIE)
- BEST COLLABORATION: ZICO - SPOT! (feat. JENNIE)
- BEST OST: Crush - Love You With All My Heart
- BEST MUSIC VIDEO: aespa - Armageddon
- BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: aespa - Supernova
- MUSIC VISIONARY OF THE YEAR: G-DRAGON
- FAVORITE ASIAN ARTIST: INI
- FAVORITE GLOBAL TRENDING MUSIC: BYEON WOO SEOK
- VISA SUPER STAGE: SEVENTEEN
- CJ GLOBAL PERFORMANCE: ZEROBASEONE
The 2024 MAMA AWARDS, presented by Visa, proved to be a landmark event in its 25-year legacy, uniting fans and artists across continents in a spectacular celebration of music and creativity. As the curtain falls on this milestone year, the MAMA AWARDS reaffirm their position as the world’s No.1 K-POP Awards show, paving the way for even greater achievements in the years to come.
- World’s No.1 K-POP Awards aims to set new standards of K-pop Awards
- Award show to kick off at the Dolby Theatre in LA on Nov 21 (PST), and then take place in full at KYOCERA DOME OSAKA in Japan from Nov 22 to 23 (KST/JST)
Leading entertainment company CJ ENM revealed today its blueprint to spearhead the K-content ecosystem by maintaining its content investment scale at the highest level in Korea and extending its content IP competitiveness to cross-platform synergy.
At the CJ Movie Forum held on site of the 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), CJ ENM shared its aspiration to lead the K-content industry. Through retaining its annual investment for content at 1 trillion Won, the highest in Korea, and utilizing its insight accumulated through global studios, theaters, and OTT platforms, CJ ENM will dedicate its resources to bolstering film industry figures. Yoon Sang-hyun, CEO of CJ ENM remarked, “Despite the growing uncertainty in the film industry, we will continue to support creators and enable their imaginations to come to life and shine bright.”
Executives from CJ’s entertainment division subsidiaries CJ CGV, Studio Dragon, and TVING also joined the forum, proposing ideas for the development of the K-content ecosystem amidst the rapidly transforming environment. The four companies presented business strategies they currently envision: building a progressive production system by securing talented and aspiring creators, strengthening competitiveness by creating synergy between linear and digital platforms and solidifying a proactive distribution system, and establishing a sustainable global business structure.
Notable attempts and objectives are being made by the four content powerhouses. Lee Dong-hyun, Chief of Business Innovation Office of CJ CGV shared how the company has expanded its content spectrum to include music-based features, animations, and sports. As revealed by CEO Jang Kyung-ik, Studio Dragon aims to increase projects that involve rising creators and actors, providing opportunities to refresh the K-drama industry. CJ ENM is considering expanding the application of AI technology across production and distribution, as told by Seo Jang-ho, SVP of Content Business.
The CJ executives agreed that theaters, OTT, and broadcasting channels are coexisting platforms that should cooperate to maximize IP lifecycle. <Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard> was introduced as the case where CJ utilized its entire capacity to source a hit IP across a linear channel, OTT, and theater simultaneously. A spinoff of the widely acclaimed crime thriller <Stranger>, <Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard> is produced by Studio Dragon, released and broadcasted by TVING and tvN, and is invited to BIFF for premiere screening.
Methods to stretch the lifecycle of IPs are being explored by TVING. Choi Ju-hui, CEO of the platform revealed that approaches like multi-channel release and simultaneous production of various formats including film, series, spin-offs, and short forms all coming from a single source of IP are under consideration. TVING also pursues collaborations that bring digital and physical spaces together, intertwining characteristics of both OTT and theaters.
The subsidiaries also revealed a clear vision for global expansion. With around 20 global projects currently in development, Studio Dragon is keen to produce series formats for US and Japanese local markets. TVING is refining its global launch strategy, focusing on regions where K-content is making a remarkable impact, such as the US, Southeast Asia, and Japan. CJ ENM sees potential in new markets like India and the Middle East where Korean content has yet to reach stark popularity or profit.
The forum also brought together Jerry Kyoungboum Ko, Head of Film Business of CJ ENM, and next-generation Korean film directors Jason Yu, Han Jun-hee, and Jeon Go-woon to discuss what makes K-content resonate with global audiences and how it can achieve a global leap.
Key factors behind the popularity of Korean stories were narrowed to K-content’s proficiency in exploring hybrid genres and maintaining an ideal balance between accessibility and cultural uniqueness. Presenting plots and cinematography that are both fresh and flavorful, K-content does not avert from genres that may feel unfamiliar to audiences. Its cinematic language feels accessible to Hollywood filmmakers, yet still maintains its cultural background. CJ ENM is continuously in search of films with these characteristics and hopes to initiate the global expansion of such stories.
CJ ENM also excitedly shared some big titles from its content lineup for 2025. Audiences will be able to meet director Park Chan-wook’s new film <No Other Choice> (working title), a series adaptation of the film <Fabricated City>, <Way Back Love> scheduled to launch on TVING in the first half of next year, and <Bugonia> the highly anticipated Hollywood remake of <Save the Green Planet!>.