The highly anticipated Saja Boys stage performance for the 2025 MAMA Awards has been officially canceled following a tragic high-rise fire in Hong Kong that claimed over 128 lives.
The performance, originally scheduled for Day 2 of the awards on November 29, was meant to bring to life the fictional idol group from Netflix’s animated series KPop Demon Hunters. The lineup included Leehan (BOYNEXTDOOR), Wonbin (RIIZE), Shinyu (TWS), and Park Gun Wook and Han Yu Jin (ZEROBASEONE). These idols were to perform as part of a collaboration known as Saja Boys, themed around jeoseung saja —grim reapers from Korean folklore.
However, in light of the horrific fire that occurred on November 26 in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong, organizers made the decision to tone down the scale and mood of the event. Pyrotechnics and flashy stage effects were removed, and any stage concepts deemed insensitive—like death-related imagery—were canceled altogether.
The Hong Kong government has declared a three-day national mourning period from November 29. In response, MAMA organizers sought to maintain a solemn tone, stating they would proceed with the awards but adapt stage presentations to align with the local atmosphere of mourning.
While Saja Boys’ performance has been withdrawn, another KPop Demon Hunters group, Huntrix, will still appear on stage as planned, featuring BabyMonster’s Pharita, Ahyeon, and Rora performing the track Golden.
This development sheds light on the industry’s increasing sensitivity to global events. The cancellation highlights how large-scale K-pop events like MAMA must now navigate not only production logistics and fan expectations but also the moral implications of global tragedies.
Sources: Nate
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