What we can see after the 2022 MAMA Awards: BTS has become stronger, and the K-girl group fever

admin1December 2, 2022Last Updated: December 2, 2022

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The 2022 MAMA Awards, which has completed its new renovation, has returned to take K-pop to another level.

The 2022 MAMA, which was held in Kyocera Dome Osaka, Japan for two days from Nov 29th to 30th, ended successfully.

The 2022 MAMA reaffirmed the status of K-pop by presenting all-time performances and spectacular stages at Kyocera Dome, which can accommodate about 40,000 audiences. In particular, BTS J-Hope‘s solo stage, the 4th-generation new girl groups’ collaboration stage, and KARA’s reunion stage, which led the Korean Wave in Japan, excited Japanese audiences.

J-Hope, who recently released his first solo album “Jack In The Box,” attended the ceremony alone as a solo artist and on behalf of BTS. On the second day of 2022 MAMA, ARMY (BTS fandom name) accounted for a significantly higher proportion of the audience as J-Hope performed his solo stage.

This year, BTS faced a new turn, as the eldest member Jin is enlisting, while group activities are temporarily suspended so that BTS’ members can focus on their solo albums and personal activities. J-Hope, the first among the members to debut as a solo artist, proved his ability as a soloist by becoming a headliner for the Lollapalooza. During his performance at 2022 MAMA, he overwhelmed the large venue alone with his stage charisma.

BTS was honored with the “MAMA Platinum” award, marking the finale of the ceremony. During the live broadcast, J-Hope tried to make a surprise phone call to Jin and delivered his acceptance speech together. J-Hope said, “I don’t think we’ve shown that many great achievements this year as BTS. In that regard, we will receive this year’s Artist of the Year with a humble heart. All the members are now looking back at themselves, touching their roots one by one, and growing according to their individuals,” he said, promising a stronger BTS in the future.

The girl groups’ collab performances on the first day also drew enthusiastic responses. The collaboration stage of 4th-generation girl groups IVE, LE SSERAFIM, New Jeans, and Kep1er, which shook the Korean music industry, drew admiration from Japanese audiences. In particular, when they covered Sana’s “Shashasha,” the killing part of TWICE’s “Cheer Up,” the audience went crazy.

The highlight of the ceremony definitely went to KARA’s performance. When KARA appeared on stage, the sitting audience stood up and welcomed them. After returning to the stage for the first time in 7 years, KARA showed their ease as if their thirst had been satisfied.

From welcoming familiar faces to fresh new faces, local Japanese fans who witnessed such a colorful K-pop at 2022 MAMA praised in an interview with Sports Seoul, saying, “It was a great show,” and “These performances make me support K-pop artists even more.”