As the schedules for domestic music award ceremonies are gradually being announced, disappointment among K-pop fans is growing due to consecutive overseas events
The schedule for traditional domestic music award ceremonies that mark the end or beginning of each year is being unveiled one after another.
Mnet’s ‘MAMA AWARDS’ (hereafter ‘MAMA’) has confirmed its venue as the Tokyo Dome in Japan on November 28th and 29th. ‘MAMA’ is an established and prestigious domestic music award ceremony with a 24-year tradition, known for its concept-driven stages and dazzling lineup of artists, garnering immense attention every year.
However, ‘MAMA’ has insisted on hosting the ceremony overseas since 2010, except for the period when international travel was restricted due to COVID-19. It aimed to present an award show that goes beyond the boundaries of Korean music, with most of the participants being domestic artists, making it closer to a K-pop award ceremony.
The ‘2023 Asia Artist Awards’ (hereafter ‘AAA’) will also be held in the Philippines at the ‘Philippine Arena’ on December 14th, under the name of Asian artists. Starting in 2016, ‘AAA’ has garnered attention by integrating awards for not only domestic singers but also actors. ‘AAA’ has gradually expanded overseas, starting with Vietnam in 2019 and hosting the event in Japan in 2021.
The ‘Seoul Music Awards,’ with a 33-year tradition, has announced for the first time that it will be held overseas. The ’33rd Seoul Music Awards’ will take place at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on January 2nd, 2024. The organizers of the ‘Seoul Music Awards,’ which has promised the participation of over 20 top K-pop stars, expressed confidence in the award ceremony.
While different from traditional music award ceremonies, KBS ‘Gayo Daejejeon’ also faced criticism for considering a Japan-based event. Subsequently, the ‘Gayo Daejejeon’ organizers announced that they are considering holding the Japan performance as part of Music Bank’s world tour, with the Korean event set for December 16th.
As the global prominence of K-pop continues to rise, there is increasing international interest in domestic music award ceremonies. Additionally, due to the higher ticket prices for overseas performances compared to domestic ones, it may be an inevitable choice to generate revenue. However, considering the busy schedules of artists who must repeatedly travel in and out of the country, as well as the fans who, despite it being a domestic award ceremony, may miss out on enjoying the event in person, there is understandable disappointment.
Domestic music award ceremonies are expanding their reach internationally amid the growing global popularity of K-pop. Whether these music award ceremonies, which can be considered the stages for K-pop festivals, will satisfy the expectations of domestic fans abroad remains a topic of great interest.
Source: naver
