MAMA Awards

The MAMA Awards (formerly Mnet Asian Music Awards)^[1] is a major music awards ceremony presented annually by entertainment company CJ E&M. First held in South Korea, the majority of prizes has been won by K-pop artists, although there are other Asian artists winning in various award categories, such as for Best Asian Artist and other professional-related awards.

MAMA Awards
Current: 2022 MAMA Awards
Awarded for	Outstanding achievements in the K-pop and Asian music industry.
Country	South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Macau
Presented by	CJ E&M (Mnet)
First awarded	November 27, 1999; 23 years ago (1999-11-27)
Website	Official website
Television/radio coverage
Network	Mnet, across CJ E&M channels and other international networks
← 2021 MAMA 2022 →

The awards ceremony was first held in Seoul in 1999, being aired on Mnet.^[2] MAMA has also been held in various Asian countries and cities outside of South Korea since 2010 and now airs internationally online beyond Asia.^[3][4]

History

Ceremony

The event was launched in 1999 as a music video awards ceremony, modeled after the MTV Video Music Awards, called the Mnet Music Video Festival.^[2][5] It merged with the KMTV Korean Music Awards in 2004 and was renamed the Mnet KM Music Video Festival.^[6][7] By the mid-2000s, the awards ceremony had attracted some international interest due to the spread of Hallyu, and it aired in China and Japan in 2008.^[2][8]

In 2009, the event was renamed the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) to reflect its expansion outside of South Korea.^[9] In 2010, MAMA was held in Macau, marking the first time it was held outside of South Korea. The following year, in 2011, MAMA was held in Singapore, and was then held in Hong Kong from 2012 to 2017.^[8] In 2017, the awards ceremony was expanded to four nights, and parts of the event were held in Vietnam and Japan, in addition to Hong Kong.^[2] In 2018, MAMA had three parts and was held in three countries; South Korea hosted the MAMA for the first time in nine years, together with Japan and Hong Kong. In 2020, MAMA was held online only and took place in South Korea only due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^{[10][11][12][13]}

 

Mnet Asian Music Awards logo

On July 20, 2021, it was reported by Ilgan Sports that the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards was undergoing discussion for the event to be held in Hong Kong despite the ongoing pandemic and travel restrictions.^[14] On August 23, 2022, CJ E&M announced that the event would be rebranded as simply the "MAMA Awards" going forward.^[15]

Event name

• Mnet Video Music Awards (1999)^[5]
• Mnet Music Video Festival (2000–2003)^[16]
• Mnet KM Music Video Festival (2004–2005)^[17]
• Mnet KM Music Festival (2006–2008)^[18]
• Mnet Asian Music Awards (2009–2021)^[9]
• MAMA Awards (2022–present)^[15]

Host venues

Year^[A]	Date^[19]	City^[19]	Venue^[19]	Host(s)^[citation needed]
Mnet Video Music Awards
1999	November 27	Seoul	Universal Arts Center	Choi Hal-li
Mnet Music Video Festival (MMF)
2000	November 24	Seoul	Universal Arts Center	Cha Tae-hyun and Kim Hyun-joo
2001	November 23			Cha Tae-hyun and Song Hye-kyo
2002	November 29			Shin Dong-yup and Kim Jung-eun
2003	November 27		Kyung Hee University	Cha Tae-hyun and Sung Yu-ri
Mnet KM Music Video Festival (MKMF)
2004	December 4	Seoul	Kyung Hee University	Shin Dong-yup and Kim Jung-eun
2005	November 27		Olympic Gymnastics Arena	Shin Dong-yup and Kim Ah-joong
Mnet KM Music Festival (MKMF)
2006	November 25	Seoul	Olympic Gymnastics Arena	Shin Dong-yup and Kim Ok-bin
2007	November 17		Seoul Sports Complex	Shin Dong-yup and Lee Da-hae
2008	November 15			Rain
Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA)
2009	November 21	Seoul	Seoul Sports Complex	Tiger JK
2010	November 28	Macau	Cotai Arena, The Venetian Macao	None
2011	November 29	Singapore	Singapore Indoor Stadium	Lee Byung-hun
2012	November 30	Hong Kong	Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre	Song Joong-ki
2013	November 22		AsiaWorld–Arena	Lee Seung-gi
2014	December 3			Song Seung-heon
2015	December 2			Psy
2016	December 2			Lee Byung-hun
2017	November 25	Ho Chi Minh City	Hoa Binh Theatre	Thu Minh
	November 29	Yokohama	Yokohama Arena	Park Bo-gum
	November 30	Hong Kong	W Hong Kong	None
	December 1		AsiaWorld–Arena	Song Joong-ki
2018	December 10	Seoul	Dongdaemun Design Plaza	Jung Hae-in^[20]
	December 12	Saitama	Saitama Super Arena	Park Bo-gum^[20]
	December 14	Hong Kong	AsiaWorld-Arena	Song Joong-ki^[20]
2019	December 4	Nagoya	Nagoya Dome	Park Bo-gum^[21]
2020	December 6	Paju	CJ E&M Contents World	Song Joong-ki^[22]
2021	December 11			Lee Hyori^[23]
MAMA Awards
2022	November 29–30	Osaka	Kyocera Dome	Jeon Somi and Park Bo-gum^[24]

Award categories

Grand Prizes

The four grand prizes (known as daesang)

• Artist of the Year
• Album of the Year
• Song of the Year
• Worldwide Icon of the Year (since 2018)

Competitive awards

Unless otherwise noted, each award category was introduced in 1999.

• Best Male Artist
• Best Female Artist
• Best Male Group (since 2000, was known as Best Group in 1999)
• Best Female Group (since 2000)
• Best New Artist
• Best Dance Performance
• Best Band Performance
• Best Rap Performance
• Best Vocal Performance (since 2010)
• Best Collaboration (2010, 2012, 2014–2017, 2019–present)
• Best OST (2004)
• Best Music Video (since 2006)
• Best Unit (2018)

Special awards

Main article: Mnet Asian Music Awards in the Special Awards Category

These awards have been given once or occasionally.

• Best International Artist (1999–2006, 2009–2010, 2012–2014, 2019, 2021)
• Best Asian Artist (since 2004)
• Other special awards

Discontinued awards

• Music Video of the Year (1999–2005)
  (former daesang award and currently Best Music Video since 2006)
• Best Popular Music Video (1999–2005)
  (former daesang award)
• Best Music Video Performance (2005–2007)
• Best Music Video Director (1999–2006)
• Best Mixed Group (2000–2009)
• Best Ballad Performance (1999–2009)
• Best R&B Performance (2000–2007)
• Best Indie Performance (1999–2002)
• Best House & Electronic Performance (2007–2009)
• Best Trot Performance (2009)
• Best Digital Single (2010)

Most wins

Daesang awards

The following lists the artist(s) who received two or more daesang awards.
(Includes Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Worldwide Icon of the Year)

Record set	Artist(s)	First year awarded	Recent year awarded^[a]
20	BTS	2016	2022
6	Exo	2013	2017
5	Big Bang	2008	2015
4	2NE1	2009	2011
3	Twice	2016	2018
	Super Junior	2007	2012
2	G-Dragon	2009	2013
	TVXQ	2005	2008
	SG Wannabe	2006	2006
	BoA	2002	2004
	H.O.T.	1999	2000

Competitive awards

The following lists the artist(s) who received two or more competitive awards.

Record set	Artist(s)	First year awarded	Recent year awarded^[a]
12	BTS	2015	2022
11	IU	2011	2021
8	Twice	2015	2021
6	Ailee	2012	2017
5	Blackpink	2016	2022
	CNBLUE	2010	2016
	Big Bang	2007	2015
	Epik High	2005	2014
	G-Dragon	2007	2013
	2NE1	2009	2011
	BoA	2000	2010
	Shinhwa	2001	2007
4	Baekhyun	2016	2021
	Wanna One	2017	2018
	Exo	2012	2016
	Shinee	2008	2015

Controversies

See also: 2020 Mnet Asian Music Awards § Controversies

Boycotting incidents

In 2007, Lee Min-woo and Shin Hye-sung from the group Shinhwa canceled their appearance at the event one hour before the awards ceremony began. Shin later said they left because they did not trust the event to fairly select winners.^[25]

In 2009, entertainment companies Inwoo Production and SM Entertainment boycotted the 2009 awards ceremony with none of their artists attending. Both companies said the reason for their boycott was that they questioned the fairness of the voting process. In particular, SM Entertainment said that Girls' Generation had held the #1 spot on a music chart for nine consecutive weeks, but the group never won first place on Mnet's weekly M Countdown music show. The company also criticized a mobile poll which required participants to pay money in order to vote.^[26] In 2010, SM Entertainment artists also did not attend the year's awards ceremony.^[27]

Voter fraud

Prior to the 2017 awards ceremony, Mnet found that some fans had cast fraudulent votes through the use of bots. As a result, Mnet temporarily halted voting, then nullified all fraudulent votes, blocked relevant IP addresses, and deleted relevant user accounts.^[28][29]

Broadcasting

The show was broadcast live in over 13 countries across Asia. In South Korea, it is broadcast on Mnet, TVING and across CJ E&M channels where it was available. Other broadcasters that also broadcast the event include Mnet Japan, Mnet Smart+, au Smart Pass (which sponsored the awards), tvN Asia, Far EasTone Mobile Circle app & friDay Video, MeWATCH, TonTon & FPT Play. Previously the awards show was aired on JOOX, ViuTV, alongside with Smart GigaPlay and Vidio, in which both of the latered platform has already include tvN Asia.

The show is also broadcast online via Mnet K-POP, Mnet TV, M2, as well as KCON official YouTube channel for the rest of the world.

Notes

1. Artists with the most awards and the most recent year awarded are listed first.

1. Each year in the table links to the Wikipedia article about that year's awards ceremony.

References

1. Jeff Benjamin. "MAMA Awards Rebrands With New Name, Sets Dates & Location for 2022 Ceremony: Exclusive". Billboard.com. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
2. St. Michel, Patrick (December 4, 2017). "This Three-Country, Four-Night Asian Music Awards Show Is A K-Pop Promotion Machine". NPR. from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
3. Reinfrank, Alkira (December 2, 2017). "Supergroup BTS clean up at Asia's biggest K-pop awards show". South China Morning Post. from the original on February 7, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
4. Mathew, Ilin. "Mnet Asian Music Awards 2017 live stream: Where to watch MAMA online and broadcast channel information". International Business Times, India Edition. from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
5. "1999 Mnet Video Music Awards". Mnet Global. CJ E&M. from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
6. Hong, Je-sung (November 8, 2004). m.net.KMTV 뮤직비디오 페스티벌 개최 [Mnet and KMTV will hold music festival]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Naver.
7. Bae, Young-eun (December 5, 2004). 보아 'My Name', 올해 최고의 뮤직비디오 [BoA's 'My Name' is the best music video of the year]. Joy News 24 (in Korean). Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Naver.
8. Kim, Jae-heun (November 12, 2015). "Mnet Asian Music Awards: new global platform for K-pop stars". The Korea Times. from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
9. "TWICE wins Song of Year Award at 2017 MAMA with 'Signal'". Yonhap News Agency. November 30, 2017. from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
10. "'2020 MAMA', 국내서 개최하나?...CJ ENM "결정된 것 없어"[공식]". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
11. "Mnet to hold online Asian music award event due to COVID-19 pandemic". www.ajudaily.com. September 21, 2020. from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
12. Herald, The Korea (September 21, 2020). "K-pop awards show MAMA to be held online due to COVID-19". www.koreaherald.com. from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
13. 장동우 (September 21, 2020). "K-pop awards show MAMA to be held online due to COVID-19". Yonhap News Agency. from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
14. Hwang Ji-young (July 20, 2021). "[단독] '2021 MAMA' 코로나 위기 속 홍콩 개최 논의 '솔솔'" [[Exclusive] Discussion about holding '2021 MAMA' in Hong Kong amid Corona crisis 'Solsol']. Daum (in Korean). Ilgan Sports. from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
15. Benjamin, Jeff (August 23, 2022). "MAMA Awards Rebrands With New Name, Sets Dates & Location for 2022 Ceremony: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
16. "2003 Mnet Music Video Festival". Mnet Global. CJ E&M. from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
17. "2005 Mnet KM Music Video Festival". Mnet Global. CJ E&M. from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
18. "2008 Mnet KM Music Festival". Mnet Global. CJ E&M. from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
19. "MAMA History". Mnet Global. CJ E&M. from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
20. Han Na-young (December 3, 2018). "한국 정해인·일본 박보검·홍콩 송중기…'2018 MAMA' 호스트 확정" [Korea's Jung Hae-in, Japan's Park Bo-gum, Hong Kong's Song Joong-ki ... Host confirmed for '2018 MAMA']. Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved July 20, 2021.
21. Jeon Ah-ram (December 2, 2019). "박보검 측 "'2019 MAMA' 호스트 확정…문화 교류 위해" [공식입장]" [Park Bo-gum's side "'2019 MAMA' host confirmed ... for cultural exchange" [Official position]]. Naver (in Korean). X-sports News. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
22. Lee Da-gyeom (November 24, 2020). "송중기, '2020 MAMA' 호스트 낙점[공식]" [Song Joong-ki, '2020 MAMA' Host Selection [Official]]. Naver (in Korean). Maeil Economic Daily. from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
23. Kim Min-ji (October 13, 2021). "'레전드 아티스트' 이효리, 2021 MAMA 호스트로 나선다" ['Legend Artist' Hyori Lee to host 2021 MAMA] (in Korean). News1. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Naver.
24. "'2022 MAMA' 전소미X박보검 호스트 나선다 [공식]" [Jeon So-mi X Park Bo-gum to host '2022 MAMA' [Official]]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
25. Kim, Yeon-ji (November 17, 2007). "이민우-신혜성, MKMF 행사직전 "불참"(종합)" [Lee Min Woo, Shin Hye Sung leave just before MKMF event]. Star News (in Korean). from the original on February 11, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
26. Kim, Jessica (November 3, 2009). "SM singers boycott Mnet music award". Asia Economy. from the original on August 25, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
27. 김원겸 (November 17, 2010). "소녀시대도, 효리도 No…'반쪽 MAMA'" (in Korean). The Dong-a Ilbo. from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
28. Herman, Tamar (November 3, 2017). "2017 MAMA Awards Shut Down Voting to Address Fraud Issues". Billboard. from the original on February 4, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
29. "Mnet takes action against ballot rigging in year-end K-pop awards". Yonhap News Agency. November 3, 2017. from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2018.

External links

• Official website