“Creating industrial value beyond financial returns”... The musical universe envisioned by ‘2026 MAMA’

[Financial News] MAMA Awards, K-pop’s flagship awards ceremony, is holding its 27th edition this year and is expanding its reach with collaborative performances spanning generations and genres and a fan-participation festival.
The 2026 MAMA Awards will be held on November 20–21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan and broadcast through cable channel Mnet, the K-pop content platform Mnet Plus, and other outlets.
CJ ENM held a media day on the 29th at Hotel Eliena in Seoul’s Gangnam District, unveiling the year’s major performances and lineup. The theme is “A MUSIC INTERSTELLAR,” bringing to life music’s power to connect people across time and space through performances, technology, and fan-participation programs.

Actor Park Bo-gum has been named the first-ever MAMA Ambassador, a new role established this year. Having served as an MAMA host several times since 2017, Park will connect “Chapter 1” and “Chapter 2,” held over two days, and serve as a storyteller conveying the ceremony’s theme and message.
Collaborative performances spanning generations and genres are also planned. BIGBANG will join forces with Dooly the Little Dinosaur, a character from a Korean animated series, while Panic will perform with younger artists including CORTIS members Martin and Seonghyeon, WOODZ, ZEROBASEONE’s Kim Taerae, ALLDAY PROJECT’s Woochan, and Hearts2Hearts’ Maria.
A collaborative performance with artist Lee Bae, known for works using charcoal, is also planned. ENHYPEN is preparing a performance incorporating the world of the film “Dune,” while Google’s generative AI Gemini will be used in the staging of some performances, including the opening. The plan is to create a stage unique to MAMA by connecting K-pop with art, animation, film, and cutting-edge technology.
Performing on the first day, November 20, in “Chapter 1” will be ALLDAY PROJECT, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, Babymonster, CL, ENHYPEN, Hearts2Hearts, Illit, INI, LNGSHOT, MODYSSEY, NCT WISH, RESCENE, and TREASURE.
Taking the stage the following day in “Chapter 2” will be &TEAM, BIGBANG, CORTIS, Hwasa, IVE, izna, KiiiKiii, Koi Kids, LE SSERAFIM, Nayeon, WOODZ, and ZEROBASEONE.
Presenting awards will be Kim Yeon-koung, Kim You Jung, Kim Jae-won, Kim Hye-soo, Monica, Moon Sang-min, Shunsuke Michieda, Seo In-young, Seol In-ah, Ong Seong-wu, Yoo In-na, Yoon Kyung-ho, Lee Da-hee, Lee Sang-yi, Lee Sung-kyung, Lee Sung-min, Lee Jun-ho, Lee Chae-min, Jang Geun-suk, Jang Hang-jun, Jo Yu-ri, Choi Dae-hoon, Kani, Heo Nam-jun, and HWANG MIN HYUN. Lee Dae-hwi and Mina Sue Choi will host the red carpet.
Yoon Shin-hye, head of Mnet’s Business Division, said that day, “It is difficult to assess MAMA’s value solely in terms of revenue or returns on investment.” She added, “Since the 2010s, we have held the event overseas, aiming to offer fans around the world new musical experiences and expand the potential of K-pop.”
She continued, “When we first went overseas, we faced many difficulties and wondered, ‘Why do we have to go this far?’ But meeting K-pop fans from around the world there gave us a sense of mission and responsibility. The experience MAMA and Mnet have built up has helped expand K-pop’s global reach, and the fact that we have grown alongside K-pop is itself an important achievement,” she emphasized.
She also addressed the significance of investment in technology. “When we first introduced augmented reality (AR) to a live broadcast in 2016, it was an experimental effort, but it became a widely adopted technology through the COVID-19 pandemic. The experience we have gained has led to opportunities to discuss new ways of staging performances with various technology companies. Its significance lies in creating new industrial value beyond financial returns,” Yoon said.
She also pledged to address sound issues that have drawn criticism. “We have found that the sound differs between the venue, broadcasts, and digital platforms,” Yoon explained. “We are conducting repeated tests under conditions similar to an actual performance to deliver consistent sound in each setting.”
The response system for unexpected situations, including disasters, will also be strengthened. Taking the possibility of earthquakes in Japan into account, CJ ENM plans to prepare response manuals for different seismic intensity levels and operate a separate risk-management team at the venue.
Outside the venue, the first interactive festival, “MAMA Fan Festa,” will take place. From November 9 to 21, it will link streets, commercial facilities, and tourist attractions in Osaka, Japan, into a single festival route, while Mnet Plus will also offer a range of online programs.
[email protected] Shin Jin-a Reporter