The 33rd Hanteo Music Awards 2025 (HMA 2025) presented a new milestone for K-pop award ceremonies by emphasizing transparency grounded in data rather than spectacle.
According to Hanteo Global on February 16, HMA 2025, held on February 15 at KSPO DOME in Olympic Park, Seoul, concluded successfully with an audience of more than 10,000 attendees.
This year’s ceremony drew particular attention for maintaining a strict winner selection principle based entirely on objective data from the Hanteo Chart, regardless of external factors or artist attendance. This marked a departure from previous industry practices in which awards were often distributed based on attendance, securing fairness by evaluating artists solely on measurable performance and musical achievements.
In line with this philosophy, the venue was not centered on any single fandom but unfolded as a festival for all who love music. The more than 10,000 spectators who filled KSPO DOME offered enthusiastic applause to every artist who appeared on stage, while organizers demonstrated flawless operation through systematic crowd flow management and the deployment of safety personnel. The mature viewing culture formed by artists, fans, and organizers together completed the dignity expected of a representative K-pop awards ceremony.
The highlight of the ceremony, the Grand Prizes, reflected fair results spanning generations and genres. Stray Kids claimed the Album Grand Prize, reaffirming their global top-tier status, while ATEEZ secured both the Artist Grand Prize and the World Stage award, proving their standing as representative leaders of K-pop. ENHYPEN received the Performance Grand Prize, and G-Dragon won the Digital Song Grand Prize, demonstrating the enduring presence of a legendary artist. All of them also swept the Main Awards, achieving multiple wins and confirming their overwhelming achievements throughout the year.
The expansion of K-pop’s spectrum was also evident, with artists from diverse genres receiving recognition across categories. Lee Chan-won won the Special Award in the trot category, LUCY received the band category Special Award, and Lee Young-ji was honored in the hip-hop category, breaking down genre barriers. Virtual idol group PLAVE notably secured both a Main Award and a Special Award, reflecting the rapidly evolving landscape of the industry.
In addition to the Grand Prize winners, the Main Awards were presented to Stray Kids, ENHYPEN, ATEEZ, G-Dragon, NCT WISH, BOYNEXTDOOR, PLAVE, Lee Chan-won, SEVENTEEN, and aespa. Rookie Awards went to Hearts2Hearts and Cortis, while WEi and ISEGYE IDOL received the Post Generation awards. ARTMS and EVNNE were named Emerging Artists, and tripleS, Billlie, and xikers received Next Wave awards. The Blooming Star awards were presented to NOWZ, IDENTITY, and 8TURN.
Special Awards were also presented across multiple genres, including LUCY in the band category, Lee Mu-jin in ballad, Lee Chan-won in trot, Lee Young-ji in hip-hop, Lim Young-woong in OST, Lee Seung-yoon in indie, PLAVE in virtual, and Hwang Garam in remake. Lim Young-woong also won the Domestic Popularity Award, while BTS received the Global Popularity Award, and the Whosfan Fandom Award went to Youngwoong Era, the fandom of Lim Young-woong. ATEEZ additionally received the World Stage award.
Further honors included the Special Collaboration award for WING, Special Crossover award for Forestella, Best of Ballad for Lee Chang-sub, and Best of Adult Contemporary awards for Kim Hee-jae, Park Ji-hyun, and Son Tae-jin. Anniversary honors recognized PENTAGON as the 10th Anniversary Influential Artist, Kyuhyun as the 20th Anniversary Wannabe Icon Artist, and Yoon Jong-shin as the 30th Anniversary Legend of the Age.
Regional Artist Awards reflected global influence, with TOMORROW X TOGETHER winning in Asia and Oceania, while Stray Kids received Artist Awards in North America, South America, Europe, and Africa.
Hanteo Global stated, “HMA 2025 focused on fairness, musicality, and inclusivity rather than spectacle,” adding, “We will continue to present a new standard for K-pop award ceremonies where both artists and fans are respected.”
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
Copyright ⓒ 뉴스컬처 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지
본 콘텐츠는 뉴스픽 파트너스에서 공유된 콘텐츠입니다.
