Fourth-generation K-pop girl group NMIXX (Lily, Haewon, Sullyoon, Bae, Jiwoo, and Kyujin) has claimed the trophy at the 2025 Global K-Culture Awards, marking the culmination of nearly four years of musical growth since debut.
On December 26, NMIXX shared their acceptance message through JYP Entertainment, stating, “We are honored to receive the Popular Culture category award at the 2025 Global K-Culture Awards. We sincerely thank everyone who made this meaningful recognition possible.”
They continued, “Our first full-length album Blue Valentine received tremendous love in 2025. Fueled by the support and encouragement we’ve been given, we will continue to grow and present even better music and performances,” adding, “We are always grateful to and love NSWER for being with us.”
This award recognizes NMIXX’s relentless efforts and global achievements since their debut in February 2022. Making a bold statement with debut tracks O.O and TANK, the group introduced the experimental genre known as “MIXX POP,” later expanding their appeal with songs such as Love Me Like This and establishing a distinctive musical identity.
Through showcase tour NICE TO MIXX YOU, fan concerts MIXX UNIVERSITY and MIXX LAB, and fan meeting NSWER VACATION, NMIXX steadily built their performance credentials. This year, they successfully completed their first world tour, EPISODE 1: ZERO FRONTIER, strengthening their reputation as performance-driven artists while connecting with fans worldwide.
In particular, 2025 marked a career-high year for NMIXX, earning acclaim from both critics and the general public. Alongside notable achievements on the U.S. Billboard charts with their first full-length album, the group also stood out on the global stage through recognition by the UK-based music magazine NME.
According to NME, NMIXX ranked No. 1 with Spinnin’ On It and No. 7 with High Horse on its list of “The 25 Best K-pop Songs of 2025,” becoming the only act to place two songs on the chart. NME praised the group’s MIXX POP experimentation, calling it “the most exhilarating track of the year, where emotional intensity is transformed into an explosive pop spectacle.”
Backed by strong live performance skills, a unique musical vision, and the support of a growing global fanbase, NMIXX continues to elevate the global standing of K-culture.
Meanwhile, comprehensive cultural media outlet News Culture recently announced the recipients of the 2025 Global K-Culture Awards in celebration of its 19th anniversary. The awards were established to recognize individuals and organizations that have contributed to the creative achievements and international expansion of Korean culture.
Awardees were selected through algorithm-based recommendations from global platforms, offline nominations, and closed-door deliberations. Kim Jin-pyo, Chairman of Global Innovation Studies (GIS) and former Speaker of the National Assembly, served as jury chair, with evaluations conducted by a panel of 10 experts and professors from the fields of culture, economy, and society. A total of 16 recipients were ultimately selected.
◆ List of 2025 Global K-Culture Awards Recipients
Culture Category
Kim Byung-jong (Distinguished Professor, Seoul National University)
Jeon Young-baek (Professor, Hongik University)
Tak Young-jun and Jang Cheol-hyuk (Co-CEOs, SM Entertainment)
Actor Shin Hyun-joon (HJ Film)
Actress Moon So-ri (UBON Company)
Composer duo Algo-boni Honsusangtae (SM C&C)
Girl group NMIXX (JYP Entertainment)
Economy Category
Ahn Byeong-lip, Chairman of entechworld
International Category
Park Dae-sung, Chairman of TriForum
ESG Category
Kim Kwang-soo, CEO of Binggrae
Kim Tae-kyun, CEO of KEPCO E&C
Social Contribution Grand Prize
Kim Jang-hwan, Chairman of FEBC Korea
Ham Young-ju, Chairman of Hana Financial Group
Merit Award
Park Yang-woo, Chairman of INSCA
Park Jeong-cheol, Chairman of Hanstar Media
Jeong Mun-heon, Mayor of Jongno-gu, Seoul
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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