ATEEZ Takes Top Honor at 35th Seoul Music Awards; Lee Chan-won, BOYNEXTDOOR Win Four Awards Each

The 35th Seoul Music Awards concluded in spectacular fashion on June 20, bringing together generations of artists and fans in a celebration that highlighted the past, present and future of K-pop.

According to the Seoul Music Awards Organizing Committee, the milestone event successfully wrapped up amid enthusiastic support from music fans around the world.

Photo courtesy of the Seoul Music Awards Organizing Committee

The ceremony stood out for its cross-generational programming and dynamic stage productions. Veteran entertainer Leeteuk served as host alongside ZEROBASEONE's Park Gun-wook and KiiiKiii's Lee Sol, guiding the event with polished chemistry and steady stage presence.

One of the evening's most memorable moments came through a special collaborative performance uniting legendary group Roo'ra with fifth-generation acts xikers, izna and SAY MY NAME. The stage symbolized the musical dialogue between K-pop's pioneers and its newest generation, earning a warm response from the audience.

The night's highest honor, the Grand Prize (Daesang), was awarded to ATEEZ, recognizing the group's continued global success and powerful performance-driven artistry.

BOYNEXTDOOR emerged as one of the ceremony's biggest winners, capturing four awards including Best Album. Lee Chan-won also collected four trophies, highlighted by the newly established SMA Best Artist Award, demonstrating his enduring popularity and strong fan support. ZEROBASEONE and LE SSERAFIM each secured three awards, further solidifying their positions among K-pop's leading acts.

ATEEZ, winner of the Grand Prize (Daesang) at the 35th Seoul Music Awards. Photo courtesy of the Seoul Music Awards Organizing Committee

Several category winners reflected the diversity of today's K-pop landscape. EXO received the Golden Revival Award, while Doh Kyung-soo was honored with the New Icon Award. BTS claimed the Hallyu Special Award, and Roo'ra was recognized with the SMA Legend Award.

Artists spanning multiple genres and generations were honored throughout the evening, from veteran performers to emerging rookies, underscoring the broad reach and continued evolution of Korean popular music.

The ceremony also featured a star-studded lineup of presenters from film and television, including Song Joong-ki, Go Youn-jung, Shim Eun-kyung, Kwon Nara and Park Ji-hwan, adding further prestige to the event.

As the 35th Seoul Music Awards came to a close, the spotlight shifted toward the winners and their next chapter on the global stage in the second half of 2026.

Winners of the 35th Seoul Music Awards

Grand Prize (Daesang): ATEEZ

Best Digital Song: LE SSERAFIM

Best Album: BOYNEXTDOOR, ZEROBASEONE

Main Award (Bonsang): Kwon Eun-bi, Dayoung, LE SSERAFIM, BOYNEXTDOOR, ATEEZ, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, Lee Chan-won, ZEROBASEONE, KiiiKiii, Hearts2Hearts

World Best Artist: LE SSERAFIM, BOYNEXTDOOR

SMA Best Artist: Lee Chan-won

Popularity Award: Lee Chan-won

New Icon: Doh Kyung-soo

Golden Revival: EXO

Hallyu Special Award: BTS

SMA Legend Award: Roo'ra

Best Group: ZEROBASEONE

Best Solo Artist: Dayoung

R&B/Hip-Hop Award: BOYNEXTDOOR

OST Award: Sung Han-bin

Trot Award: Lee Chan-won

Rock/Ballad Award: Hanroro

Band Award: Dragon Pony

Best Performance Award: xikers, izna

K-POP WORLD CHOICE (Solo): Yeonjun

K-POP WORLD CHOICE (Group): Super Junior

Rookie of the Year: AHOF, IDID, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, Close Your Eyes

SMA Global Rookie Award: MODISEY, SAY MY NAME, IDENTITY

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