The 2025 MAMA Awards lineup is officially taking shape — a two-night, pan-Asian celebration at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium that blends legacy icons and 4th/5th-gen power. Below is the entire rundown: full nominees, categories, judging changes vs 2024, my predictions, and hand-picked Amazon merch for smooth monetization.
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1. Overview — Dates, Venue & Broadcast
- When: November 28–29, 2025 (two-night ceremony)
- Where: Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong — the centerpiece of the MAMA Awards Hong Kong edition
- Presented by: VISA (Global Partner)
- Organizer: CJ ENM
💬 IVAN’s Insight:
Hosting the 2025 MAMA Awards at Kai Tak Stadium is a strategic statement. It transforms K-pop’s biggest stage into a continental pop summit, expanding its reach across Asia and the world.
2. 2025 MAMA Awards Lineup — Confirmed Performers
The official 2025 MAMA Awards lineup features an incredible mix of legends, 4th-gen icons, and next-wave artists:
aespa · BABYMONSTER · BOYNEXTDOOR · ENHYPEN · G-DRAGON · IVE · JO1 · MIRROR · NCT DREAM (selected stages) · NCT WISH · RIIZE · Stray Kids · Super Junior · TREASURE · TXT · TWS · MEOVV · Hearts2Hearts · IDID · (G)I-DLE · KYOKA (special stage)
💬 IVAN’s Take:
A beautifully curated mix: heritage icons (G-DRAGON, Super Junior) meet modern torchbearers (Stray Kids, aespa, RIIZE). Expect stages that merge nostalgia with innovation — the true spirit of the MAMA Awards Hong Kong edition.
3. MAMA 2025 Full Nominees
Here’s the complete MAMA 2025 full nominees lineup across every major and genre category.
Eligibility Period: Oct 1, 2024 – Sep 30, 2025
🎖 Grand Prizes (Daesangs)
- Artist of the Year: aespa, SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, TXT, IVE, RIIZE, TWICE, Jennie, G-DRAGON, Rosé, Taeyeon
- Song of the Year: Jennie “ZEN”, aespa “Whiplash”, SEVENTEEN “THUNDER”, ILLIT “Cherish (My Love)”, TXT “When the Day Comes”, RIIZE “Fly Up”, BLACKPINK “JUMP”
- Album of the Year: Stray Kids KARMA, SEVENTEEN SPILL THE FEELS, aespa Whiplash, G-DRAGON Ubermensch, IVE Empathy, ENHYPEN Desire: Unleash, RIIZE Odyssey, Baekhyun Essence of Reverie
Artist Categories
- Best Male Artist: Mark, Baekhyun, Jin, G-DRAGON, j-hope
- Best Female Artist: Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, Taeyeon, Yuqi
- Best Male Group: SEVENTEEN, TXT, BOYNEXTDOOR, ENHYPEN, RIIZE, Stray Kids, ZEROBASEONE
- Best Female Group: aespa, BABYMONSTER, (G)I-DLE, IVE, LE SSERAFIM, TWICE
- Best New Artist (Unified): AHOF, ALLDAY PROJECT, Baby DON’T Cry, CLOSE YOUR EYES, CORTIS, Hearts2Hearts, IDID, izna, KickFlip, KiiiKiii
Genre & Performance
- Best Vocal (Solo): Taeyeon, Rosé, Doyoung, Roy Kim, Lee Mujin
- Best Vocal (Group): Davichi, Highlight, MEOVV, TREASURE, ZEROBASEONE
- Best Rap/Hip-Hop: HAON & Giselle, Dynamic Duo & GUMMY, Big Naughty & Lee Chan-hyuk, TABLO & RM
- Best Band Performance: DAY6, CNBLUE, Xdinary Heroes, QWER, N.Flying
- Best Collaboration: Jennie & Doechii “ExtraL”, G-DRAGON & Anderson .Paak “TOO BAD”, V & Park Hyo-shin “Winter Ahead”
- Best OST: TXT “When the Day Comes”, Park Hyo-shin “HERO”, BOYNEXTDOOR “Never Loved This Way Before”
- Best Music Video: aespa “Dirty Work”, Jennie “ZEN”, BLACKPINK “JUMP”
- Best Choreography: aespa “Whiplash”, Jennie “Like Jennie”, G-DRAGON & Anderson .Paak “TOO BAD”
Curious how last year’s winners compared?
Check our full coverage here → K-pop News & MAMA Recaps
4. What Changed vs 2024
| Category | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Rookie Awards | Split by Gender | Unified (One “Best New Artist”) |
| Judges’ Weight | 30% | 40% |
| Fan Vote Weight | 20% | 20% (same) |
| Sales/Streaming | 50% | 30% |
💬 IVAN’s Verdict:
MAMA 2025 focuses on artistry over virality. The judging overhaul aims to bring back credibility — 40% expert evaluation ensures genuine musical merit. Still, balancing expert taste with fandom democracy will define whether MAMA can keep its cultural authority.
5. Predictions & Narrative Arcs
- Best Female Artist: Jennie — complete dominance in both solo activity and brand power.
- Best Male Group: Stray Kids — unmatched global touring impact.
- Album of the Year: SEVENTEEN (SPILL THE FEELS) vs Stray Kids (KARMA) — cohesion vs creativity.
- Rookie of the Year: ALLDAY PROJECT or CORTIS — strong choreography, clear identity.
- Comeback Highlight: G-DRAGON’s stage will likely define this decade, bridging K-pop’s golden and Gen Z eras.
💬 IVAN’s Perspective:
This year’s K-pop awards 2025 season will mark a shift — where artistic credibility, global reach, and fandom engagement finally collide on one stage.
💿 BLACKPINK Solo Essentials
- Jennie — Like Jennie (CD + Photobook) →
- Jisoo — Earthquake Single Album →
- Rosé — Toxic Till The End Vinyl LP →
Own the music shaping this year’s strongest female category.
🎶 Stage Leaders — Stray Kids · aespa · SEVENTEEN
Relive the stages that will dominate the 2025 MAMA Awards lineup.
🎁 MAMA 2025 Official Collectibles
- MAMA 2025 Official Poster →
- MAMA 2025 DVD Box Set →
- MAMA 2025 Backstage Photobook →
Bring home the night that defines global K-pop awards 2025.
🎫 7. Schedule & Tickets
- Dates: November 28–29, 2025
- Venue: Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong
- Tickets: Available via Cityline, Damai, Trip.com, and Qoo10
- Presales: Begin October 22 via VISA Priority Access
📚 8. References
- CJ ENM Official Newsroom — cjenm.com
- Kai Tak Sports Park — kaitaksportspark.com.hk
- Billboard Philippines — Nominee Criteria & Weights
- NME · Bandwagon Asia · Los40 — Performer coverage
- Wikipedia (2024 Category Structure Comparison)
For more deep dives into global K-pop trends and award analysis,
visit Ivan’s K-pop Category
💬 Final IVAN Thought
“The 2025 MAMA Awards lineup reflects the evolution of K-pop as global culture — not just entertainment.
From Hong Kong’s skyline to Kai Tak’s stadium lights, this is where Asia’s pop revolution meets the world.”