Jennie and Aespa to Headline ‘MMA2025’ with Stellar Lineup – MK
The highly anticipated Melon Music Awards 2025 (MMA2025) has unveiled its impressive lineup of K-pop stars, promising exclusive performances that are bound to excite music fans worldwide. Hosted by Melon, a music platform under Kakao Entertainment, the 17th edition of the Melon Music Awards is scheduled to take place on December 20 at the iconic Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.
A star-studded lineup featuring global K-pop artists and rising talents such as G-Dragon, Jay Park, 10CM, Zico, EXO, Woodz, Jennie, Aespa, Ive, Hanroro, BoyNextDoor, Riize, Plave, NCT Wish, Illit, Hearts2Hearts, KiiiKiii, AllDay Project, Idid, and ALPHA DRIVE ONE (ALD1) will come together at MMA2025 to electrify the audience with specially curated performances designed exclusively for the event.
Making a comeback to the Melon Music Awards stage after 16 years, Jay Park is set to deliver a hip-hop performance alongside his crew and his own rookie boy group, LNGSHOT. 10CM will showcase his exceptional vocals with ‘The Moment I Fell in Love’, while Zico, preparing to release a new track on December 19, will debut his latest stage at MMA. EXO, in their first appearance in eight years, will commemorate their journey with a special performance and unveil a track from their upcoming eighth album for the first time on broadcast. Woodz, who recently made a remarkable comeback on the Melon chart, will present a poignant stage centered around ‘the loss of love’ along with a captivating dance performance.
The legendary performer Jennie is set to mesmerize viewers with a performance where she embodies the stage and transforms into art. Aespa, riding high on the success of ‘Dirty Work’ and ‘Rich Man’, will showcase an exclusive stage at MMA and deliver the highly anticipated ‘Drift’ performance. Ive will dazzle the audience with a medley of their chart-topping hits from the year, including ‘REBEL HEART’, ‘ATTITUDE’, and ‘XOXZ’, showcasing their undeniable presence.
The rock star of Gen Z, Hanroro, will offer a message of solace to the youth with his emotive style, while BoyNextDoor will deliver a cinematic and grand performance themed around the ‘present moment’. Riize will interpret the themes of ‘growth and realization’ through their performance concepts of grandeur, intensity, and thrill. Plave, the virtual idol group returning for the second year in a row, will enchant fans with a Christmas-themed transformation.
NCT Wish will intertwine their hits such as ‘COLOR’ and ‘poppop’ into a compelling narrative, making their broadcast debut with a mesmerizing stage. Illit will shed their previous image for a darker, more captivating charm, while Hearts2Hearts will transform into ‘secret garden fairies’ and present a special solo stage by Jiwoo, exclusive to MMA. KiiiKiii will bring a scorching performance themed around ‘a message from my present self to all my moments’, while AllDay Project will showcase their growth as artists throughout the year. Idid and ALPHA DRIVE ONE (ALD1) will also deliver powerful performances, each with their unique styles and themes.
With KakaoBank as the title sponsor, this year’s MMA2025 will celebrate all the moments and stories connected through music under the slogan ‘Play The Moment’. The event will be broadcast live on December 20 starting at 5 p.m. through the Melon app/web in Korea, Wavve, U-NEXT in Japan, and Magenta TV in Germany. International fans can catch the performances via the official Melon and 1theK YouTube channels. Let MMA2025 take you on a musical journey filled with unparalleled performances and unforgettable memories.