KPOP DISCOVER

K-pop glossary

Year-end Award Shows

The cluster of Korean music award shows held from November into January, as the press calls it.

Category: Awards

Also known as: award season

Last updated

Meaning

"Year-end award shows" is how the Korean press refers to the run of music ceremonies from November into the new year. In the 2025 season, the Korea Grand Music Awards were held November 14-15, MAMA AWARDS November 28-29, the Asia Artist Awards December 6 and the Melon Music Awards December 20, with the Golden Disc Awards following on January 10, 2026. Some major shows fall outside that window: the Seoul Music Awards moved to June from its 34th edition, and The Fact Music Awards were held in September in 2026. A ceremony's date and the period it honors can also differ: the 40th Golden Disc Awards covered releases from early November 2024 to late October 2025.

Usage

Used for the season as a whole: "their first year-end award show sweep." Name each ceremony when citing a specific win.

Examples

  • In the 2025 season, KGMA, MAMA, AAA and MMA ran from November to December, followed by the Golden Disc Awards in January 2026.
  • The Seoul Music Awards moved to June from its 34th edition, so it is no longer part of the year-end season.

In context

Related pagesArtists Find a termBack to glossary

Sources