Trot and band artists who enrich the K-pop scene will all gather for the 2025 KGMA presented by Ilgan Sports.
On the 17th, the KGMA organizing committee officially announced Park Seo-jin, Lee Chan-won, Jang Min-ho and bands Lucy and Xdinary Heroes (in alphabetical order) as the "trot & band" lineup for the "2025 Korea Grand Music Awards with iMBank" (2025 KGMA), to be held Nov. 14 and 15 at Inspire Arena in Unseo-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon.
Park Seo-jin is a trot singer who drew attention for his unique performance combining janggu and trot; after winning the final of King of Singers 2 last year, he firmly established himself beyond the "god of the janggu" as the "trot crown prince." Currently active in the "Japan-Korea king" competition, he plans to release a new song titled "Your Story," composed by Yoon Myung-sun, in early October.
Lee Chan-won confirmed his appearance for a second consecutive year following the 2024 KGMA. Last year he swept five awards, from best adult contemporary, trend of the year trot star, Diggers Digging artist, Lulua X FanCast most popular award, to best song 10. In addition to his singing activities, he is active in various fields such as variety shows and will make a comeback with his second full-length album in October.
Jang Min-ho, who after a long period of obscurity placed sixth in Mr. Trot 1 in 2020 and reached his prime 24 years after his debut, is known as the "trot gentleman" and boasts diverse musicality spanning gugak, ballad and dance. With dependable hosting skills, he is expanding his activities and is the top choice for MCs of trot variety and audition programs.
Lucy (Shin Ye-chan, Choi Sang-yeop, Jo Won-sang, Shin Kwang-il) first formed on the band audition program "Superband" and has led the revival of the band scene as the epitome of the "youth band." With an original sound that includes violin and a free-spirited charm, they have captivated listeners and are performing as headliners at various festivals.
Xdinary Heroes (Geonil, Jungsoo, Gaon, Odd, Junhan, Jooyeon) are a band gaining attention for solid musicality and a powerful, colorful sound; this year they successfully completed their second world tour "Beautiful Mind" and continued their distinctive path by performing on the Lollapalooza Chicago stage.
KGMA is an awards ceremony newly established by Ilgan Sports to present a new paradigm in Korea's popular music scene. At the first ceremony held Nov. 16-17 last year, six acts — aespa, NewJeans, DAY6, (G)I-DLE, ATEEZ and ZEROBASEONE — took home the highest honor, the 2024 grand trophy.
The 2025 KGMA will be staged as a festival where artists and fans come together, featuring singers who achieved meaningful results over the year across various sectors of popular music, including K-pop, bands and trot, that received great love from domestic and international fans. Red Velvet's Irene and Kiss of Life's Natti will serve as MCs on the 14th and 15th respectively, and actor Nam Ji-hyun will return as an MC for both days following last year to join them.
Earlier, the KGMA organizing committee announced BoyNextDoor, Stray Kids, IVE, ATEEZ, Kiss of Life and Fifty Fifty as the first lineup, and announced rookie lineups including Miyao, Ahnop, All Day Project, Close Your Eyes, Kiki, KickFlip, Hearts2Hearts and SMTR25, formalizing their appearances. The KGMA organizing committee will announce the third lineup and special lineup sequentially.
The "2025 Korea Grand Music Awards with iMBank" (KGMA) is hosted by Ilgan Sports (Edaily M) and jointly organized by the KGMA organizing committee, CreatorRing and DIO. IM Bank participates as the title sponsor, Incheon Metropolitan City and Incheon Tourism Organization sponsor the event, overseas inbound tickets are operated by Noldeun Oppadeul, Noneuni Special Forces Entertainment and Art Firm Factory, and BigK handles domestic tickets. KGMA music and album data are provided by Hanteo Chart, GENIE MUSIC, FLO and Bugs, and the official fan vote will be conducted through the FanCast app. Production is by Set The Stage.
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