The Korea Daily Sports-hosted "2025 Korea Grand Music Awards" (KGMA) has started ticket reservations, igniting excitement among domestic and international K-pop fans.
On the 15th, the KGMA organizing committee said the first domestic ticket opening for the "2025 Korea Grand Music Awards with iMBank" (2025 KGMA), to be held Nov. 14 and 15 at Incheon Inspire Arena, will be available today at 8 p.m. through Bigk Pass. The second reservation opens at 8 p.m. on the 16th. This year's KGMA is preparing special stages not seen elsewhere, so it is expected to draw significant interest from fans attending in person.
▲ Skz surprise stage → Lee Chan-won guitar performance…various performances
Last year, under the theme "birth of the galaxy," a dazzling series of 33 star-studded stages left a deep impression on K-pop fans; this year, in line with the theme "LINK to K-POP," special stages will link song, stage, generation and the history of K-pop into one. Rookie groups that shone brightly this year will present special stages connecting K-pop's history from the 1st to the 5th generation in sequence, achieving a grand unification of K-pop generations.
Special stages by individual artists at KGMA are also points of interest. Stray Kids, who have left a mark on Billboard's 70-year history and risen to global top-artist status, will present a special "ceremony" with fans at this KGMA, and expectations are high because they plan to reveal a stage never before shown on broadcast for the first time at this KGMA.
Trot stars will also mesmerize the audience with unexpected performances. All-around entertainer Lee Chan-won, who can do everything from singing to instrument playing, will present a special stage to fans with a guitar performance.
A dramatic transformation by Jang Min-ho, who originally debuted as part of the boy group U-BISS and is an origin idol, is another intriguing sight. Jang Min-ho is determined to bring out his hidden dance instincts to create a mega stage.
Also, Park Seo-jin, the "god of the janggu" who recently performed as Korea's representative king in the Korea-Japan singing competition, has promised to deliver an unprecedented stage with a dazzling janggu performance.
▲ breakout act Wooz → rookie performances fill KGMA
In addition, it is the first time breakout singer-songwriter Wooz will attend a domestic music awards show, so fan interest in his stage is high. Also, band musicians Xdinary Heroes and Lucy, who will each appear on different days, plan to fully showcase the diverse spectrum of K-band music on the KGMA stage.
Teams that heated up the music scene from their debut year and secured spots in the rookie lineup — Miyaw, I-DIT, Ahop, All Day Project, Close Your Eyes, Kiki, KickFlip, Hearts2Hearts and others — are determined to illuminate KGMA with highly polished performances befitting the title of "complete rookies." SM trainee project team SMTR25, meeting domestic fans for the first time through KGMA, is preparing its stage with more excitement than ever.
In addition to these acts, including ATEEZ, who received acclaim last year for an unprecedented stage at KGMA, the lineup of which stars will present what special stages at the "2025 KGMA" will be revealed sequentially.
On Nov. 14 and 15, the two days of the "2025 KGMA" will be organized respectively as "Artist Day" and "Music Day." On the first day, Artist Day will feature The Boyz, Miyaw, Park Seo-jin, BE:NEXTDOOR, Psycus, INI, ATEEZ, Xdinary Heroes, All Day Project, Wooz, Lee Chan-won, CRAVITY, Kiki, Fifty Fifty, SMTR25 (in alphabetical order), and on the second day, Music Day will boast a glamorous lineup including NEXG, Lucy, BTOB, Suho (EXO), Stray Kids, I-DIT, IVE, Ahop, Yunis, Jang Min-ho, Close Your Eyes, Kiss of Life, KickFlip, fromis_9, Pi One Harmony, and Hearts2Hearts.
Now in its second year, KGMA will offer a more dazzling and diverse experience to fans worldwide through stages that combine musical evolution and cutting-edge technology. Following last year, actor Nam Ji-hyun will return as MC for two consecutive days; on the first day she will pair with Irene (Red Velvet), and on the second day with Nathy (Kiss of Life). Since Winter (aespa), who served as MC last year, presented a special opening stage, attention is on whether the MCs will also offer unique stages this year.
KGMA is hosted by Korea Daily Sports (eDaily M) and jointly organized by the KGMA organizing committee, Creatoring and DIO, with support from Incheon Metropolitan City and the Incheon Tourism Organization. iMBank joined as the title sponsor, and KT ENA will participate again as the broadcast partner and main broadcaster. Music and album data are provided by Hanteo Chart, GENIE MUSIC, Flo and Bugs. Production is handled by Set The Stage. Noldeun Oppa and Art Firm Factory are in charge of overseas inbound tickets.
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