The popularity voting for 'KMA (KM Chart Awards) 2026' being held on global fandom platform UPICK has passed the halfway point and is heating up.
The first round of the finals, which began on the 6th and runs until the 19th, is being contested in seven institutional sectors—best popular song, best popular trot, best popular solo artist (male/female), best popular group (male/female), and global rising star—and a fierce competition is unfolding.
Winners of this popularity award are determined 100% by fan votes, and artists who rank in the top 30 in each institutional sector in the first round of the finals will advance to the second round of the finals to be held later.
In the voting for each institutional sector, in the best male group category BTS, ENHYPEN and TOMORROW X TOGETHER have maintained top positions and established a solo run, while in the female group category BABYMONSTER, unit group Yuayoo of Dreamcatcher and Hades have been among the nominees.
Competition in the solo artist category is also notable. In the male category, TOMORROW X TOGETHER's Yeonjun, EXO's D.O., and FLAIR-U's Choi Lip-woo are ranked high, and in the female category (G)I-DLE's Minnie and Yuqi have both placed high. In the trot category, Jeon Yoo-jin and Kim Yong Bin are holding the lead, and the global rising star category is drawing attention with Cortis and KickFlip, who have confirmed attendance at the awards ceremony, performing well.
ZEROBASEONE, which is making a comeback on the 18th with mini album 6 'Ascend-(ASCEND-)', has been listed as a nominee for the male group popularity award and is warming up. Member Sung Hanbin is also nominated for the male solo artist award and is receiving fans' support. As full comeback activities begin, attention is focused on whether their rankings will rebound just before voting closes.
Meanwhile, the 'KMA 2026' main awards ceremony will be held on July 25 at Hwajeong Gymnasium, Korea University in Seoul.
[Photo] TOMORROW X TOGETHER (BigHit Music), BTS (BigHit Music), Cortis (BigHit Music), TOMORROW X TOGETHER Yeonjun (BigHit Music), Doh Kyung Soo (Blitzway Entertainment), (G)I-DLE Minnie (CUBE Entertainment), Jeon Yoo-jin (Showplay)
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