Mnet plans for cross-generational acts, an expanded fan festival across Osaka and improved sound quality
The 2026 Mnet Asian Music Awards is expanding on and off the stage, with cross-generational collaborations pairing Big Bang with Korean animation character Dooly, Enhypen with the “Dune” franchise and veteran duo Panic with a younger generation of K-pop artists.
CJ ENM unveiled details of the two-day awards show during a press conference in southern Seoul on Thursday, outlining plans to turn this year’s event into a broader music festival beyond Kyocera Dome Osaka, where the ceremony will be held Nov. 20-21.
“This year’s theme, ‘A Music Interstellar,’ is intended to connect K-pop’s past, present and future across generations, genres and different forms of art,” Mnet head Yoon Shin-hye said.
The ceremony will be divided into two chapters. Chapter 1 on Nov. 20 will focus on artist categories, including fan-voted awards and prizes for rookie, solo and group artists. Chapter 2, the following day, will center on performance and works, including genre-based awards and the newly introduced Best Song Top 10. The category selects the year’s top 10 songs based on streaming and download data, with the song of the year winner chosen from among them.
Actor Park Bo-gum, who has hosted the ceremony multiple times since 2017, will return as the newly appointed MAMA ambassador, hosting both days and connecting the two chapters under the event’s theme.
Among the highlights fans can look forward to are this year’s special collaboration stages, long a hallmark of the MAMAs for their unexpected artist pairings.
Panic, the veteran duo of Lee Juck and JP, will perform with Cortis members Martin and Seonghyeon, Woodz, Zerobaseone’s Kim Taerae, Allday Project’s Woochan and Hearts2Hearts’ Yuha. Panic debuted in 1995, the same year Mnet launched.
Enhypen will stage a cinematic collaboration with the upcoming third “Dune” film, combining the science-fiction franchise’s universe with the group’s own fantasy-driven worldbuilding.
Big Bang, meanwhile, will team up with characters from “Dooly the Little Dinosaur,” one of Korea’s best-known animated franchises.
The organizers are also preparing collaborations beyond music, including a project with contemporary artist Lee Bae, best known for his charcoal-based works.
This year’s MAMAs will also extend beyond the venue with the first MAMA Fan Festa, running across Osaka from Nov. 9 through Nov. 21.
CJ ENM's head of live entertainment business Park Chan-uk said the project was designed to move beyond simply watching the awards and allow fans to experience the MAMAs throughout the host city.
Participating restaurants in areas including Dotonbori will offer food collaborations and discounts, while music from nominated artists will play inside the HEP Five Ferris Wheel. Namba Square will host a welcome station, while other programs include virtual high-five experiences with artists, backstage footage linked to rehearsals at Kyocera Dome and a red-carpet photo zone.
“We focused on creating something fans can experience and feel rather than simply watch,” Park said. “We wanted them to enjoy the awards ceremony in their own way, come across unexpected moments of excitement and discover new interests along the way.”
Park added that CJ ENM plans to continue the Fan Festa concept in future host cities.
Despite the MAMAs' reputation for large-scale performances, sound quality has remained a weak point, particularly for viewers watching through broadcasts and livestreams.
“We take the criticism regarding sound quality very seriously and have continued working to improve it,” Yoon said, adding that the production team had found differences between venue sound and audio delivered through broadcasts and digital platforms.
“We are currently testing how we can make the sound equally good across each environment,” she said. “We are working on improvements and hope to prove that through this year’s show.”
The issue carries particular weight given the MAMAs' global audience. According to CJ ENM, the 2024 ceremony surpassed 100 million cumulative digital views within five days, while last year’s event was watched across around 250 regions worldwide.
The 2026 MAMAs will be livestreamed globally through platforms including Mnet Plus. The show will take place on Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. and Nov. 21 at 3 p.m.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
