The 2024 MAMA Awards: A Celebration of K-Pop Excellence in Los Angeles and Osaka

The 2024 MAMA Awards have commenced, marking an unprecedented celebration of K-pop in both Los Angeles, United States, and Osaka, Japan. The event began on November 21, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, continuing later at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka on November 22 and 23.

This year’s edition of the awards witnesses aespa leading the nominations with eight nods, including high-profile categories such as the Visa Artist of the Year, Visa Song of the Year, and Visa Album of the Year. Following closely is BLACKPINK‘s JENNIE, who has secured seven nominations for her solo performances, including Artist and Song of the Year.

The awards have also recognized numerous other acts, such as Girls' Generation‘s TAEYEON, SEVENTEEN, (G)I-DLE, IVE, LE SSERAFIM, and RIIZE, who have all received multiple nominations across various “Grand” award categories.

The event officially commenced with a press conference featuring performances by U.S. artist J.Y. Park and the group RIIZE. Park hinted at a spontaneous collaboration with Anderson .Paak, focusing on an impromptu feel to their performance. RIIZE expressed that their performance paid homage to Michael Jackson, featuring a dance segment inspired by an «eclipse,» as shared by the group’s eldest member, Shotaro.

The award ceremony, organized by CJ ENM through Mnet, saw its debut in the United States, with subsequent activities transitioning to Japan. The U.S. chapter was hosted by Dolby Theatre, where event attendees began to arrive on the red carpet at 4 PM PST. Media personalities Hanhae and Lee Hye Seong conducted the hosting duties in Osaka, which started shortly after the ceremony in Los Angeles.

The performances in Japan featured unique collaboration stages, bringing together members from various groups, including Karina from aespa, Rei from IVE, Yeonjun from TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT), Hanbin from &TEAM, and Yoshi from TREASURE under the theme «BIG BLUR: What is Real?» TXT members, in collaboration with other groups, performed as a special band called TOENZE.

This year’s broadcast of the MAMA Awards is available to audiences globally via various platforms. In the U.S., Samsung TV Plus provides exclusive streaming rights, while Mnet offers coverage in South Korea. Other regions, including Southeast Asia, can view the awards via local channels such as TVN Asia. Additional viewing is available through multiple YouTube channels dedicated to K-pop, including Mnet K-Pop and KCON.

The 2024 MAMA Awards continue to spotlight outstanding achievements in the K-pop industry, with nominees across diverse categories eagerly awaiting the announcement of winners, particularly in the highly anticipated Song of the Year and Artist of the Year categories.