SEOUL, Oct 13 — K-pop heavyweights BTS, Blackpink and Stray Kids are among the acts competing for top honours at this year’s MAMA Awards, where established stars and newer groups will vie for the industry’s major prizes.
The Korea Herald reported that nominations for the November ceremony were announced on Monday, coinciding with the opening of voting for the 2027 Grammy Awards, where the three acts are absent from the newly introduced Asian pop music performance category.
Organised by CJ ENM, the 2026 MAMA Awards will take place on November 20 and 21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan.
BTS and Stray Kids did not submit music for Grammy consideration this year, while Blackpink’s eligible tracks from its February EP Deadline are performed entirely in English and do not meet the new category’s requirement for meaningful use of at least one Asian language.
