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ADOR’s rookie girl group NewJeans has once again made incredible achievements by bagging three trophies at the 20th Korean Music Awards. The awards ceremony was held on March 5, 2023.
The Korean Music Awards (KMA) are considered to be South Korea’s Grammy-equivalent awards show. Unlike album sales, streams, or mainstream popularity, the KMAs focus on musical achievement and are thus considered the most prestigious awards show in the country.
Only a handful of K-pop artists have achieved the KMAs, such as BTS, BIGBANG, SNSD, PSY, IU and aespa.
Joining them is the super rookie girl group, the Hype Boy singers, who became the second-ever idol group (after aespa) to win Rookie of the Year Daesang.
Fans celebrate NewJeans’ incredible win at the 20th Korean Music Awards
On March 5, NewJeans won three awards at the 20th Korean Music Awards for their musical achievement. The group won Best K-pop Song for Attention, Best K-pop Album for their self-titled debut album, and Rookie of the Year Daesang. Fans were in celebratory mode as soon as the winners were announced.
The KMAs hold the biggest reputation in the Korean music industry as they honor both mainstream and underground artists solely based on recommendations from an expert panel. This is unlike other award shows that focus on sales-based evaluations. Its judging panel is made up of music critics, radio show producers, and music and culture professors, among others.
Having NewJeans, a barely seven-month-old group to bag three awards, among which one was a grand prize, was nothing short of a celebration for fans. Flaunting the group’s music and style, fans expressed how proud they were of the group. Additionally, the Ditto singers are the only idol group to receive the prestigious KMA award this year.
Take a look at how fans reacted to the wins:
All the winners of the 20th Korean Music Awards
The Korean Music Awards recognize not just mainstream but also underground artists. It has approximately 20 categories, including Rap, R&B and Soul, Electronic, Modern Rock, Rock, Jazz, K-pop, and many more.
- Artist of the Year: 250
- Song of the Year: Younha – Event Horizon
- Album of the Year: 250 – PPONG
- Rookie of the Year: NewJeans
- Best K-Pop Song: NewJeans – Attention
- Best K-Pop Album: NewJeans – New Jeans
- Best Pop Song: Younha – Event Horizon
- Best Pop Album: AKMU’s Lee Chan-hyuk – ERROR
- Best Rock Song: Jambinai – from the place been erased (feat. Sunwoojunga)
- Best Rock Album: Concorde – Supersonic Airliner
- Best Modern Rock Song: Silica Gel – NO PAIN
- Best Modern Rock Album: The Black Skirts – TEEN TROUBLES
- Best R&B and Soul Song: BIBI – JOTTO
- Best R&B and Soul Album: A.TRAIN – PRIVATE PINK
- Best Rap and Hip Hop Song: Nucksal, CADEJO – Good Morning Seoul
- Best Rap and Hip Hop Album: Nucksal, CADEJO – Sincerely Yours
- Best Electronic Song: 250 – Bang Bus
- Best Electronic Album: 250 – PPONG
- Best Folk Song: Line and Circle – Night and Day
- Best Folk Album: Line and Circle – Night and Day
- Best Metal & Hardcore Album: Madmans Esprit – I See Myself Through You Who See Us Through Me
- Best Jazz Vocal Album: Kim Yujin – A Piece and the Whole
- Best Jazz Music Album: Song Young-joo – Atmosphere
- Best Global Contemporary Album: Jung Jae-il – psalms
Meanwhile, NewJeans’ self-titled debut EP earned the group its second million-seller title as it crossed 1,036,811 copies as of February 11, per Circle Chart.
