2025 Korean Music Awards: Check out the complete nomination list as Rosé, aespa, and more earn top honors

The 2025 Korean Music Awards nomination list was revealed on February 6 at 2:00 PM KST. The nominations were live-streamed from the media platform PRIZM.

The Korean Music Awards honours mainstream and underground musical artists across all genres. The awards are determined by an esteemed selection committee comprising renowned musicians, critics and top experts from the industry.

This year's Korean Music Awards are sponsored by PRIZM, PhotoGray, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Korea Creative Content Agency. The selection committee is chaired by Kim Gwang-hyun, who serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Monthly Jazz People.

Check out the complete nomination list, featuring a variety of artists, with Rosé and aespa taking the top spots.

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List of Nominations for 2025 Korean Music Awards

General Award Category Nominees for 2025 Korean Music Awards

Album Of The Year

• Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble for Hail To The Music
• Silica gel for POWER ANDRE 99
• Sumin, Slom for Miniseries 2
• HYUKOH, Sunset Rollercoaster for AAA
• aespa for Armageddon - The 1st Album

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Song of The Year

• Sumin, Slom for Why, Why, Why'
• Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble for Independence
• Rosé for APT ft. Bruno Mars
• Aespa for Supernova
• BIBI for Bam Yang Gang

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Musician Of The Year for 2025 Korean Music Awards

• Rosé
• Lee Seung-yoon
• Silica Gel
• Aespa
• Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble

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Rookie Of The Year for 2025 Korean Music Awards

• Joo Hye-rin
• Samsan
• ILLIT
• TWS
• Choi Miru
• Sanmanhan

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Genre Category Award Nominees for 2025 Korean Music Awards

Best Jazz and Crossover - Jazz Album for 2025 Korean Music Awards

• Hwang Minwang ft. SATOSHI Takeishi for Jang:dan
• Kim Min-hee for Confessin’
• Kim Joo-hwan for AFTER MIDNIGHT: Still in the Moonlight
• Kim Ji-hyw for PADO
• Na Yoon-sun for Elles
• Nam Ye-ji for Old Songs,Tmmm
• Nubim for Crossroads (Live in Amsterdam)
• Dulabam for Dulabam
• Liberosis for Re-mind
• BANDO for Shape of the Land
• Yoon Seok-cheol Trio for My Summer is Not Over Yet
• Lee Seon-ji for Eternal
• Hae In-cho for Sight Beyond Sight
• Lee Ji-hye Orchestra for Infinite Connections
• Teho for Pierrot le Fumeur
• Pudditorium for Prologue : Hope

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Best Rock Album

• Kim Soo-chul for Kim Soo-chul 45th Anniversary Album Where Are You
• Seoul Buin for Wrecking Havoc
• Soumbalgwang for Fire and Light
• Lee Seung-yoon for Yeok Seong
• MONO4OLY for Ordinary Chaos

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Best Rock Song

• Kim Soo-chul for Where Are You
• Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble for Independence
• Bongjeingan for Know You Did
• Lee Seung-yoon for Anthems of Defiance
• MONO4OLY for Fake Empire

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Best Modern Rock Album

• Leaves Black for Wind
• Meaningful Stone for Supernova
• Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble for Hail To The Music
• Silica gel for POWER ANDRE 99
• HYUKOH, Sunset Rollercoaster for AAA

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Best Modern Rock Song

• Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble for Days Happier Than Today will be Few in My Remaining Life
• Wave to earth for annie.
• Lee Seung-yoon for Waterfall
• Hanroro for Home
• (HYUKOH), Sunset Rollercoaster for Young Man

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Best Metal and Hardcore Album

• Materials Pound for Bulb
• Seaweed Mustache for 2
• Sahon for Blood Shall be Paid
• Fecundation for Moribund
• The Holy Mountain for The Holy Mountain

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Best Rap and Hip-Hop Album

• Garion for Garion 3
• B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki for Free Hukky Shibaseki & the God Sun Symphony Group: Odyssey.1
• O'KOYE for Whether The Weather Changes Or Not
• EK for Escape
• KWAII for Distorted

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Best Rap and Hip-Hop Song

• B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki for INDO
• G-DRAGON for Power
• KWAII for Pride
• QM for Gun in the Mouth ft. Zico
• Fleeky Bang for Fire ft. CHANGMO

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Best R&B & Soul Album

• BRWN for Monsoon
• SUMIN, Slom for Miniseries 2
• SOLE for Time Machine
• Jeongin, Mild Beats for Jeongin & Mild Beats
• JINBO the SuperFreak, Hersh, PoPoMo for PoPoMo

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Best R&B & Soul Song

• SUMIN, Slom for Why, Why, Why'
• SOLE for Still Love
• Jeongin, Mild Beats for Blame
• John Park for Like a Dream
• Joo Hye-rin for Crazy

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Best Pop Album

• Kim Yuna for Tales of Sensuality
• Savina & Drones for Lasha
• Seonwoo Jeong-ah for Beyond
• Okdal for 40
• John Park for PSST!

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Best Pop Song

• BIBI for Bam Yang Gang
• Seonwoo Jeong-ah for Star Candy
• IU for Love Wins All
• Okdal for Diving
• Lee Young-ji for Small girl ft. D.O.

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Best K-Pop Album

• (G)I-DLE for 2
• RIIZE for RIIZING: Epilogue-1st Mini Album
• aespa for Armageddon - The 1st Album
• Yves for I Did
• tripleS for ASSEMBLE 24

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Best K-Pop Song for 2025 Korean Music Awards

• Rosé for APT ft. Bruno Mars
• ILLIT for Magnetic
• aespa for Supernova
• TWS for Plot Twist
• tripleS for Girls Never Die

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Best Electronic Album

• GAZAEBAL for Texture Music : 2011 - 2020
• Sound Supply Service for SCA2
• HWI for Humanly Possible
• Hypnosis Therapy for Raw Survival
• NET GALA for GALAPAGGOT

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Best Electronic Song

• Mount XLR for Oving
• Swimrabbit for EVOLUTION ft. Hunjiya
• Haepaary for The Night
• HWI for Your Past Life
• Hypnosis Therapy for Blaze

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Best Folk Album

• Kang Asol for From Where No One Is, To Where Everyone Is
• Kim Sa-wol for Default
• Moher for Kaleidoscope
• Sanmanhan for Sanmanhan
• Xeuda for How Can I Tell You Love

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Best Folk Song

• Kang Asol for Anyone But Me
• Moher for Baksugijeong
• Sanmanhan for When It Becomes A Song
• Xeuda for How can I tell you love
• Choi Miru for Dap

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The 2025 Korean Music Awards Ceremony will be streamed live on the Korean Music Awards' YouTube channel and PRISM LIVE on Feb 27, 2025.