▲ Promotional poster for 2024 MAMA Awards ⓒ CJ ENMCJ ENM announced on Thursday that the 2024 MAMA Awards, the largest K-pop awards ceremony globally, will be held in the United States for the first time. The prestigious event will commence at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on November 21, before transitioning to the Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan for the subsequent days, November 22-23.

This development represents a significant milestone in broadening the global reach of K-pop and engaging fans across various time zones. The MAMA Awards, with a legacy spanning 25 years, have previously taken place in various Asian locations, including Macao, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Japan.

Harry Shin, head of music entertainment at CJ ENM, stated, “The 2024 MAMA Awards will present an array of K-pop performances with immersive visuals and sounds designed to transport viewers to another reality. Our goal is to deliver an unparalleled experience with iconic moments that only the MAMA Awards can provide.”

The theme for this year’s ceremony is “Big Blur: What Is Real?” focusing on the intersections of industry, culture, genre, and technology. The event will feature surreal yet authentic experiences, blending art with technology. This year’s awards will maintain the tradition of uniting global fans under the motto “Music Makes One.”

Launched in 1999 by CJ ENM’s music channel Mnet, the MAMA Awards began as Korea’s first music video awards ceremony. Over the years, they evolved into the Mnet Asian Music Awards, becoming the first pan-Asian music awards, and were rebranded in 2022 to reflect a more global perspective.

The 2024 MAMA Awards will be broadcast globally on various digital platforms.

Sayart / ReaA JUNG, queen7203@gmail.com