Annual K-pop honors to mark milestone anniversary in Taiwan’s largest indoor venue

TAIPEI — The 40th Golden Disc Awards will be held on January 10, 2026, at the Taipei Dome, organizers announced Friday. The event marks a major milestone for the prestigious Korean music awards show, now entering its fourth decade.

With a seating capacity of 40,000, the Taipei Dome is the largest indoor arena in Taiwan and one of the most high-profile venues to host the Golden Disc Awards to date. Organizers say this year’s edition will be among the biggest in the ceremony’s history, both in scale and international reach.

This will be the seventh time the awards are held outside South Korea. Past international editions have taken place in Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Bangkok, Jakarta, and Fukuoka, drawing thousands of fans from across Asia. The decision to bring the show to Taipei follows the success of the Golden Wave concert in Kaohsiung in April 2025, which drew an audience of 40,000 for a star-studded K-pop lineup.

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, the Golden Disc Awards is also undergoing a rebranding. The new emblem retains the iconic disc motif but incorporates a soundwave design to reflect the evolving landscape of global music. The official title has been shortened from “Golden Disc Awards” to simply “golden disc.”

Organizers emphasized the event’s continued focus on credibility and transparency. Winners will be selected based on album sales and digital streaming metrics. In addition, the awards will expand their presence as a digital platform by producing daily music-related content leading up to the ceremony across social media and online channels.

Hosted by South Korea’s JoongAng Group, the Golden Disc Awards has long been considered one of the most coveted honors in the K-pop industry, often referred to as a “dream award” by artists. With a newly revamped brand and a prominent international venue, the 2026 ceremony is expected to attract even greater global attention.

At the 2025 edition held in Fukuoka, boy band Seventeen won Album of the Year, while girl group aespa received Digital Song of the Year. Other notable winners included IVE, (G)I-DLE, soloist BIBI, and rock band Day6.

Sayart / Kang In sig insig6622@naver.com