The 2025 MAMA Awards, one of K-pop's most prestigious year-end music ceremonies, is set to make a spectacular return to Hong Kong this month after a seven-year absence. The two-day event, scheduled for November 28 and 29, will take place at the newly opened Kai Tak Stadium and will feature an impressive lineup of 27 artist teams alongside Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh as a presenter.
The choice of venue marks a significant upgrade for the awards ceremony. The brand-new 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium is four times larger than the MAMA Awards' typical venues, providing an unprecedented scale for performances that will showcase both rising rookie groups and established veteran stars. This expanded capacity reflects the growing global reach and popularity of K-pop music and culture.
The timing of Hong Kong's selection as host city is particularly meaningful, as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of CJ ENM's music channel Mnet, which organizes the MAMA Awards. Hong Kong holds special significance for the ceremony, having hosted the event more frequently than any other city since its inception. The awards show has a rich history of international venues, having previously been held in Seoul, Macau, Singapore, Tokyo, and Los Angeles, establishing itself as a crucial platform for K-pop's global showcase.
Park Chan-uk, head of live entertainment at CJ ENM's music content division, explained the strategic reasoning behind returning to Hong Kong during a recent media event. "It's a region that provides easy access to K-pop fandoms around the world," he stated, emphasizing Hong Kong's position as a gateway to international audiences. He also noted that the launch of the new stadium was a key factor in the decision to bring the show back to the city.
This year's ceremony operates under the theme "Hear My Roar, Uh-Heung," which draws inspiration from the Korean word "heung," representing joyful energy expressed through song and dance. Lee Young-joo, one of the ceremony's producers, elaborated on this concept: "We set 'heung' as the core value of the event. It represents a confident cry to embrace oneself fully and live authentically beyond boundaries of region, race and culture. We aim to create a stage that amplifies that spirit to its fullest."
The star-studded lineup is divided across both days of the event. The first day will feature performances by Babymonster, Boynextdoor, Enhypen, Hearts2Hearts, (G)I-DLE, IVE, NCT Wish, Super Junior, Treasure, and TWS. The second day promises equally impressive entertainment with aespa, Allday Project, Cortis, G-Dragon, RIIZE, Stray Kids, Tomorrow X Together, and ZEROBASEONE, among others.
The hosting duties will be shared between two prominent Korean entertainment figures. Actor Park Bo-gum will serve as the master of ceremonies for the opening day, while actress Kim Hye-soo will lead the second day's proceedings. Among the notable presenters, Malaysian-born actress Michelle Yeoh, who has become a Hong Kong cinema icon and recent Oscar winner, will add international star power to the ceremony.
One of the most anticipated segments will be a special collaborative stage featuring Netflix's global hit animated series "KPop Demon Hunters." This unique performance will merge live K-pop performances with animation, creating an innovative entertainment experience. Producer Ma Du-sik revealed that "our K-pop artists will bring to life the fictional idol groups Saja Boys and Huntr/x," though he noted that the specific participating artists have yet to be confirmed.
The MAMA Awards has evolved significantly since its humble beginnings. Originally launched in 1999 as the Mnet Video Music Awards, the ceremony was rebranded as the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) in 2009 before being simplified to just the MAMA Awards in 2022. This evolution reflects the growing international recognition and influence of K-pop music.
The global reach of this year's ceremony will be unprecedented, with live streaming available via Mnet Plus and other platforms to audiences in 250 countries and regions worldwide. This extensive distribution ensures that K-pop fans across the globe can participate in the celebration, regardless of their geographic location, further cementing the MAMA Awards' status as a truly international cultural event.
