K-Pop fans, get excited because it’s finally time for the end-of-year music shows! All the idols that made a splash this year will take the stage to show unforgettable performances. What’s more, this gives you the chance to find new groups to stan and discover bops you never knew about! From festivals to award ceremonies, there are loads of holiday specials set to broadcast live worldwide, but here are the top five to look out for in the coming weeks:
KBS Song Festival
- (Japan) Festival Date: Dec 14 – Dec 15
- Expected Live Broadcast Date: Dec 20
First up on the schedule is the KBS Song Festival. Viewers mainly look forward to the collab stages between idols, which have always resulted in iconic performances that are still talked about today. The lineup is also impressive, with popular groups like Newjeans, Stayc, Riize, Zerobaseone, and Stray Kids attending. However, each day will have a specific lineup and order, so you will have to take note of when your favorites are performing!
SBS Song Festival
- Date: Dec 25
Aired on Christmas, the SBS Song Festival is a well-known K-Pop holiday special. Taking place in Inspire Arena, where MMA and concerts are often held, viewers can look forward to grand, high-quality performances. This year’s lineup includes Aespa, IVE, Ateez, Enhypen, NCT DREAM, and many other idols. So make sure to turn on the live on Christmas and get into the K-Pop festive spirit!
AAA (Asia Artist Awards)
- Date: Dec 27
Next is Asia Artist Awards, an award ceremony where not just idols but also Korean actors attend! Idols in the running for the popularity awards include Stray Kids, BTS, &TEAM, NiziU, ITZY, and Dreamcatcher. As for the actors’ popularity awards, the most popular K-actors of 2024 are in the lead: Byeon Wooseok, Kim Hyeyoon, Kim Soohyun, and Kim Jiwon. Get ready for some touching speeches and rare shots of your favorite actors vibing to K-Pop!
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MBC Music Festival
- Date: Dec 31
What better way to start the new year than with the MBC Music Festival? Usually held in Seoul, this is one of the biggest K-Pop events of the year, hosting both rookie and veteran idols, as well as solo artists. Last year’s lineup included a variety of Korean artists, such as (G)I-DLE, Shinee, Day6, and Lee Youngji. Not much information has been released yet about this year’s festival, but stay tuned for updates on the lineup!
Golden Disk Awards
- Date: Jan 4 – Jan 5
Finally, we have the 39th Golden Disk Awards, which will take place at the Mizuho PayPay Dome in Fukuoka, Japan. Hosting the ceremony is a popular singer, Sung Sikyung, and Cha Eunwoo, who showed his presenting skills as an MC at the previous GDA ceremony. And to make things more exciting, his True Beauty costar, Moon Gayoung, will also be joining them! Though the lineup is yet to be revealed, it looks like the hosting is in good hands.
Conclusion
This wraps up our list of the top five upcoming award shows. Whether you’re watching to support your favorite idols, see idol reactions, or listen to heartwarming award speeches, each broadcast offers plenty of entertainment for K-Pop fans. With the number of good songs released so far, you can bet there will be some legendary stages. So sit back and enjoy the weeks ahead because this year’s ceremonies look like they’re going to be even better than the last!
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