BTS, BLACKPINK, CORTIS and Stray Kids are among the first artists recognized at the 2026 Korean Grand Music Awards (KGMA), with the ceremony beginning to reveal this year’s winners in Seoul. BTS also secured the Best Selling Album prize for ARIRANG, while TREASURE, LUCY and Dayoung picked up awards in their respective categories.
The third edition of the KGMA, organized by Ilgan Sports, takes place on November 7 and 8 at Gocheok Sky Dome. Divided into Artist Day and Music Day, the two-night event brings together 40 performers and celebrates achievements across K-pop, bands, solo music and other genres. The winners are determined through a combination of expert jury evaluations, chart performance, album sales and fan participation, with data from platforms including Hanteo, Genie, Bugs and FLO.
The first batch of winners highlights the range of artists recognized this year. BTS, BLACKPINK, CORTIS and Stray Kids have been announced among the recipients of the Best Artist award, one of the ceremony’s major honors.
Other early announcements include TREASURE, which won Best Hip-Hop, while LUCY received Best Band. Dayoung was named Style Icon. Further awards are expected to be announced as the ceremony progresses across the weekend.
The KGMA introduced its awards in 2024, drawing on Ilgan Sports’ history of recognizing achievements in Korean popular music. Its categories extend beyond the headline prizes, with honors including Grand Artist, Grand Performer, Grand Record, Grand Song and Grand Honor’s Choice, alongside Best Music 10, Most Streamed Music, IS Rising Star and fan-voted awards. The coogoong app also plays a significant role in the voting process, with fan participation contributing to selected categories.
This year’s ceremony features Nam Ji-hyun and RESCENE’s Woni as hosts for Artist Day on November 7, while Kim Jae-won and IVE’s Liz lead Music Day on November 8. Performers across the two nights include TREASURE, ATEEZ, RIIZE, IVE’s Yuna, Young K, P1Harmony, KISS OF LIFE, ITZY and Japanese rock band Novelbright, among others.
As more trophies are handed out at Gocheok Sky Dome, the competition for the ceremony’s biggest honors remains in focus. Scroll down to see the full list of KGMA 2026 winners, and check back for updates as additional recipients are announced throughout both days.
Your daily dose of music news, trends, and fresh drops.
InMusic Newsletter
Best Artist
CORTIS
BTS
Stray Kids
BLACKPINK
Best Selling Album
ARIRANG – BTS
Best Hip-Hop
TREASURE
Trend of the Year Rookie
FLARE U
Style Icon
DAYOUNG
Best Band
LUCY
Best O.S.T.
Young K – ‘The Season That Returned’ (Brave New World O.S.T Part.2)
K-Wave Popularity Award
YUSHI
Leave a Reply