The 2025 Korea Grand Music Awards (KGMA) with iMBank is set to return for its second year, solidifying its status as a premier K-pop festival. The globally anticipated event will take place at the Inspire Arena in Incheon over two nights: “Artist Day” on November 14 and “Music Day” on November 15.
Star-Studded Lineup and Hosts Announced
Actress Nam Ji-hyun will return to host the ceremony for both nights. She will be joined by Irene of Red Velvet on the first day and Natty of Kiss of Life on the second. The festival promises spectacular performances from a massive lineup of 32 teams.
Day 1 (Artist Day) will feature The Boyz, Miyao, Park Seo-jin, BOYNEXTDOOR, xikers, INI, ATEEZ, Xdinary Heroes, ALLDAY PROJECT, WOODZ, Lee Chan-won, Cravity, KiKi, FIFTY FIFTY, and SMTR25.
The “Music Day” lineup on Day 2 includes NEXZ, Dayoung (WJSN), LUCY, BTOB, Suho (EXO), Stray Kids, Aidit, IVE, Ahop, UNIS, Jang Min-ho, Close Your Eyes, Kiss of Life, KICKFLIP, fromis_9, P1Harmony, and Hearts to Hearts.
Final Ticket Release and New Seating Options
Reflecting massive global interest, the “all-in-one digital venue platform” BIGC is managing the third round of ticket sales, which opens on October 28 at 12:00 PM KST. This follows two previous domestic pre-sales held on October 15 and 16 via BIGC PASS. This final release will include newly added S-level (limited view) and wheelchair-accessible seats, in addition to the remaining VIP and R-level tickets.
K-Pop Fever Lights Up N Seoul Tower
The excitement for the awards season is already palpable, fueled by K-pop’s ongoing global momentum—a phenomenon recently highlighted in the fictional anime “K-pop Demon Hunters.” At N Seoul Tower, which gained international fame as a key location in the anime, a special promotional event kicked off on October 26.
The tower’s entire facade was illuminated with a spectacular media art display featuring artists from the KGMA lineup, including The Boyz, IVE, Stray Kids, and ATEEZ. Event organizers stated, “At a time when the status of Korean brands is rising thanks to K-pop, we wanted to convey our charm to tourists from around the world.” Main award winners will reportedly be featured in a subsequent media art display following the ceremony.
A New Standard in Music Awards
Launched last year to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the newspaper Ilgan Sports, the KGMA quickly established itself as a major K-pop festival by showcasing differentiated content and highlighting the year’s most-loved artists. The 2025 event aims to elevate the experience further, promising to blend “musical evolution with the latest technology” for a diverse and spectacular show.
The festival’s prestige is also reflected in its roster of presenters. A-list actors, including Kang Tae-oh, Gong Seung-yeon, Kwon Yul, Kim Dan, Kim Do-yeon, Kim Do-hoon, Kim Min-seok, Kim Yo-han, Moon Chae-won, Park Se-wan, Bae Hyun-sung, Byun Woo-seok, Seo Eun-su, Shin Seung-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop, Uhm Tae-goo, Yeonwoo, Ong Seong-wu, Yoon Ga-i, Lee Seol, Lee Se-young, Lee Yeol-eum, Lee Ju-yeon, Jung Jun-won, Chae Seo-an, Choi Soo-young, Choi Yoon-ji, Choo Young-woo, and Ha Young, are scheduled to appear to honor the winners.