K-Pop Award Shows Prioritize Profit-Making Over Fairness, KMCA Warns Changes Coming

The landscape of K-Pop award shows has been transforming, not necessarily for the better. The proliferation of these ceremonies, over 20 a year now, signals a trend that is causing concern among industry insiders. Initially meant to honor musical achievements, these events have morphed into profit-driven spectacles, often at the expense of fairness and the artists’ well-being.

| MMA

In recent years, more than five new award shows have emerged, with an additional 3 to 4 expected to debut this year alone, a report by KBS has revealed. This surge has been attributed to sports newspapers and online entertainment media venturing into the awards scene, making it a year-round headache for artists and their agencies. The congestion in the calendar has even forced some organizers to shift their event dates to avoid clashes.

We used to only be troubled by whether to attend awards ceremonies at the end and beginning of the year. Now, it’s a year-round concern.

— One Agency Representative

The Fact Music awards were only created 6 years ago.

A notable shift has been the relocation of these ceremonies to countries with a large K-Pop fanbase, like Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. This move, aimed at tapping into the international fanbase, has significantly driven up ticket prices. For instance, an awards ceremony in Southeast Asia recently had tickets priced at approximately ₩590,000 KRW (about $440 USD), a substantial amount considering the average annual income in the region.

The 2023 MAMA awards were held in Tokyo. | JoongAng Daily

This shift abroad has not been without its drawbacks. Operational mishaps, including safety concerns at events, have marred the experience for attendees and performers alike. Issues range from technical difficulties to more severe incidents like artists falling off stages and disruptions among the audience.

hanbin saying “what do we do…i think it’s dangerous” this award show really was such a mess…making everyone present worry and stress out

pic.twitter.com/wzFPMAp9k4

— byu (@cloudosage) February 18, 2024

제베원 팬들 개판남……
에이티즈 오빠들 충격먹음 pic.twitter.com/4Xkwb20dJg

— 미래 (@yuyufuture) February 18, 2024

The industry’s response to this trend has been vocal and critical. Artists and agencies express frustration over being compelled to attend these events, fearing retaliation from media organizers. Furthermore, the practice of tying awards to appearances has diluted the prestige of winning, reducing these events to mere transactional exchanges.

Many awards ceremonies have lost their way, giving awards in exchange for performances. If you don’t perform, they say you won’t get an award. So, there’s no real prestige to the awards.

— One Agency Representative

The Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) has taken a stand against this degradation of award show values. By indefinitely postponing its own Circle Chart Music Awards, the organization has signaled a call to action for the industry. The KMCA plans to introduce contracts and guidelines for award show appearances to safeguard artists’ interests and ensure fair practice.

Despite these efforts, skepticism remains on whether these measures will be adopted industry-wide. Calls for governmental intervention have been raised as a potential solution to enforce order and restore integrity to K-Pop award ceremonies. It remains to be seen what these guidelines will be and when the promised changes will come.