The prestigious 2023 MAMA Awards is just three weeks away, but things are not particularly on a high note. This year’s Mnet Asian Music Awards stirred quite controversies the moment they announced it. While the music award show is known and supposed to excite fans for the unstoppable performances and winners’ list, it looks like that’s not coming to happen this time around. Interestingly, the artist lineup issue came back with Mnet’s recent comments; here’s everything we know about it and what fans say.
Potential Addition of Artists to Perform Live
Upon looking at the confirmed artist lineup of the 2023 MAMA Awards, fans couldn’t help but notice the absence of many expected stars. As fans can remember, Mnet was also caught in a controversy followed by the announcement of the nominees per each category of the music award show. Many K-pop groups are nowhere to be found, like BELIFT LAB’s ENHYPEN, JYP Entertainment’s ITZY and NMIXX, and BTS’s RM, among others.
In the recent 2023 MAMA Awards Media Day, Mnet addressed the issue of the lack of major artists for the award show. According to Mnet’s business department head, Park Chan Wook, there are criteria for selecting the show’s artist lineup. “Because it is an awards ceremony, we give priority to those who performed the most outstandingly that year,” Park said in a report from Joy News.
- This statement raised a few more doubts among fans, especially those artists who made it huge this year. BTS Jungkook rocked the K-pop industry with his debut single, Seven ft Latto. Of course, we wouldn’t miss out on how ADOR’s fourth-generation girl group, NewJeans, with their Get Up mini-album release, got huge. As of this writing, stars like BTS Jungkook, TWICE, STRAY KIDS, IVE, and NewJeans seem to be still missing from the list.
These significant artists were mentioned on media day, and Park answered that there’s a discussion of the possibility of additional artists. However, since it’s not yet confirmed, fans should not get their hopes up right away. He added that an official announcement will be released once the new set of artists has been decided.
Should the 2023 MAMA Awards Include These Major Artists?
This is a non-debatable already because the answer will surely be a yes. They followed criteria in picking who is performing for the music award show, so it’s common sense that these artists who made it big this year should join the artist lineup. With the prestigious title that MAMA holds in the K-pop industry, it’s inevitable that idols wouldn’t want to miss this kind of event.
- Aside from BTS Jungkook, solo artists in the female category are also expected to join the lineup. Third-generation soloists became active this year, especially with the solo debut of BLACKPINK’s Jisoo and TWICE’s Jihyo. These two idols also made their music to the charts and deserved to showcase their performances at the Tokyo Dome for MAMA.
Fans’ reactions to the award show’s lineup
Of course, fans would take this opportunity to share what they thought about the lineup. While fans of the confirmed artists to perform are excited, some are unsatisfied with what Mnet has done with this list. They also find it kind of off that ENHYPEN would be performing at the award show, even if the group’s not nominated in any major categories, while those nominees are not seen.
Jungkook, New Jeans, IVE, and Stray Kids are all out of the lineup for MAMA awards!? Something does not smell right.
— K | fan account (@entanonly01) November 8, 2023
making enhypen perform at an awards show where theyre not nominated, while not having artists who are nominated in the lineup is a different type of evil. mama is already a shit show and its still like 3 weeks away.
— rose¹⁴³ 🍀 🌋 || 樂✭ (@roses4dino) November 8, 2023
On a positive note, there are K-pop fans who are thrilled to see rookie groups performing in the 2023 MAMA Awards. Some people have different mindsets, especially when it comes to award shows, but some are delighted to have these underrated groups perform. And seeing second-gen groups in this current generation’s award show? That’s something to look forward to!
people complaining about the mama lineup but honestly makes me happy to see small and rookie groups getting to perform. these award shows have become so much more boring with just big groups from the same companies performing every year. let the small groups get a chance too
— anee⁷ | semi ia 🍉🇮🇳 (@hobariwoo) November 8, 2023
The artist lineup for the Mama Awards this year is strong. But I'm only looking forward to @TVXQ and SWF2 lol
— mom's youngest daughter (@unchyuu) November 8, 2023
But, of course, a lot of fans aren’t happy with Mnet’s decision to keep these prominent artists out of the list. Yes, we agree that it’s somehow dissatisfying not to watch the possible winners for the major categories perform their top-tier tracks. We mean, MAMA should give the night and the stage of the nominees, especially those for the Daesangs, to let the viewers and audience see what brought their names to the top this 2023.
mama pulled nugu groups out of a hat and decided on which they wanted in the lineup, no one gaf abt that award show anymore pic.twitter.com/s5HNUdyhbt
— BRAT (@wonpires) November 8, 2023
all these other award shows lineups been better than mama awards omg?
— #innieluvr ★ (@foxniyz) November 8, 2023
Coz theres no nct .mama bring nct !! Also most of the lineup r artists who will be getting made up awards if they r not just performing https://t.co/nNE0oB3fPJ
— MILKOO (@milkoo111) November 8, 2023
The two-day award show will commence on November 28 to 29, 2023, at 6 PM, KST, at the Tokyo Dome. It will be hosted by soloist Jeon So Mi. So, what are your thoughts about the 2023 MAMA Awards lineup? Share them with us in the comments below.
