Seoul Music Awards: Lee Chan Won All Out

The 35th Seoul Music Awards will be held at the Inspire Arena in Jung-gu, Incheon, on January 20th at 6 PM. This awards ceremony, boasting the highest authority and history in Korea, has adjusted its schedule to June starting last year. Beyond simply concluding the year, it aims to create a festival atmosphere at a time when K-pop trends unfold most dynamically.

A total of 20 artists, including Kwon Eunbi, Dayoung, ATEEZ, Lee Chan-won, Han Lolo, LE SSERAFIM, xikers, BOYNEXTDOOR, ZEROBASEONE, Dragon Pony, Say My Name, Izna, Kiki, Hats to Hats, Close Your Eyes, Ahop, Identity, Aidit, Alphadriveone, and Modisea, will participate in this year's Seoul Music Awards. These artists range from "trending artists" who heated up the past year to "monster rookies" who will lead the future of K-pop. Artists from various genres, including trot and bands, are scheduled to take the stage, promising high-quality performances and a rich spectacle.

The lineup of presenters and MCs is also star-studded. Actors active in dramas and films, such as Shim Eun-kyung, Kwon Nara, Park Ji-hwan, Ryu Kyung-soo, Song Joong-ki, Lee Yu-bi, Arin, Ha Yun-kyung, Kim Do-hoon, Jo Yu-ri, Kim Jae-won, Go Youn-jung, and Heo Nam-joon, will all be present. Leeteuk of Super Junior, Park Gun-wook of ZEROBASEONE, and Lee Sol of Kiki will serve as MCs, leading the stage.

Notably, the 'SMA Best Artist' category is newly established this year, drawing significant attention. This award will be presented to only one team among the participating artists of the Seoul Music Awards, with the winner determined solely by 100% fan voting, without any separate judging scores or music/album performance metrics. Voting will continue until the final moments of the awards ceremony, anticipating fierce competition.

Furthermore, three new categories have been introduced this year: 'Golden Revival' (awarded to artists who achieved a comeback success or dominated the charts for a long period), '​New Icon' (awarded to artists actively engaged in various fields), and '​SMA Best Artist' (awarded to only one team among the artists performing this year). As these are newly presented awards, much attention is focused on who will be the first recipient.