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Producer Lee Young-joo (center), producer Ma Du-sik (right), and business director Park Chan-wook of CJ ENM introduce the concept and lineup of the 2025 MAMA Awards during a press premiere held at the CJ ENM Center in Sangam-dong, Seoul, on November 11. The event will return to Hong Kong for the first time in seven years. / Source: CJ ENM

The 2025 MAMA Awards, one of Asia’s largest K-pop award ceremonies, will be held in Hong Kong for the first time in seven years under the slogan “UH-HEUNG,” which celebrates the pure energy of music and self-expression.

The event will take place on November 28–29 at the newly opened Kai Tak Stadium, a 70,000-seat landmark venue, marking the largest stage in MAMA history. The blind-ticket pre-sale held last month sold out immediately, reflecting strong anticipation from fans around the world.

This year’s ceremony will feature Park Bo-gum and Kim Hye-soo as hosts on the first and second day, respectively, with Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh among the presenters — symbolizing the growing global reach of K-pop.

“No barrier stands in the way of music. What truly moves people is real energy,” said producer Lee Young-joo, explaining the theme “UH-HEUNG.”

Launched in 1999 as the Mnet Music Video Awards, the event expanded overseas in 2010 with its first international show in Macau, later touring Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Japan. Rebranded in 2022 as the MAMA Awards, it has since positioned itself as a global K-pop festival linking audiences worldwide — the first Korean award show to fill all three major domes in Japan and the only K-culture event to grace the Dolby Theatre in the U.S.

The 2025 edition will feature 27 performing teams, ranging from rookies to legends, including Hong Kong artists. Enhanced 4K live-broadcast systems and band-based live performances will further elevate the experience.

Producer Lee Young-joo emphasized that MAMA’s performances aim to create “moments that can’t be seen anywhere else.”

“The MAMA stage connects artists and actors, genres and generations,” Lee said. “Through unique collaborations and storytelling, it’s not just a show — it’s an exchange of emotion.”

Highlights include a special collaboration with Netflix’s animation K-pop Demon Hunters, the first-ever performance of Stray Kids’ new song ‘Sinseonnoreum’ (Divine Play), and a 20th-anniversary stage by Super Junior — all exclusive to MAMA.

“MAMA is more than an awards show — it’s where K-pop connects with the world,” Lee added. “At the heart of it all is heung, the joy that unites us through music.”

The 2025 MAMA Awards will air live on Mnet Plus from Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong.