2025 Korean Music Awards winners: aespa beats Blackpink’s Rose, G-Dragon soars as hip-hop powerhouse

The 2025 Korean Music Awards winners list was announced on Thursday, February 27. KMAs’ 22nd annual ceremony honoured a plethora of applause-worthy artists releasing diverse discographies.

As always, the Korean Music Awards unlocked not only major categories but also genre-specific titles, celebrating talent beyond the mainstream K-pop bracket. aespa, Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble, Lee Seung Yoon and Sanmanhan ultimately earned the four ‘Major’ awards, aka the Daesang this year.

Despite K-indie band Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble surpassing aespa on the nominations list of the 22nd Korean Music Awards, the latter led the way with three big wins.

aespa raises the bar for K-pop talents at the 22nd KMAs

SM Entertainment’s girl group took home the following awards: Song of the Year, Best K-pop Album and Best K-pop Song. The beloved music act was up against BIBI, BLACKPINK’s Rose & Bruno Mars, Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble and SUMIN, Slom’s leading tracks for the first major category.

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To clinch the Best K-pop Album win, aespa again defeated Rose & Bruno Mars (“APT”), ILLIT (“Magnetic”), TWS (“plot twist”) and tripleS (“Girls Never Die”).

Lastly, for “Supernova” to earn the Best Pop Song title, the quartet vanquished BIBI’s “Bam Yang Gang,” Sungwoojunga’s “Star Candy,” IU‘s “Love Wins All,” “Rooftop Moonlight’s ”Diving,” and Lee Youngji’s “Small Girl” ft Doh Kyung Soo (EXO’s DO).

Except for aespa, BIBI (Best Pop Song) and BIGBANG’s G-Dragon (Rap & Hip-Hop Song) were the other celebrated K-pop names to snag worthy wins at the 2025 Korean Music Awards. Here are all the winners of Thursday night.

2025 Korean Music Awards winners

Genre-specific awards

• Best Rock Album: “Fire & Light” by Noise emission (or Noise emission)
• Best Rock Song: “Anthems of Defiance” by Lee Seung Yoon
• Best Modern Rock Album: “Hail to the Music” by Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble
• Best Modern Rock Song: “Waterfall” by Lee Seung Yoon
• Best Metal & Hardcore Album: “2” by Seaweed Mustache
• Best Pop Album: “PSST” by John Park
• Best Pop Song: “Bam Yang Gang” by BIBI
• Best K-pop Album: “Armageddon” by aespa
• Best K-pop Song: “Supernova” by aespa
• Best Electronic Album: “GALAPAGGOT” by NET GALA
• Best Electronic Song: “Oving” by Mount XLR
• Best Rap & Hip-Hop Album: “Free Hukky Shibaseki & the God Sun Symphony Group: Odyssey.1” by B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki
• Best Rap & Hip-Hop Song: “POWER” by G-Dragon (of BIGBANG)
• Best R&B & Soul Album: “MINISERIES 2” by SUMIN, Slom

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• Best R&B & Soul Song: “Blame” by Jung In, Mild Beats
• Best Folk Album: “Kaleidoscope” by Moher
• Best Folk Song: “Anyone But Me” by Kang Asol
• Best Jazz Vocal Album: “Infinite Connections” by Jihye Lee Orchestra
• Best Jazz Vocal Song: “Old Songs, Tmmm” by Nam Yeji
• Best Global Contemporary Album: “Shape of the Land” by BANDO
• Honorary Award: Lee Ho Jun
• Committee’s Special Award: LIVE CLUB DAY

DAESANG winners

• Song of the Year: “Supernova” by aespa
• Album of the Year: “Hail to the Music” by Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble
• Rookie of the Year: Sanmanhan
• Artist of the Year: Lee Seung Yoon

Congratulations to the winners of the 22nd Korean Music Awards!