Singer Jeon So-mi, second from right, and the production team of the upcoming MAMA Awards pose during a press event at SJ Kunsthalle in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Mnet
By Dong Sun-hwa
This year's MAMA Awards will take place on Nov. 28-29 at Tokyo Dome, becoming the first K-pop awards ceremony to be held at the largest concert hall in Japan, which can accommodate 50,000 spectators.
The show's organizer, Mnet, emphasized the significance of hosting the awards at such an iconic venue.
"Tokyo Dome is an emblematic place in Japan, the second-biggest music market in the world and the country that imports the most K-pop albums," Mnet's General Manager Park Chan-uk stressed during a press event at SJ Kunsthalle in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, Wednesday.
As he noted, Japan holds a position as a powerhouse in the music industry with total sales of $2.4 billion in 2022 — after only the U.S. — according to the International Trade Administration. K-pop's stronghold in the Japanese market is further evidenced by the $48.52 million worth of K-pop albums imported in the first half of the year alone, as reported by the Korea Customs Service.
"Along with Nayoga and Kyocera Dome, Tokyo Dome is one of the three major domes in Japan," Park explained. "We already held the MAMA at Nayoga and Kyocera Dome in 2019 and 2022, respectively ... For this year's show, we plan to scale up and showcase some large-scale performances to match our huge venue."
Mnet previously said it would take the MAMA to the U.S. to make it comparable to other prestigious global music awards ceremonies while maximizing K-pop's potential. However, Lee Sun-hyung, the head of the convention business strategy and planning team at Mnet, revealed Wednesday that the plans are still under consideration.
"We are currently reviewing various regions, including the U.S., where we can host our event," Lee said. "We believe the MAMA can be held in any place wherever there is a demand for K-pop."
A plethora of A-list stars — including SEVENTEEN, TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT), (G)I-DLE, LE SSERAFIM, ENHYPEN, RIIZE and BOYNEXTDOOR — are set to take the stage at the upcoming show, which will be joined by Yoshiki, the leader of the legendary Japanese rock band X Japan. He will collaborate with a Korean artist to perform one of his smash-hits, "Endless Rain" (1989).
This year's MAMA will consist of four stages: Theme, Super, Mega and Wonder. The Theme stage will feature joint performances of different singers, while the Super part invites the singers reputed for their inventive concepts and looks. The Mega section will highlight large-scale shows and the Wonder part will bring together K-pop artists and global musicians.
"For the Mega section, I will command the stage with tecktonik dance," hinted singer Jeon So-mi, who will host this year's MAMA with actor Park Bo-gum. "I hope I can successfully deliver the MAMA's message and value as a host."
From : The Korea Times
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2023/11/732_362838.html
