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Hallyu Wiki explainers · Hallyu Wiki editors · Updated 2026-10-25

2026 K-pop rookie awards: MAMA nominees, MMA criteria and completed results

Eight K-pop award shows held or scheduled between February 2026 and January 2027, covering nominees, voting criteria, dates and completed results checked as of October 25, 2026. Earlier results are labeled by edition and year.

The ten 2026 MAMA AWARDS Best New Artist nominees are ALPHA DRIVE ONE, AND2BLE, EVAN, H//PE Princess, hrtz.wav, LNGSHOT, MODYSSEY, OURBIRTHDAY, TUIDE and UNCHILD. The ceremony takes place November 20–21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka. MMA2026 runs November 14–15 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Its official Rookie of the Year criteria are 60% digital music, 20% judging and 20% voting, with category voting October 30–November 13.

KGMA takes place November 7–8 at Gocheok Sky Dome; Trend of the Year: Rookie is decided entirely by coogoong votes. AAA 2026 is scheduled for December 5–6 at Kaohsiung National Stadium, Taiwan, and the 41st Golden Disc Awards for January 9–10, 2027 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The HMA 2025, 35th Seoul Music Awards and 2026 TMA rows record results already announced in calendar year 2026. ALPHA DRIVE ONE won SMA Rookie and TMA Next Leader; CORTIS also won TMA Next Leader.

Date · statusShow · rookie-related categoryNominees, winners · related pagesNominees · voting · award records
Feb 15 (Sun) · completed 2026 resultsHMA 2025 (33rd-anniversary Hanteo Music Awards) · Rookie Award · KSPO DOME, SeoulHearts2Hearts, CortisHosted by Hanteo Global. Hearts2Hearts and CORTIS won the Rookie Award. The edition is named HMA 2025, but it was held on February 15, 2026.34,36
Jun 20 (Sat) · completed 2026 results35th Seoul Music Awards · Rookie Award / SMA Global Rookie Award · Inspire Arena, IncheonAHOF, IDID (아이딧), Alpha Drive One, Close Your EyesRookie Award: AHOF, IDID, ALPHA DRIVE ONE and CLOSE YOUR EYES. SMA Global Rookie Award: MODYSSEY, SAY MY NAME and IDENTITY. This row records awards already received in 2026.29
Sep 19 (Sat) · completed 2026 results2026 The Fact Music Awards (TMA) · Next Leader / Hottest · Busan Asiad Main StadiumAlpha Drive One, Cortis, Xikers, IDID (아이딧)Next Leader: ALPHA DRIVE ONE and CORTIS. Hottest: xikers and IDID. The Fact described Next Leader as a rookie-level award. ALPHA DRIVE ONE also received Artist of the Year, and CORTIS received the Record of the Year grand prize.32,33
Nov 7 (Sat) – 8 (Sun) · rookie special vote closed2026 KGMA (3rd Korea Grand Music Awards) · Trend of the Year: Rookie · Gocheok Sky Dome, SeoulTrend of the Year: Rookie is decided 100% by coogoong votes, with round 1 (September 14–26) and the final (October 12–24) each contributing 50%. At the previous edition, 2025 KGMA, IS Rookie went to MEOVV, AHOF and CLOSE YOUR EYES; IS Rising Star went to KiiiKiii, ALLDAY PROJECT, IDID, KickFlip and Hearts2Hearts. Hearts2Hearts’ Carmen won the 2025 Trend of the Year rookie award.12,13,17,18
Nov 14 (Sat) – 15 (Sun) · scheduledMMA2026 (18th Melon Music Awards) · Rookie of the Year · Gocheok Sky Dome, SeoulRookie of the Year is decided by 60% digital music, 20% judging and 20% voting. Eligible music was released November 20, 2025–October 14, 2026; category voting runs October 30–November 13. The MMA2025 rookie winners were ALLDAY PROJECT and Hearts2Hearts.10,11,46
Nov 20 (Fri) – 21 (Sat) · 10 nominees announced Oct 122026 MAMA AWARDS · Best New Artist · Kyocera Dome Osaka, JapanAlpha Drive One, And2ble, Evan, H//PE Princess (하입프린세스), hrtz.wav, Lngshot, MODYSSEY (모디세이), OURBIRTHDAY (아워벌스데이), Tuide, UnchildTen nominees: ALPHA DRIVE ONE, AND2BLE, EVAN, H//PE Princess, hrtz.wav, LNGSHOT, MODYSSEY, OURBIRTHDAY, TUIDE and UNCHILD. The music eligibility window is October 1, 2025–September 30, 2026. The fan-voting notice concerns Fans’ Choice categories. CORTIS and Hearts2Hearts received Best New Artist at the 2025 MAMA on November 28 at Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong.1,3,5,49
Dec 5 (Sat) – 6 (Sun) · scheduledAAA 2026 (Asia Artist Awards) · earlier Rookie of the Year / Best New Artist results for reference · Kaohsiung National Stadium, TaiwanKiiiKiii, AllDay Project, Cortis, AHOF, Nexz, KickFlipHosted by Star News, AAA honors actors and singers. AAA 2025 took place on December 6, 2025 at the same stadium. Rookie of the Year went to KiiiKiii, ALLDAY PROJECT and CORTIS (music) and Park Yun-ho (acting). AAA Best New Artist went to AHOF, NEXZ and KickFlip. The acts listed here are 2025 winners.19,20,21,47
Jan 9 (Sat) – 10 (Sun), 2027 · scheduled41st Golden Disc Awards · Rookie Award · outdoor stage at VEC, HanoiGolden Disc AwardsHosted by HLL. The previous, 40th edition took place January 10, 2026 at Taipei Dome; ALLDAY PROJECT and CORTIS won Rookie of the Year. Nominees were announced November 25, 2025. The 12 rookie nominees were nouera, IDENTITY, IDID, AHOF, ALLDAY PROJECT, izna, Jo Jazz, CORTIS, CLOSE YOUR EYES, KiiiKiii, KickFlip and Hearts2Hearts.23,25,27

The ten 2026 MAMA Best New Artist nominees

CJ ENM revealed the 2026 MAMA AWARDS nominees in a nomination broadcast on October 12. The ten Best New Artist nominees are ALPHA DRIVE ONE, AND2BLE, EVAN, H//PE Princess, hrtz.wav, LNGSHOT, MODYSSEY, OURBIRTHDAY, TUIDE and UNCHILD. Eligible music was released between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026. Debut dates confirmed in press reports: ALPHA DRIVE ONE (January 12, first EP EUPHORIA), LNGSHOT (January, EP Shot Callers), UNCHILD (April, debut single), OURBIRTHDAY (August 19) and TUIDE (August 24). ALPHA DRIVE ONE is also nominated for Album of the Year, open only to million-sellers, with EUPHORIA. At the November 28 rookie presentation during the 2025 MAMA at Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong, CORTIS and Hearts2Hearts won out of ten nominees: AHOF, ALLDAY PROJECT, Baby DONT Cry, CLOSE YOUR EYES, CORTIS, Hearts2Hearts, IDID, izna, KickFlip and KiiiKiii.

3,5,37,39,40,41,42,49

Music eligibility windows and actual rookie results

  • The 2026 MAMA music eligibility window is October 1, 2025–September 30, 2026. CORTIS and Hearts2Hearts are absent from the announced Best New Artist list; both won the award at the 2025 MAMA.3,5
  • MMA2026’s official guide specifies releases from November 20, 2025 to October 14, 2026. MMA2025 used the window October 31, 2024–November 19, 2025.9,46
  • The 40th Golden Disc nominees were selected quantitatively from releases in early November 2024–late October 2025. Rookie nominations combined digital usage and album sales. These criteria apply to the 40th edition.25
  • ALPHA DRIVE ONE, which debuted January 12, 2026, and CORTIS both received Next Leader at the 2026 TMA. The 35th Seoul Music Awards honored AHOF, IDID, ALPHA DRIVE ONE and CLOSE YOUR EYES with the Rookie Award. Read each nomination and result in the context of its own edition.29,32,37
3,5,9,25,29,32,37,46

Verified nominations and awards by act

  • ALPHA DRIVE ONE won Rookie at the 35th Seoul Music Awards (June 20) and Next Leader plus Artist of the Year at the 2026 TMA (September 19). At the 2026 MAMA it is nominated for Best New Artist and Album of the Year with its first EP EUPHORIA.3,29,33
  • CORTIS: across editions beginning with the 2025 MAMA, it won rookie awards at the 2025 MAMA, AAA 2025, the 40th Golden Disc Awards, the 2nd D Awards and HMA 2025, plus Best New Artist in K-pop at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards. In 2026 it won Next Leader and the grand prize Record of the Year at TMA, and is nominated for Best Male Group at the 2026 MAMA. It is not a 2026 MAMA Best New Artist nominee.3,32,38
  • Hearts2Hearts: rookie awards at the 2025 MAMA, MMA2025 and HMA 2025, IS Rising Star and the Trend of the Year rookie (Carmen) at the 2025 KGMA. It is a Best Female Group nominee at the 2026 MAMA.3,5,11,18,34
  • IDID, AHOF and CLOSE YOUR EYES all won the Rookie Award at the 35th Seoul Music Awards. IDID also has IS Rising Star at the 2025 KGMA and Hottest at the 2026 TMA; AHOF has IS Rookie at the 2025 KGMA and AAA Best New Artist at AAA 2025; CLOSE YOUR EYES has IS Rookie at the 2025 KGMA.18,22,29,32
  • TUIDE and OURBIRTHDAY are nominated for Best New Artist at the 2026 MAMA. Both are seven-member girl groups, debuting on August 24 and August 19, 2026 respectively.3,39,40
3,5,11,18,22,29,32,33,34,38,39,40

Winners from earlier editions and completed 2026 ceremonies

  • 2025 KGMA (November 14–15, Inspire Arena, Incheon). Day 1: IS Rookie MEOVV; IS Rising Star KiiiKiii and ALLDAY PROJECT. Day 2: IS Rookie AHOF and CLOSE YOUR EYES; IS Rising Star IDID, KickFlip and Hearts2Hearts. Trend of the Year rookie: Hearts2Hearts' Carmen.17,18
  • November 28 rookie presentation at the 2025 MAMA, Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong: Best New Artist CORTIS and Hearts2Hearts.5
  • AAA 2025 (December 6, Kaohsiung National Stadium, Taiwan): Rookie of the Year KiiiKiii, ALLDAY PROJECT and CORTIS (music), and Park Yun-ho (acting); AAA Best New Artist AHOF, NEXZ and KickFlip.21,47
  • MMA2025 (December 20, Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul): Rookie of the Year ALLDAY PROJECT and Hearts2Hearts.10,11
  • 40th Golden Disc Awards (January 10, 2026, Taipei Dome): Rookie Award ALLDAY PROJECT and CORTIS, from 12 nominees.25,27
  • HMA 2025 (February 15, 2026, KSPO DOME, Seoul): Rookie Award Hearts2Hearts and CORTIS.34
  • 35th Seoul Music Awards (June 20, 2026, Inspire Arena, Incheon): Rookie Award AHOF, IDID, ALPHA DRIVE ONE and CLOSE YOUR EYES; SMA Global Rookie Award MODYSSEY, SAY MY NAME and IDENTITY. KiiiKiii, last year's rookie winner, took a main award this year.29,31
  • 2026 TMA (September 19, Busan Asiad Main Stadium): Next Leader ALPHA DRIVE ONE and CORTIS; Hottest xikers and IDID.32
5,10,11,17,18,21,25,27,29,31,32,34,47

Voting and judging: distinguish categories and editions

  • MAMA: the reported artist-category criteria are 40% jury, 30% digital music (15% Korea, 15% global) and 30% physical album sales. Fans’ Choice Male/Female uses 90% Mnet Plus and 10% X votes; Fans’ Choice of the Year additionally includes 10% live Mnet Plus voting.3,49
  • MMA2026: Rookie of the Year is 60% digital music, 20% judging and 20% voting. Category voting runs October 30–November 13.46
  • KGMA 2026’s Trend of the Year: Rookie uses 100% coogoong votes (50% round 1, 50% final). Separately, the official 2025 category guide assigned 100% IS media points to IS Rookie and IS Rising Star.13,48
  • 40th Golden Disc Awards: rookie nominees were selected using combined digital usage and album sales. Winners were reported to be determined by 60% quantitative and 40% qualitative assessment. Nomination selection and final judging are distinct steps.25,28
  • HMA 2025: the official Rookie Award criteria are 40% Hanteo Global score, 30% global voting and 30% judging. These are the criteria for HMA 2025, held in February 2026.50
3,13,25,28,46,48,49,50

Announced upcoming dates

  • October 30 (Fri)–November 13 (Fri): MMA2026 category voting.46
  • November 7 (Sat)–8 (Sun): 2026 KGMA at Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul.12
  • November 14 (Sat)–15 (Sun): MMA2026 Rookie of the Year. The day-two lineup includes MAMA rookie nominees ALPHA DRIVE ONE, LNGSHOT and AND2BLE, and CORTIS and KiiiKiii.3,43,46
  • November 20 (Fri)–21 (Sat): 2026 MAMA at Kyocera Dome Osaka, Japan. Rookie nominees ALPHA DRIVE ONE, LNGSHOT and MODYSSEY are also included in performer announcements.1,3,44,45
  • December 5 (Sat)–6 (Sun): AAA 2026 at Kaohsiung National Stadium, Taiwan.19,20
  • January 9 (Sat)–10 (Sun), 2027: 41st Golden Disc Awards at the outdoor stage at VEC in Hanoi, Vietnam.23
1,3,12,19,20,23,43,44,45,46

How to read this page

Each table entry links to sources for its nominees, voting or results. HMA 2025, the 35th Seoul Music Awards and the 2026 TMA have already taken place in calendar year 2026. Earlier results are labeled by edition and year. A previous edition’s judging rules or announcement date do not establish the next edition’s rules or date. Nominees and performers are also separate lists. Related guides cover dates and venues, fan voting and rookie debuts.

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Read next

Explainers2026 K-pop award show dates: MAMA Nov. 20 in Osaka, MMA Nov. 14, SBS Gayo Daejeon Dec. 24, Golden Disc Jan. 9Six award shows and year-end music festivals between November 2026 and February 2027 with announced dates and venues, in date order, plus seven not yet announced, each with last year's date for reference. Checked against 22 organizer releases and press reports as of October 18, 2026.Explainers2026 K-pop award voting guide: MMA closes Oct. 29, MAMA round 2 opens Oct. 28, AAA closes Nov. 4Voting apps, periods, score weighting and daily vote limits for the five year-end shows with fan voting — MMA2026, the 2026 MAMA AWARDS, 2026 KGMA, AAA 2026 and the Golden Disc Awards — in deadline order. Checked against 19 official notices and press reports as of October 23, 2026. All times are Korea Standard Time.Explainers2026 K-pop rookies: new K-pop groups that debut in July-December, from TUIDE and OURBIRTHDAY to A2O LITE and ADAPThe 11 new groups Korean agencies officially debuted from July 2026 and six more announced, in debut-date order, with agency, lineup size, debut release, audition background and reported first-week sales and chart records, checked against 59 press reports and official announcements.

Reading paths

Starter · 10 articlesK-pop Generations: From Seo Taiji to KatseyeStart at BTS, rewind to Seo Taiji and Boys in 1992, then ride forward through the groups that reset the game in every generation, back to Katseye today.

Related articles

Cortis Alpha Drive One Tuide And2ble Lngshot Unchild Evan Hearts2Hearts AllDay Project KiiiKiii AHOF Close Your Eyes Meovv Izna KickFlip Xikers MAMA Awards Golden Disc Awards CJ ENM K-pop

Sources

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  27. press The Korea Herald, Hybe's new girl group Tuide debuts with EP 'Tune & Play', 2026-08-24
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Cite this page

“2026 K-pop rookie awards: MAMA nominees, MMA criteria and completed results.” Hallyu Wiki. https://hallyu.wiki/en/guides/kpop-rookie-awards-2026/ (Retrieved 2026-10-25).

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