The '2024 MAMA Awards,' a major K-pop awards show with a 25-year history, is making its debut in the U.S., the biggest music market in the world.

On the morning of the 29th, a media day for the awards took place at the CJ ENM Center Talent Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Yoon Shin-hye, CP of CJ ENM Music Planning and Production 1, along with Lee Seon-hyung from the Music Convention Business 2 team and Noh Mi-rae from the Media Art Creation 1 team, shared exciting details about this year’s event.

One of the biggest highlights this year is the performance by G-Dragon from BIGBANG. Yoon Shin-hye expressed her enthusiasm, saying, "We thought about how to create a unique stage this year, and G-Dragon, who is iconic and making a comeback, was the perfect choice. He sees the 'MAMA' stage as very important and wants to deliver a memorable performance. We are working hard to prepare a fantastic show. I believe it will be an iconic performance that people will talk about for years to come. G-Dragon is confident he can 'dominate the stage!'"

When asked about how 'MAMA' award winners are chosen, Lee Seon-hyung explained, "The selection process is fair and not influenced by any specific agencies. We aim for transparency in all our evaluations."

Yoon also talked about the significance of 'MAMA' coming to the U.S., saying, "New challenges are tough but exciting. We want to present a special stage at the Dolby Theatre in LA and look forward to the growth of 'MAMA.'"

Regarding the event's three-part structure, Yoon mentioned, "The concept is about connecting the three floors in one place. It will link the U.S. and Japan. Even though the world feels far apart, we want to show that music can connect us across time and space. We will deliver iconic performances that fans will love through collaborative and creative stages. I am confident you won't be disappointed!"

The 'MAMA Awards' started in 1999 as Mnet's 'Video Music Awards' and rebranded to the 'Mnet Asian Music Awards' in 2009, becoming Korea's first Asian music awards ceremony. It has evolved alongside the Korean music industry for 25 years and underwent another rebranding in 2022.

This year, the 'MAMA Awards' will be held at the Dolby Theatre in LA on November 21 (local time) and at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan, on November 22 and 23. The event will be broadcast live worldwide through Mnet and the Mnet K-POP YouTube channel, among other platforms.

Performers for the '2024 MAMA Awards' include aespa, ENHYPEN, ILLIT, INI, IVE, KATSEYE, RIIZE, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ZEROBASEONE, J.Y. Park, Lee Young-ji, ME:I, MEOVV, TREASURE, TWS, BIBI, BOYNEXTDOOR, (G)I-DLE, PLAVE, and of course, G-DRAGON from BIGBANG.

Presenters this year will feature Gong Myung, Kwak Dong-yeon, Kim Min-ha, Kim Hye-jun, Na Young-seok, Dex, Ma Dong-seok, Moon Sang-min, Park Seo-joon, Byun Woo-seok, Seo In-guk, Seol In-ah, Ahn Jae-hyun, Oh Sang-wook, Lee Joo-bin, Lee Junho, Im Si-wan, Jung Ho-yeon, Jo Yu-ri, Choi Hyun-wook, and Hong Jin-kyung.

Fans can't wait for this incredible show!

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A recent KBS drama shoot starring Girls' Generation's Seohyun and 2PM's Taecyeon has sparked controversy after accusations of damaging a UNESCO World Heritage site.

On January 2, architect Min Seo Hong took to Facebook to criticize the production of the upcoming drama I Took the Male Lead's First Night, which used Byeongsan Seowon, a historic Korean Confucian academy, as a filming location.

His post, titled "An Account of What I Witnessed at Byeongsan Seowon," detailed shocking allegations about the crew's actions.

Min shared that he visited Byeongsan Seowon on December 30, only to find the site bustling with drama staff.

"As I approached, I saw crew members moving around. At first, I didn’t realize it was a filming set, but when I entered the seowon, I felt uneasy knowing this historic site was being used this way," he wrote.

What he saw inside was alarming. According to Min, props were scattered throughout the seowon, and staff were hammering nails into wooden pillars to hang lights.

When he confronted them, they reportedly dismissed his concerns, saying, "We already have permission from Andong City. If you’re curious, contact them."

Determined to take action, Min contacted Andong City’s Cultural Heritage Department. A city official admitted they had approved the filming but appeared unaware of the damage being done.

"When I asked if they knew about the nails in the wooden pillars, they seemed flustered and promised to order their removal immediately," Min shared.

Experts later informed Min that incidents like this aren’t uncommon, with some modern heritage sites even being dismantled for filming. "People might think hammering nails is minor, but in traditional Korean houses, it’s a big deal to even drive in one nail. For cultural heritage, this should never happen," he said.

Min’s biggest concern is the decision to allow such a valuable site, designated as Historic Site No. 260 and a UNESCO World Heritage site, to be used for filming at all. "This was a KBS drama production, and it’s deplorable that they showed such little care for cultural heritage," he added.

The drama, I Took the Male Lead's First Night, is already drawing backlash before its release, with many netizens expressing anger over the alleged damage to the historic site. Comments online include:

"Why are cultural heritage sites being used as filming locations in the first place?"

"If this is true, KBS owes an apology not just to viewers but to the nation."

"Respect for cultural heritage should come before making a drama."

Neither KBS nor the drama's production team has released an official statement regarding the allegations.

However, the issue has sparked heated debate, with many calling for stricter regulations on the use of heritage sites for filming.

Source: [1]