G-DRAGON Returning to MAMA Awards After 9 Years

The second round of 2024 MAMA Awards performers have been announced, including a major return from a powerhouse K-pop star.

Entertainment company CJ ENM announced on Monday (Oct. 21) that G-DRAGON is set to take the stage at the Japan ceremony on Nov. 23, marking nine years since his last performance in 2015 alongside his fellow BIGBANG members.

Additionally, BOYNEXTDOOR and PLAVE will perform on Nov. 22, while G)I-DLE and BIBI will hit the stage on Nov. 23.

The three-day event, which celebrates the brightest stars in K-pop, will kick off on Nov. 21 at the Hollywood Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the first time, where KATSEYE, ILLIT, RIIZE, J.Y. Park and TWS were previously announced to perform. The awards ceremony will then take place at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan on November 22 and 23, with previously revealed performers ENHYPEN, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, IVE, ME:I and TREASURE performing on the first day and Aespa, INI, ZEROBASEONE, LEE Young Ji and MEOVV taking the stage on the second day.

This year’s MAMA Awards, presented by Visa, will feature the concept of “Big Blur: What Is Real?,” reflecting the growing trend of blurred boundaries between industries, culture, music genres and technology. In correspondence with the theme, the ceremony will “present surreal but real experiences and showcase visually captivating performances through the convergence of art and technology,” per a press release.

See the full list of 2024 MAMA Awards nominees here. The eligibility period ranged from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024, and the nominees were decided on based on an evaluation of global music data as well as a panel of specialists. 

The next ticket sales for the Japan event will be available from October 22 to October 26 via Qoo10.jp, while tickets for the U.S. event will also be available starting at 4 p.m. PST on October 22 via Ticketmaster.