South Korea’s 31st Seoul Music Awards took place on the weekend of January 23, where artists were awarded based on a combination of online votes, panelist opinions and sales figures.
This year’s awards, which named releases between January 2021 and December 2021, saw K-pop behemoths BTS scoop three awards, the most of any K-pop group and second only to singer by trotting Lim Young-woong.
The septet had won the World Best Artist Award, the U+Idol Best Artist Award and one of the 13 Bonsang (main prize). Other K-pop groups like IU, NCT 127, and ENHYPEN have also won numerous awards.
IU had won Best Song for her March 2021 single “Lilac” from her fifth studio album from the same era, as well as a Bonsang Award. NCT 127 won a Bonsang, as well as the Daesang (grand prize) of the evening, while ENHYPEN won a Bonsang and the prize for the best performance.
The four K-pop groups, especially IU and BTS, performed strongly in most South Korean award shows for 2021, including Mnet Asian Music Awards, Melon Music Awards, and Golden Disc Awards.
The winners of the 31st Seoul Music Awards are as follows:
Daesang (Grand Prize)
aespa
ATEEZ
brave girls
BTS
ENHYPEN
Heize
UI
Kang Daniel
Lim Young Woong
NCT 127 – Winner
OH MY DAUGHTER
SEVENTEEN
THE BOY
Bonsang Winners (Main Prize)
aespa
ATEEZ
brave girls
BTS
ENHYPEN
Heize
UI
Kang Daniel
Lim Young Woong
NCT 127
OH MY DAUGHTER
SEVENTEEN
THE BOY
Best Song Award
‘Lilac’, IU – Winner
Best Album Award
‘Hot Sauce’, NCT Dream – winner
Rookie of the Year
Epex – winner
IVE
Jo Yu-ri
Kwon Eunbi
Lee Mu-jin – winner
SUM OF LIGHT
Mirae
Omega X – winner
PURPLE KISS
T1419
TRIBE
Best Performance Winners
ENHYPEN
STAY
Ballad Price
2am
Baek Ye-rin
car the garden
Heize
Hwang Chi-yeul
Jeon Keon-ho and Gyeongseo Yeji
Jung Dong-ha
Lee So-jung
MeloMance
Paul Kim
Sin Ye Young
Wendy (Red Velvet) – winner
World Best Artist Award Winner
BTS
U+ Idol Live Top Artist Award Winner
BTS
R&B Hiphop Awards
Ash Island
BE’O
Why
high epic
Giriboy
Hyuna – winner
friends
jessie
Jossiq
mom son
Ovan