The battle for the title of best rookie in K-pop is heating up as the full rookie lineup for the 2025 Korea Grand Music Awards (KGMA) has finally been revealed.
On September 12, the KGMA organizing committee announced that this year’s rookie stage will feature some of the most talked-about new groups, including MEOVV, AHOP, All Day Project, KIKI, Kickflip, Close Your Eyes, Hearts2Hearts, and SMTR25. The two-day event will take place on November 14 and 15 at Inspire Arena in Incheon, promising an electrifying celebration of K-pop’s next generation.
Each rookie group has already made waves in the industry. MEOVV, the five-member girl group that debuted in May with double title tracks Hands Up and Drop Top, quickly rose to fame thanks to their unique hip-hop-inspired sound and powerful performances. Their track Hands Up even achieved a surprise chart resurgence, cementing their growing popularity.
AHOF, formed through the SBS audition program Universe League, set records right out of the gate with their debut EP Who We Are, selling over 360,000 copies and ranking fifth for the highest first-week sales for a boy group debut album.
Mixed-gender group All Day Project shocked the industry by topping music charts with their debut tracks Famous and Wicked in June, while KIKI has steadily built momentum with hits like I Do Me and Dancing Alone, making them one of the leading 5th-gen girl groups to watch.
Meanwhile, Kickflip has already gone global, performing at Lollapalooza Chicago just six months after debuting, and Close Your Eyes set the record for the fastest music show win among boy groups debuting in the 2020s.
But perhaps the group drawing the most attention is Hearts2Hearts, SM Entertainment’s first girl group in five years. Their debut single The Chase sold over 400,000 copies in its first week, breaking records for debut album sales by a girl group.
Finally, SMTR25, a project team of 25 SM male trainees, will deliver their first official domestic performance at the KGMA, sparking huge anticipation from fans eager to see which members will ultimately debut.
With such a strong rookie lineup, competition for the Best Rookie title will be fierce. Fans can look forward to unforgettable performances, heated fan voting, and the chance to witness the birth of K-pop’s next global stars.
The 2025 KGMA will also feature top acts like Stray Kids, IVE, ATEEZ, and more, with Red Velvet’s Irene, KISS OF LIFE’s Natty, and actress Nam Ji-hyun serving as MCs. Additional lineup announcements are expected in the coming weeks.