The first day of the 2025 Korea Grand Music Awards with iM Bank (KGMA), Artist Day, showcased a spectacular lineup of K-pop stars, with ATEEZ, Boynextdoor, and All Day Project taking center stage. Held at Inspire Arena in Incheon and hosted by Red Velvet’s Irene and actress Nam Ji-hyun, the night celebrated the artists who made the biggest impact in 2025.
ATEEZ claimed the Grand Artist Award, Boynextdoor earned the Grand Performer Award, and The Boyz alongside All Day Project shared the Grand Honors Choice, while a variety of categories recognized both rookies and established acts. Notable first-day winners included Lee Chan-won, Xdinary Heroes, Cravity, and Jin, among others, highlighting the diverse talent that defines K-pop today.
Other first-day winners included Lee Chan-won, Xdinary Heroes, Cravity, Jin, and more, highlighting the breadth of talent in K-pop today. The artist with the most trophies that day was Lee Chan-won, who won four awards. In addition to the pre-announced Trend of the Year (Trot category), he swept the Best Adult Contemporary, Best Artist 10, and Most Popular awards.
Meanwhile, the KGMA, first introduced last year by Korea's top entertainment and sports magazine Daily Sports (Edaily M) to commemorate its 55th anniversary, is a K-pop festival that celebrates artists and works beloved by fans at home and abroad, presenting differentiated and meaningful content each year.
Here is the full list of 2025 KGMA Artist Day winners:
2025 Grand Artist: ATEEZ
2025 Grand Performer: Boynextdoor
2025 Grand Honors Choice: The Boyz, All Day Project
Best Artist 10: The Boyz, RISE, Boynextdoor, Psychus, ATEEZ, Xdinary Heroes, Lee Chan-won, Jennie, Cravity, Fifty Fifty (alphabetical order)
Best Memory: WOOZ
Best Adult Contemporary: Lee Chan-won
Best Trot Performance: Park Seo-jin
Best Band: Xdinary Heroes
Best Stage: Cravity
Best Producer: Teddy
Best Hip-Hop: J-Hope
Best Music Video: Jin (‘Don’t Say You Love Me’)
Best OST: Do Kyung-soo (‘Physician Life’ OST ‘Forever’)
IS Rookie: Meow
IS Rising Star: Kiki, All Day Project
iM Bank Smart Supporter Award: The Boyz
Trend of the Year: Lee Chan-won (Trot Category), New Jeans (K-pop Group Category)