22nd Korean Music Awards
{{Short description|2025 South Korean music award ceremony}}
{{use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox award
| name = 22nd Korean Music Awards
| image = 22nd Korean Music Awards.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| date = February 27, 2025
| location = Seoul, South Korea
| hosts = Moon Sang-hoon
| most_awards = Aespa
Lee Seung-yoon (3)
| most_nominations = Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble (6)
| award1_type = Musician of the Year
| award1_winner =
| award2_type = Album of the Year
| award2_winner =
| award3_type = Song of the Year
| award3_winner =
| website = {{URL|koreanmusicawards.com}}
| network = PRIZM Live
YouTube
| runtime =
| previous = 21st
| main = Korean Music Awards
| next = 23rd
}}
The 22nd Korean Music Awards was held in Seoul, South Korea on February 27, 2025. Hosted by the Korean Music Awards Selection Committee and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency, the ceremony recognized the best music released in South Korea between December 1, 2023, and November 30, 2024.{{Cite web |title=2025 제22회 한국대중음악상 시상식 |trans-title= The 22nd Korean Music Awards 2025 Ceremony |url=https://koreanmusicawards.com/kma2025/# |access-date=February 6, 2025 |website=Korean Music Awards |language=ko-KR |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206092406/https://koreanmusicawards.com/kma2025/ |archive-date=February 6, 2025 |url-status=live}}
Unlike other South Korean music awards, the Korean Music Awards are based on musical achievement rather than record sales. Winners are determined by the Korean Music Awards Selection Committee, which comprises music critics, radio show producers, academics, and other music industry professionals. Nominations were announced on February 6, 2025, through its official website and YouTube channel.{{Cite web |title=2025 제22회 한국대중음악상 후보작 |trans-title= The 22nd Korean Music Awards 2025 Nominees |url=https://koreanmusicawards.com/nominees/total-2025/ |access-date=February 6, 2025 |website=Korean Music Awards |language=ko-KR |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250206093229/https://koreanmusicawards.com/nominees/total-2025/ |archive-date=February 6, 2025 |url-status=live}}
Indie group Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble received the most nominations with six, followed by girl group Aespa with five.{{Cite web|script-title=ko:에스파 '슈퍼노바' 앞세워 한국대중음악상 5개 부문 후보 |trans-title=5 nominations for the Korean Music Awards with Aespa's 'Supernova' at the forefront |url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250206122600005?input=1195m |via=Naver |publisher=Yonhap News Agency |language=ko |last=Choi |first=Joo-sung |date=February 6, 2025 |access-date=February 6, 2025 |archive-date=February 6, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206094016/https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250206122600005?input=1195m |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=2025-02-07 |title=Indie band Danpyunsun leads Korean Music Awards nominations, beating aespa |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2025/02/398_391733.html |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=The Korea Times |language=en}}
Aespa and Lee Seung-yoon were the biggest winners of the night, each taking home three awards, with Aespa taking Song of the Year and Lee Seung-yoon earning Musician of the Year.{{Cite web|script-title=ko:이승윤 '한국대중음악상' 3관왕 "시대 잊지 않는 음악할 것" |trans-title=Lee Seung-yoon won the three Korean Popular Music Award, "I will do music that will not forget the times." |url=https://news.jtbc.co.kr/article/NB12237218?influxDiv=NAVER |via=Naver |publisher=JTBC |language=ko |last=Hwang |first=So-young |date=February 28, 2025 |access-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250228142306/https://news.jtbc.co.kr/article/NB12237218?influxDiv=NAVER |url-status=live}}{{Cite web|script-title=ko:‘K팝 레전드’ 에스파, 한국대중음악상 3관왕 쾌거 |trans-title="K-pop Legend" Aespa Wins 3 Korean Music Awards |url=https://www.mk.co.kr/news/hot-issues/11253239 |via=Naver |publisher=Maeil Business Newspaper |language=ko |last=Han |first=Hyun-jung |date=February 28, 2025 |access-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228142655/https://www.mk.co.kr/news/hot-issues/11253239 |url-status=live}} Meanwhile, Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble won Album of the Year.{{Cite web|script-title=ko:한대음 올해의 음반은, 단편선 순간들 '음악만세'…에스파·이승윤 3관왕 |trans-title=Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble's album of the year, short story moments, 'Hail to the Music'...Aespa and Lee Seungyoon won three awards |url=https://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/6301432?utm_source=naver&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=20250228080123 |via=Naver |publisher=No Cut News |language=ko |last=Kim |first=Soo-jung |date=February 28, 2025 |access-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-date=February 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250228142604/https://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/6301432 |url-status=live}}
Winners and nominees
Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡). Nominees are listed in alphabetical order.{{Cite web|script-title=ko:단편선 순간들·에스파, '한국대중음악상' 6·5개 부문 후보 |trans-title=Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble and Aespa, 6·5 Nominations for the 'Korean Music Awards' |url=https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20250206_0003055281 |via=Naver |publisher=Newsis |language=ko |last=Lee |first=Jae-hoon |date=February 6, 2025 |access-date=February 6, 2025 |archive-date=February 6, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206094723/https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20250206_0003055281 |url-status=live}}
= General Field =
| class="wikitable"
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Album of the Year}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Song of the Year}}
|
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Musician of the Year}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Rookie of the Year}} |
= Genre categories =
| class="wikitable"
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best K-pop Album}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best K-pop Song}}
|
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Pop Album}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Pop Song}}
|
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Rock Album}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Rock Song}}
|
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Modern Rock Album}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Modern Rock Song}}
|
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Electronic Album}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Electronic Song}}
|
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Rap & Hip-Hop Album}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Rap & Hip-Hop Song}} |
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best R&B & Soul Album}}
| style="vertical-align:top" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best R&B & Soul Song}} |
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Folk Album}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Folk Song}}
|
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Metal & Hardcore Album}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Global Contemporary Album}}
|
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Jazz Album}}
| style="vertical-align:top;" width="50%" |{{Award category|#EEDD82|Best Jazz Instrumental Album}}
|
=Special awards=
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Lee Ho-jun{{Cite web |title=2025 제22회 한국대중음악상 특별분야 |trans-title= The 22nd Korean Music Awards 2025 Special Awards |url=https://koreanmusicawards.com/nominees/total-2025/ |access-date=February 6, 2025 |website=Korean Music Awards |language=ko-KR |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250206134228/https://koreanmusicawards.com/winners/special-2025/ |archive-date=February 6, 2025 |url-status=live}}
- Selection Committee Special Award – Live Club Day
Multiple awards
The following artist(s) received two or more awards:
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col" style="background-color:#EEDD82" | Count
! scope="col" style="background-color:#EEDD82" | Artist(s) |
|---|
| rowspan="2" | 3
| Aespa |
| Lee Seung-yoon |
| 2
| Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble |