IVE, NCT Dream to lead highly anticipated 2023 MMA awards

K-pop

Published: 01 Dec. 2023, 16:34

IVE, NCT Dream to lead highly anticipated 2023 MMA awards

Yabuki Nako and Honda Hitomi will be hosting this year's Melon Music Awards (MMA2023) [KAKAO ENTERTAINMENT]

Saturday's Melon Music Awards (MMA) will see many groups performing never-before-seen stages. NCT Dream will showcase “Poison” for the first time ever, and IVE is preparing an ancient mythology-inspired performance.

MMA is Melon's music award ceremony that's been running annually since 2009. Melon is Korea's largest domestic online music service.

Special stages are often the highlights of end-of-year awards ceremonies, as many groups use them to showcase brand new choreography and unique, exclusive performances. And MMA 2023 has a lot ready.

NCT DREAM will perform at this year's Melon Music Awards (MMA). [KAKAO ENTERTAINMENTT]

NCT Dream will perform “Poison,” a fan-favorite B-side track from its “ISTJ” album, showcasing the song live for the first time.

IVE, who won 2022's Song of the Year award “Love Dive” (2022), is set to perform a stage that includes motifs from ancient mythology. The band performed “Love Dive” and “After Like” (2022) on last year's MMA stage in an arrangement created exclusively for the show. Member Liz also performed the group's debut track, “Eleven” (2021).

aespa, IVE, NewJeans, STAYC and KISS OF LIFE will be joining this year's Melon Music Awards (MMA). [KAKAO ENTERTAINMENT]

aespa, in the group's first MMA performance, will debut special choreography that features the four members dancing in pairs.

BoyNextDoor's stage will depart completely from the band’s usual concept of friendly and playful boys next door. ZeroBaseOne's stage is inspired by knights of the medieval age. STAYC too, will deliver a “surprise performance,” Melon said on Friday.

Saturday’s MMA will also feature Japanese singer-songwriter imase, known for his hit track “Night Dancer,” alongside rookie bands Riize and Kiss of Life.

SHINee, who celebrated its 15th anniversary this year, will perform a “movie-like stage” that's a short compilation of the band's history.

Honda Hitomi and Yabuki Nako from Mnet’s project girl group IZ*ONE will host the ceremony, which begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday. The preshow red carpet ceremony, which will be livestreamed, begins at 4 p.m.

This year's MMA will be held at Inspire Arena in Incheon, a dedicated K-pop performance stadium that can seat up to 15,000 people.

MMA 2023 will be available to stream live on Wavve in Korea and Abema in Japan. Viewers in other countries can stream the event on Beyond Live.

To find out more, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]