The Melon Music Awards (MMA) will return for its 17th edition, with new adjustments aimed at evolving with the industry and its fans. On July 9, Kakao Entertainment announced that the 2025 ceremony will take place on December 20 at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, one of Korea's largest indoor venues.

Recognized as one of the most influential year-end events in K-pop, the MMA honours the year's standout artists using Melon's annual streaming data, fan voting, and evaluations from music experts.

This year, the MMA is introducing a new judging formula for its prestigious "TOP10" award. Previously calculated with 80% streaming data and 20% fan votes, the updated criteria will now include 60% streaming data, 20% fan votes, and 20% expert evaluation.

Kakao Entertainment explained the shift, saying: "Music consumption on Melon has become more diverse. We aim to spotlight the artists who truly defined the year, analyzing songs based on popularity, cultural impact, and overall quality."

The 2025 Melon Music Awards will be held at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Incheon on December 20th, 2025. pic.twitter.com/ioqHbw2vVN

— KOREAN SALES (@koreansales_twt) July 9, 2025

Meanwhile, for albums listed in Melon's Hall of Fame under the "Millionance Album" category, the criteria for the "Millionance Top 10" awards will remain unchanged - 80% based on streaming data and 20% on fan votes.

In a further policy change, only paid Melon subscribers will be allowed to reserve tickets to the ceremony. This ends the previous system, which granted access to all users. The company stated that the move is part of a broader effort to reward long-term subscribers and prevent misuse through unofficial platforms.

"We aim to protect our members’ rights by blocking unauthorized reservations and allowing more genuine fans to experience Korea’s premier K-pop award show," Kakao Entertainment added.

The Melon Music Awards (MMA) has grown to become one of the most prestigious K-pop award events, honoring artists' accomplishments using a combination of Melon's streaming data, user votes, and expert judgments. The MMA began online in 2005 and moved to real events by 2009, becoming a highly anticipated year-end festival for both fans and artists.

MMA, unlike many other award ceremonies, has acquired the term "the true home of K-pop," providing a dependable and fan-accessible celebration of the year in music.

Melon intends to connect music fans and build enthusiasm for MMA 2025 with a series of pre-event activities. These events will provide exclusive benefits, such as highly sought-after MMA tickets, to build excitement for the main ceremony. 

Voting for the "TOP10" and numerous category awards will also take place, with more information and announcements being revealed gradually on the official MMA 2025 page on the Melon platform.  

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