Korean music acts tout global ambitions and Hong Kong links at region’s biggest K-pop awards show
Mnet Asian Music Awards at Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo draws K-pop royalty alongside major international acts, as Korean wave looks to roll on outside Asia
The region’s biggest K-pop awards show returned to Hong Kong on Friday night with record executives vowing to take the so-called Korean wave that has swept Asia in recent years to a global audience.
Speaking at a music industry forum held ahead of the Mnet Asian Music Awards, which was being staged in Hong Kong by entertainment giant CJ E&M for the fifth time, Lenzo Yoon, business planning director for Big Hit Entertainment, said it was time to take K-pop to a new set of listeners.
“K-pop is not just a temporary musical phenomenon. We should elevate K-pop into a new genre of music in the world,” he said as he took to the stage to share the secrets behind the success of bands such as Bangtan Boys, better known as BTS, one of the biggest acts at this year’s show.
Organisers handed out 19 awards. Twice and Exo scooped the best female and male group awards respectively. Hong Kong star Leon Lai Ming appeared as an award presenter.
Yoon said the rise of BTS and other Korean acts had demonstrated the rise of K-pop was no accident, but a well-calculated business. Three factors were ascribed responsible for the meteoric rise of the genre in recent years: attractive artists, excellent showmanship and brand identity.