20th Korean Music Awards

The 20th Korean Music Awards was held in Seoul, South Korea on March 5, 2023. 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, 2021, and November 30, 2022.

20th Korean Music Awards
DateMarch 5, 2023
LocationSeoul, South Korea
Highlights
Most awards250 (4)
Most nominationsNewJeans (6)
Musician of the Year250
Album of the Year250 – Ppong
Song of the YearYounha – "Event Horizon"
Websitekoreanmusicawards.com
← 19th · Korean Music Awards · 21st →

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 panel comprising music critics, radio show producers, academics, and other music industry professionals.

Nominations were announced on February 9, 2023. Newcomer girl group NewJeans received the most nominations with six, including in all three daesang categories.[1] Producer 250 won the most awards of the night with four, while NewJeans won a total of three awards; 250 also served as the producer for the works NewJeans were nominated for.

Winners and nominees

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NewJeans is the ceremony's most nominated artist

Main awards

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Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).[2] Nominees are listed in alphabetical order.[3][4]

Album of the Year
Song of the Year
Musician of the Year
Rookie of the Year
Best K-Pop Album
Best K-Pop Song
Best Pop Album
Best Pop Song
Best Rock Album
  • Concorde – Supersonic Airliner
    • ABTB – iii
    • BadLamb – Universal Anxiety
    • Lanalogue – Stereo Out!
    • OVerdrive Philosophy – OVerdrive Philosophy
Best Rock Song
  • Jambinai – "From the Place Been Erased" (feat. Sunwoo Jung-a)
    • BadLamb – "Love, Lies, Bleeding"
    • Concorde – "Rainbow Flowers Are Blooming"
    • HarryBigButton – "Thelma & Louise"
    • OVerdrive Philosophy – "Painful Truth"
Best Modern Rock Album
Best Modern Rock Song
Best Electronic Album
  • 250Ppong
    • Glen CheckBleach
    • Pierre Blanche – Ego
    • Salamanda – Ashbalkum
    • Two Tone Shape – Every Minute
Best Electronic Song
  • 250 – "Bang Bus"
    • Glen Check – "4ever"
    • Kirara – "Stargaze"
    • Pierre Blanche – "Infinite Circle" (feat. Rondo Mo)
    • Taeyeon – "INVU" (Moon Kyoo Remix)
Best Rap & Hip-Hop Album
  • Nucksal, CadejoSincerely Yours
    • C JammGhenn
    • Lee Hyun-jun – Lost in Translation
    • PaloaltoDirt
    • Qim Isle – Some Hearts Are for Two
Best Rap & Hip-Hop Song
  • Nucksal, Cadejo – "Good Morning Seoul"
    • Lee Hyun-jun – "White Lighter"
    • Lobonabeat! – "Birthday" (feat. Bill Stax)
    • Paloalto – "Priceless" (feat. toigo)
    • Zico – "New Thing" (prod. by Zico, feat. Homies)
Best R&B & Soul Album
  • A.Train – Private Pink
    • Che – Kpop
    • Joe Layne – Life O Life
    • Rad Museum – Rad
    • SlomWeather Report
    • Soul Delivery – FoodCourt
Best R&B & Soul Song
  • Bibi – "Jotto"
    • A.Train – "Something Beautiful" (feat. Meaningful Stone, Simun, Seo Bo-kyung)
    • Sion – "Braindead"
    • Slom – "Anirago" (feat. Zion.T)
    • Soul Delivery – "Nugs" (with Thama)
Best Folk Album
  • Line and Circle – Night and Day
    • Bae Young-gyoung – You My Blue
    • Kim Mok-in – Stored Images
    • Lucid FallVoice Beside Guitar
    • Summer of Thoughts – Hands
Best Folk Song
  • Line and Circle – "Night and Day"
    • Bae Young-gyoung – "I Love You" (feat. Sunnie)
    • Kim Mok-in – "Walking in the City" (feat. Dajung)
    • Lucid Fall – "A Small Handful of Songs"
    • Summer of Thoughts – "Rambler" (with Park Hye-li)
Best Jazz Album
  • Song Young-joo – Atmosphere
    • Hoo Kim Big Band – Common Heritage of Humankind
    • Kim Jung-sik – Hangul, Improvisation
    • Mandong – Big Sun
    • Yu Tae-sung – Michelangelo
Best Jazz Vocal Album
  • Kim Yu-jin – A Piece and the Whole
    • Kim Ju-hwan – Candy: Memories of Nat King Cole Trio
    • Maria Kim – Stellive Vol. 16 Two for the Road
    • Song Yi-jeon & Vinicius Gomes – Home
    • Youn Sun-nah – Waking World
Best Metal & Hardcore Album
  • Madmans EspritI See Myself Through You Who See Us Through Me
    • Dog Last Page – Drunken Dream
    • Nuclear Idiots – Nclridts
    • Seaweed MustacheBombora"
    • Visceral Explosion – Human Meat Distribution Process
Best Global Contemporary Album
  • Jung Jae-ilPsalms
    • Baum Sae – Communication
    • Hwang Gina – Short Film
    • Ji Park, BlankFor.ms, VRI String Quartet – Syntropy
    • Park JihaThe Gleam
    • Sinnoi – Illumination

Special awards

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  • Achievement Award – Love & Peace[5]

References

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  1. ^ Hicap, Jonathan (February 9, 2023). "K-pop group NewJeans bags most nominations at Korean Music Awards". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  2. ^ "대중음악상 프로듀서 250 4관왕, 뉴진스 3관왕" [Producer 250 wins 4 awards at the Korean Popular Music Awards, New Jeans wins 3 awards]. Seoul Shinmun (in Korean). Naver. March 5, 2023. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  3. ^ "Nominees Total". Korean Music Awards (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  4. ^ "Nominees Genre". Korean Music Awards (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  5. ^ Seo, Jung-min (February 9, 2023). 뉴진스, '한국대중음악상' 6개 부문 최다 후보 [NewJeans is nominated in six categories, the most at the Korean Music Awards]. The Hankyoreh (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via Naver.