MAMA Awards 2023: Biggest controversies courted by the event

An exposé from the 2020 ceremony highlighted a practice of inequality. Idols were reportedly left waiting in their rides while the actors appearing for the show were accommodated in waiting rooms with catering facility. MAMA defended its stance, blaming COVID-19 for the uneven treatment, but the fans were not convinced.

Image Courtesy: Koreaboo

Year after year, the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) honours the feats of K-Pop celebrities with a glitzy awards ceremony. While the joy of winning is undeniable, the lead-up and the grand ceremony itself have often attracted a lot of drama. Ahead of MAMA 2023, we delve into some of infamous moments that the event has faced over the years.

In 2016, the stage was set for Wiz Khalifa to perform his smash hit ‘See You Again', alongside Girls' Generation's Taeyeon. Just minutes before the performance, Taeyeon bowed out, leaving Wiz Khalifa off guard. Wiz Khalifa took to Twitter, unleashing a flurry of tweets which further confused fans.

In 2007, Minwoo and Hyesung of Shinhwa called off their appearance at the MAMA ceremony just an hour before showtime, citing their distrust in the fairness of selection process. Notably, SM Entertainment and Inwoo Production joined the protest in 2009, their ire stemming from Girls’ Generation's inability to clinch wins on MCountdown despite their songs ruling the charts for weeks.

Allegations swirled in the K-Pop cosmos, with ATEEZ fans crying foul over subpar poor camera work and technical glitches. Even TXT faced similar woes, with Soobin's acceptance speech for the Worldwide Fans’ Choice Top 10 award being abruptly cut short.