The 2026 MAMA Awards has locked in the stars who will hand out the trophies. CJ ENM announced on October 22 that 25 presenters — spanning screen legends, top actors, a volleyball icon, a hit film director and powerhouse dancers — will take the stage at this year’s ceremony, set for November 20 and 21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan. KBS Entertainment reported the announcement, and Soompi published the full 25-person list the same day.
Leading the lineup are veteran actors Kim Hye Soo, Lee Sung Min and Lee Junho. Kim Hye Soo left a strong impression hosting a music awards ceremony last year; Lee Sung Min anchors Park Chan-wook’s film “No Other Choice”; and Lee Junho — who once won MAMA’s grand prize as a singer — has completed his transformation into an all-round actor. Director Jang Hang Jun, whose film “The King’s Warden” drew 16 million viewers to become the second-highest-grossing Korean film in history, and volleyball legend Kim Yeon Koung add star power from beyond the screen.
The actress lineup brings global fan favorites Kim You Jung, Seol In Ah, Yoo In Na, Lee Da Hee, Lee Sung Kyung and Jo Yuri, joined by multi-entertainers Seo In Young, Jang Keun Suk, Ong Seong Wu and Hwang Minhyun. Rising stars Kim Jae Won, Moon Sang Min, Yoon Kyung Ho, Lee Sang Yi, Lee Chae Min, Choi Dae Hoon and Heo Nam Jun represent the next generation, alongside top performers Monika and Kany and Japanese actor Michieda Shunsuke.
CJ ENM said the presenter roster was curated to be more than a series of trophy handovers. “It will become a festival-like stage where figures who have elevated K-culture in their respective fields connect with one another on a global platform, going beyond simply presenting awards,” the company said in a statement. CJ ENM added that this year’s concept, “Music Interstellar,” promises an extraordinary musical journey through the past, present and future of K-pop.
First launched in 1999 as the Mnet Video Music Awards and rebranded as the MAMA Awards in 2022, the ceremony has grown into a flagship global K-pop awards show. This year’s edition is already shaping up to be its biggest single-region staging yet: the first performer lineup was revealed on October 13, followed by a second wave on October 16 adding BIGBANG, CL, IVE, TREASURE, WOODZ, Hwasa, Hearts2Hearts and more. Nominations were announced on October 12. Visa returns as title sponsor, and the show will stream live worldwide via Mnet Plus and other digital platforms.
With the presenters now confirmed and the performer roster at a record scale, all eyes turn to Osaka for two nights celebrating the songs and artists that defined 2026.
