The 2026 MAMA Awards will invite fans into a music-driven universe when it returns to Osaka next month, with organizers unveiling a new concept and a first fan-led festival at a media day on October 29.
The two-night ceremony is set for November 20 and 21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan.
This year’s theme is ‘A MUSIC INTERSTELLAR,’ presented as a journey through time and space in search of music’s power. Audiences are invited to discover unexpected moments and find their own star along the way, while artists and global fans are connected through the message ‘MUSIC MAKES ONE’ to complete a shared musical universe.
The new MAMA Fan Festa puts fans at the centre of the celebration for the first time. Described as a participatory festival, it lets K-pop fans enjoy the awards in their own way and gain a new kind of experience, rather than simply watching from the sidelines.
It is positioned as the first leg of the journey to the official ceremony, with fan-focused programs and collaborations planned both online and offline.
The awards began in 1999 as a video music awards ceremony and became Korea’s first Asian music awards ceremony in 2009, before a 2022 rebrand sharpened its global identity. In 2024, it staged a relay-style event linking Los Angeles and Osaka, a first for a K-pop awards ceremony, and in 2025 it won best general entertainment program at the Asian Academy Creative Awards.
That history helps explain why this year’s fan-first expansion matters: MAMA has repeatedly tried to widen who the ceremony is for, and the new festival extends that shift from the stage to the audience itself.
Visa is the title sponsor for the 2026 ceremony, which will stream live worldwide through Mnet Plus and other major digital platforms.
With the concept and fan festival now public, attention turns to how the participatory programs will unfold in Osaka across the two nights.
