Sept. 16, 2026, SEOUL, KOREA – PLAVE, RIIZE, NCT WISH, ALPHA DRIVE ONE and LNGSHOT – the boy groups that have made the biggest impact on the Melon charts will take the stage by storm at MMA2026, taking place Nov. 14-15 at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome.

Kakao Entertainment’s music platform Melon has unveiled the first lineup for the upcoming 18^th Melon Music Awards – K-pop’s largest awards ceremony that shines a global spotlight on artists and their achievements throughout the year, powered by Melon’s data and fans’ votes. KakaoBank is the title sponsor.  

PLAVE

Among the artists, virtual K-pop phenomenon PLAVE proved its chart power with its mini-album “Caligo Pt.2,” released in April. Its title track, “Born Savage,” peaked at No. 2 on Melon’s TOP100 and No. 1 on the HOT100. All five tracks from the album entered the TOP100, including “Think I Am” at No. 3, “Blossom Parade” at No. 4, “Lunar Hearts” at No. 6, and “HMPH! (Feat. SOLE)” at No. 8, reaffirming the group’s formidable presence on the streaming charts.

RIIZE

In its third anniversary year, rising sensation RIIZE achieved its fourth million-seller status with its mini-album “II,” released in June. Upon its comeback, every song on the album, including the lead track “Do Your Dance,” entered Melon’s TOP100, reaffirming the group’s strong presence on the charts. The group went on to dominate the Global-K Chart – the first-ever K-pop chart to aggregate both music streaming and fandom activity indices across major consumer markets, created in collaboration with Tencent Music (China) and LINE MUSIC (Japan) – thereby solidifying its position as one of the leading forces of K-pop’s fifth generation.

NCT WISH

Hot act NCT WISH’s “Ode to Love” – the title track from its first full-length album of the same name released in April – reigned atop Melon’s HOT100 while reaching No. 3 on the TOP100. The album exceeded 1.8 million copies in first-week sales and topped both the Circle Chart Album Chart and Retail Album Chart, demonstrating the group’s remarkable performance across both streaming and physical sales. NCT WISH has also ranked among the top on Melon’s Global-K Chart, continuing its upward trajectory since debut.

ALPHA DRIVE ONE

Performance powerhouse ALPHA DRIVE ONE proved impressive chart power from the outset with its debut mini-album “EUPHORIA,” dropped in January. The lead track “FREAK ALARM” ranked first on Melon’s HOT100, while every track on the album made it onto the TOP100. The group also exceeded one million streams about 14 hours after its release, earning the album a spot in Melon’s Hall of Fame. ALPHA DRIVE ONE, one of 2026’s most highly anticipated rookie groups, has been actively promoting on the global stage, successfully completing its first-ever global fan concert tour.

LNGSHOT

LNGSHOT, the first boy group from MORE VISION produced by Jay Park, burst onto the K-pop scene in January with its first album “SHOT CALLERS.” The title track “Moonwalkin’” peaked at No. 9 on Melon’s Latest Releases chart for one week and No. 12 on the HOT100 30-day chart, establishing the group as one of the year’s standout rookies. Following first-week sales of approximately 48,000 copies, LNGSHOT was named Billboard Korea’s “Rookie of the Month” in February, further reinforcing the group’s status as a rising act to watch.

This year, MMA will expand to two days for the first time in its history, uniting a more diverse lineup of artists and fans from the world. Taking place under the keyword “Connect,” and the slogan “K-POP CONNECT: The New Pulse,” the upcoming event aims to define the moment when K-pop fans worldwide gather and unite beyond time and space.

Notably, Kakao Entertainment has added a new award category “Global TOP 10,” tied to the recently launched Global-K Chart. By eliminating the “Millions TOP10” – awarded to albums that achieved more than one million streams within 24 hours of release – and introducing the “Global TOP10” category, Kakao Entertainment aims to reflect global fan responses, giving them a greater voice in the awards and spotlighting artists who resonate with audiences worldwide.