Seoul Music Awards

The Seoul Music Awards (SMA, also known as Seoul Gayo Daesang) are a major annual South Korean music awards ceremony presented by the newspaper Sports Seoul since 1990. Winners are selected based on a combination of music sales, popular votes, and expert judges' opinions. The 35th edition took place on June 20, 2026, at Inspire Arena in Incheon, hosted by Leeteuk, Leesol, and Park Gun-wook. ATEEZ won the Grand Prize (Daesang), the ceremony's highest honor, awarded to only one act per year.

How the Seoul Music Awards Work

The SMA use a multi-criteria selection process:

1. Sales Data: Digital music sales, album sales, and streaming performance during the eligibility period (January through December of the previous year) feed into the nomination and scoring process.

2. Popular Voting: Fans vote through the official SMA website and platforms. The Popularity Award is determined entirely by domestic fan voting, while the Korean Wave Special Award is determined by overseas fan voting.

3. Expert Judges: A panel of industry professionals evaluates nominees on musical quality and artistic achievement. The combined scores from sales, voting, and judging determine the winners.

4. Grand Prize (Daesang): Unlike other categories, the Daesang is awarded to only one act per year. This principle has been maintained for 35 years to preserve the prestige of the top honor. Past Daesang winners include Byun Jin-sub (1990), Seo Taiji and Boys (1992, 1993), H.O.T. (1997, 1998), BTS, and EXO.

5. Main Prize (Bonsang): Multiple Bonsangs are awarded each year to recognize outstanding achievements across the Korean music industry. For 2026, 10 acts received Bonsangs.

6. Genre and Special Awards: Categories cover R&B/Hip Hop, Trot, Rock/Ballad, Band, OST, Performance, and K-Pop World Choice, plus special awards like the Golden Revival Award, SMA Legend Award, and New Icon.

The ceremony has been broadcast on KBS N since 2013 and is streamed globally through Hello Live, allowing international fans to watch in real time.

Real-World Example: The 35th Seoul Music Awards (2026)

The 35th SMA took place on June 20, 2026, at Inspire Arena in Incheon. ATEEZ won the Daesang (Grand Prize), the ceremony's most prestigious individual honor, in addition to taking home a Bonsang. This marked a career milestone for the group.

BOYNEXTDOOR was the night's most decorated act with four awards: Best Album, World Best Artist, the R&B/Hip Hop Award, and a Bonsang. Lee Chan Won also won four awards: SMA Best Artist, the Popularity Award, the Trot Award, and a Bonsang.

ZEROBASEONE won three awards including Best Album, Best Group, and a Bonsang. LE SSERAFIM matched with three: Best Song, World Best Artist, and a Bonsang. BTS received the Korean Wave Special Award, while EXO received the Golden Revival Award. Doh Kyung Soo (EXO's D.O.) won the New Icon award.

The Rookie of the Year category recognized four acts: AHOF, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, CLOSE YOUR EYES, and IDID. The SMA Global Rookie Award went to idntt, MODYSSEY, and SAY MY NAME. Roo'ra received the SMA Legend Award.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

The Seoul Music Awards are one of the few major K-pop ceremonies where fan voting carries significant weight. The Popularity Award is determined entirely by domestic fan votes, and the Korean Wave Special Award by overseas fans. This means independent artists with dedicated fanbases can win categories without relying solely on sales data or industry connections.

The Rookie of the Year and SMA Global Rookie categories specifically target debut and early-career acts. Four acts won Rookie of the Year in 2026, showing that the SMA actively recognizes new talent across multiple groups. The genre-specific categories (Trot, Rock/Ballad, Band) also provide platforms for artists outside mainstream K-pop.

If you are an independent Korean artist, focus on building streaming numbers and fan engagement during the eligibility period. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your performance across platforms. Check the Seoul Music Awards website for eligibility windows and voting dates.

Related Resources

• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming performance that feeds into SMA scoring
• Target Streams Calculator - Set streaming goals for awards eligibility
• 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Build revenue alongside awards strategy
• When and How to Hire a Music Manager - A manager can coordinate awards campaigns in Korea
• Performance Rights Organizations - Korean PROs like KOMCA collect royalties for award-winning songwriters