The Seoul Music Awards (Korean: 서울가요대상; RR: Seoul Gayo Daesang; SMA[2]) is a major South Korean music awards show presented by the newspaper Sports Seoul.[3] The award winners are selected based on a combination of criteria, including music sales, popular votes, and expert judges' opinions.[4]
The annual ceremony was first held in 1990, when the Grand Prize was awarded to singer Byun Jin-sub.[3] Boy group BTS is the most-awarded artist, having won 26 awards; they are also tied with Exo for the most Grand Prizes won, with four each.
The Grand Prize (also known as the Daesang) is typically awarded to one musical act, with the exception of the 9th awards ceremony, when the Grand Prize was shared by H.O.T. and Sechs Kies, and the 10th awards ceremony, when it was shared by Jo Sung-mo and Fin.K.L.[30] Additionally, at the 29th awards ceremony, two Grand Prizes were awarded: the Album Daesang, which went to BTS, and the Digital Daesang, which went to Taeyeon.[31]
Main Prizes (also known as Bonsang) are given to several musical acts.[32]
The winner of the Popularity Award is determined by domestic viewers' votes, while the winner of the K-Wave Special Award is determined by overseas viewers' votes.[33]
^The Legend Rookie Prize was a one-off category created in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Seoul Music Awards.[45] A special online poll was held via the SMA website where fans voted for the most memorable rookie artist in the award show's history.[45][46] The candidate with the most votes was announced at the end of the ceremony on January 31. No physical award was presented to the winner.[45]
^The Legend Grand Prize was a one-off category created in celebration of the Seoul Music Awards 30th anniversary.[45] A special online poll was held via the SMA website where fans voted for the most memorable Daesang winner in the award show's history.[45][46] The candidate with the most votes was announced at the end of the ceremony on January 31. No physical award was presented to the winner.[45]
^"The 30th High SMA". Seoul Music Awards. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
^ ab"[서울가요대상D-1]변진섭부터 방탄소년단까지…대상으로 바라본 가요계 30년" [[D-1 to Seoul Music Awards] From Byun Jin-sub to BTS: looking back at 30 years of k-pop through awards]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). January 30, 2021. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
^"제30회 서울가요대상, 오늘 6시50분 시작···생중계는 '여기'" [The 30th Seoul Music Awards starts today at 6:50 p.m. ...watch live here]. Aju Economy (in Korean). January 31, 2021. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
^ ab"클론, 서울가요대상 수상" [Clon wins at the Seoul Music Awards]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. December 5, 1996. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
^ ab"HOT 서울가요대상 수상" [HOT awarded at the Seoul Music Awards]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. December 4, 1997. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
^ abcde"서울가요대상 대상에 조성모·핑클" [Jo Sung-mo and Fin.K.L. win grand prize at Seoul Music Awards]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Naver. December 14, 1999. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
^ ab"서울가요대상 최고 영예에 보아" [BoA received the highest honor at the Seoul Music Awards]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. December 6, 2002. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
^ ab"이효리, 서울가요대상 가수왕" [Lee Hyori, Seoul Music Awards singer king]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. December 12, 2003. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
^ ab"`신화`, 서울가요대상 시상식에서 대상 영예" ['Shinhwa' wins grand prize at Seoul Music Awards ceremony]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Naver. December 13, 2004. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
^ abcdefgh동방신기, 제16회 서울가요대상 대상 수상 [TVXQ, 16th Seoul Music Awards daesang winner]. KBS News (in Korean). December 1, 2006. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
^"[단독] 신동엽·김희철·김소현 뭉친다..'서울가요대상' MC 확정" [Shin Dong-yup, Kim Hee-chul and Kim So-hyun unite...Seoul Music Awards MCs confirmed]. OSEN (in Korean). January 17, 2018. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
^"[하이원서울가요대상 D-6]신동엽X김희철X김소현, '믿고보는 MC' 재회…2년 연속 호흡" [[D-6 to Seoul Music Awards] Shin Dong-yup, Kim Hee-chul, Kim So-hyun's MC reunion...2 years running]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). January 9, 2019. Archived from the original on January 9, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
^"[2020 서울가요대상] 태연 '음원대상'→방탄소년단 '음반대상'…엑소, 4관왕 등극 (종합)" [[2020 Seoul Music Awards] Taeyeon wins song grand prize, BTS wins album grand prize, Exo wins 4 awards (Full list)]. OSEN (in Korean). January 30, 2020. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
^"서울가요대상 진행하는 김희철-수영-신동엽" [Kim Hee-chul, Soo-young, and Shin Dong-yup to host Seoul Music Awards]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Nate. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
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^"33년 전통과 역사 서울가요대상, 사상 첫 해외 개최…2024년 1월 2일 태국 방콕서 열려" [Seoul Music Awards, 33 years of tradition and history, held overseas for the first time in history... Held in Bangkok, Thailand on January 2, 2024]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). Naver. September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
^Park, Soo-in (November 10, 2023). "이승기·티파니 영·뱀뱀·영재 '서울가요대상' MC 호흡 맞춘다" [Lee Seung-gi, Tiffany Young, BamBam, and Youngjae to work together as MCs for the 'Seoul Music Awards'] (in Korean). Retrieved November 11, 2023.
^"[하이원서울가요대상D데이]부문별 시상 내역은?" [[High1 Seoul Music Awards D-Day] What's the award breakdown by category?]. Seoul Sports (in Korean). January 15, 2019. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
^ abcdefghijklmn"'서울가요대상' 달라진 대상 시스템…방탄소년단 앨범대상→태연 음원대상" [Seoul Music Awards changes daesang system...BTS wins album daesang, Taeyeon wins song daesang]. Newsen (in Korean). January 30, 2020. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
^""방탄소년단·트와이스 본상 후보"...'서울가요대상', 오늘(31일) 개최" [BTS and Twice are bonsang nominees...Seoul Music Awards will be held today (31st)]. Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). January 31, 2021. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
^"임영웅, 서울가요대상 인기상X트롯상 투표 1위 독주 중… 2관왕 될까?" [Lim Young-woong is number one in votes for popularity award and trot award at Seoul Music Awards...will he win both?]. Woman's Chosun (in Korean). January 24, 2021. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
^ abcdefJeong, Ha-eun (January 3, 2024). 역사상 첫 해외 개최, 대상은 엔시티 드림 “2년 연속 수상 영광…시즈니 덕분”[제33회 서울가요대상] [Held overseas for the first time in history, the grand prize was awarded by NCT Dream "Honored to be awarded for the second year in a row...Thanks to Czennies" [The 33rd Seoul Music Awards]] (in Korean). Sports Seoul. Retrieved January 3, 2024 – via Naver.
^ abcdefghijklmnLee, Hana (January 19, 2023). "NCT DREAM 대상 쾌거, 방탄소년단 앨범상·아이브 음원상[종합][2023 서울가요대상]" [NCT DREAM Grand Prize, BTS Album Award, Ive Music Award [Comprehensive][2023 Seoul Music Awards]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023 – via Naver.
^ abcdefghijklmnChoi, Eun-mi (January 23, 2022). "[제31회 서울가요대상]NCT 127, 첫 대상 "오래 꿈꿔 왔다"..임영웅 '4관왕'→트롯 대세 증명(종합)" [[31st Seoul Music Awards] NCT 127, first grand prize "I've been dreaming for a long time"..Lim Young-woong '4 crowns' → Trot trend proof (comprehensive)] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abcdefghijklm"[종합] "팬들은 우리의 아이돌"…BTS, 서가대 3관왕…감동 수상소감" [[Full list] "Fans are our idols"...BTS wins three awards at Seoul Music Awards...Moving acceptance speech]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). January 16, 2019. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
^ abcdefghijklmnKim, Na-ra (January 25, 2018). "[27th 서가대] 방탄소년단, 영예 대상...엑소 '5년 연속' 기록 저지 (종합)" [[27th Seogadae] BTS, Grand Prize...Exo's '5 years in a row' record blocked (Total)] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqJeong, Yu-na (January 19, 2017). "엑소, 최초 4년연속 대상 수상...그랜드슬램 달성[26th 서울가요대상](종합)" [Exo wins the Grand Prize for the first time in 4 consecutive years...Achieving the Grand Slam [26th Seoul Music Awards] (Comprehensive)] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abcdefghijklmJung, Jun-hwa (January 14, 2016). "대상까지 3관왕..엑소, 역대 최초 '3연패 달성' [25th 서울가요대상](종합)" [3 trophies until the grand prize...Exo, the first ever to 'achieve 3 consecutive victories' [25th Seoul Music Awards] (Comprehensive)] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abcdefghijklmPark, Mi-ae (January 22, 2015). "[24th 서울가요대상]엑소, 2년 연속 대상 수상...역시 대세" [[24th Seoul Music Awards] Exo won the grand prize for 2 years in a row...also trending] (in Korean). E Daily. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abcdefghijkSong, Cho-rong (January 24, 2014). "[서울가요대상] 엑소, 다섯 번째 가요대상 수상...대세입증(종합)" [[Seoul Music Awards] EXO wins 5th Music Awards...Proof of trend (comprehensive)]. MBN Star (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.