BTS Wins Global Popularity Award at HMA 2025, Reaffirming Its Worldwide Standing

The 33rd edition of the “Hanteo Music Awards 2025” was successfully held on the 15th at the KSPO DOME in Seoul’s Olympic Park. At this awards ceremony, BTS received the Global Popularity Award, thereby reaffirming its status on a global scale. This year’s Hanteo Music Awards highlighted the outstanding performances of various artists leading the K-pop scene. The Album Category Grand Prize went to Stray Kids, who demonstrated overwhelming album sales figures and strong global appeal. The Digital Song Category Grand Prize was awarded to G-Dragon, who made a spectacular return to the music industry. The Artist Category Grand Prize was claimed by ATEEZ, who have been actively performing across the world. The Performance Category Grand Prize went to ENHYPEN, who showed unmatched dominance on stage. Key figures in K-pop, including BTS, NCT WISH, BOYNEXTDOOR, SEVENTEEN, and aespa, were nominated in the main award categories. Notably, in the Regional Artist Awards category, Stray Kids dominated four continents—North America, South America, Europe, and Africa—demonstrating their immense global influence, while TOMORROW X TOGETHER won awards in the Asia and Oceania categories, showing their solid presence in those regions. A key aspect of this awards ceremony was the significant role played by powerful fanbases in driving the Popularity Award category. BTS’s victory in the Global Popularity Award serves as evidence of the enduring passion of fans from around the world who support them across borders.