Jennie Nominated for 9 Awards at Asian Pop Music Awards; Highlighting K-POP Solo Artists’ Global Rise

Jennie of BLACKPINK has been named the most nominated artist at the 2025 Asian Pop Music Awards (APMA), accelerating the global success of K-POP solo artists. Hosted by Asia’s VVV Entertainment Group based in Hong Kong and the London-based UK VVV Music Group, the APMA nominated Jennie in 9 categories on December 1. G-Dragon and Lay Zhang each received nominations in 8 categories, while Jackson Wang, a Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 recipient, was nominated in 7 categories. Among BLACKPINK’s members, Rosé was nominated in 6 categories, Jisoo in 5, and Lisa in 4, with BLACKPINK itself also included in a group category. BLACKPINK previously won the Album of the Year award for *The Album* in 2020 and *Born Pink* in 2022. JJ Lin holds the record for the most awards in APMA history with 16 trophies, and he is aiming to increase his tally with 3 nominations this year. Lay Zhang currently ranks second with 12 awards and could climb higher with these 8 nominations. In Forbes Korea’s first “2025 Korean Idols of the Year” ranking this year, Jennie topped the list by consistently performing well across all metrics, including music streaming, media and social media mentions, and fan voting. Jennie has succeeded in expanding her media presence and global fanbase through diverse activities such as fashion collaborations, global brand partnerships, and variety shows, also ranking first in international media coverage. WONHO held promotions at the Empire State Building in New York in December to celebrate the release of his debut English album *Syndrome*. Having released an English album five years after his solo debut, WONHO said, “Fans are always my main motivation,” adding that “conversations with fans inspire my songs.” The album captures various stages of love, from initial sparks to intense passion and then to a quiet aftermath, and includes highlight tracks such as “On Top of the World” and “Better Than Me.” The global expansion of K-POP idols has now become a standard strategy. According to the Korea International Cultural Exchange Promotion Agency, during October alone, Hallyu stars held 165 concerts or fan meetings in 71 locations across 24 countries, with BLACKPINK, aespa, and TWICE leading overseas tours. These artists maximize their global influence by adopting a “separate yet together” strategy, combining group activities with solo efforts tailored to their individual strengths.