If you can watch only one day of the 2026 Melon Music Awards, start with the lineup. MMA runs Nov. 14–15 at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome, the first time Melon has split the awards over two days. The reunited I.O.I and aespa appear on Saturday, with IVE and CORTIS on Sunday. Pick the act you most want to see and work back to the date.

TWS members in white tops onstage.PLEDIS Entertainment

TWS at a separate performance.

Saturday: I.O.I get the group back together

The 14 acts announced for Saturday are I.O.I, NCT DREAM, ATEEZ, aespa, YENA, RIIZE, TWS, RESCENE, DRAGON PONY, Hearts2Hearts, HANA, IDID, AEN and TUIDE. The lineup tells you who is due to appear. Set lists and running order are separate. Part of the appeal is seeing acts from different periods of K-pop share a bill.

RIIZE members seated together on a sofa.SM Entertainment / RIIZE

A previously released RIIZE group photo.

What I.O.I’s set means to you may depend on when you found them. If you remember their audition-show debut, watch how the members pick up their chemistry again. If you came to the group through the reunion, you may discover an older track for the first time. With aespa and Hearts2Hearts also on the bill, see what makes each of the three girl groups recognizable in a room that size.

The four aespa members in black jackets.SM엔터테인먼트 / 아이돌차트

A teaser photo for aespa’s second album, LEMONADE.

Pair aespa’s LEMONADE album photos with images from the music video set. The tailoring stands out in the black-jacket shots. On set, the colors of the four members’ dresses catch the eye first. The album, the video and a live performance can leave you with different impressions of the same song.

The four aespa members backlit in dresses of different colors.SM엔터테인먼트 / 보그

SM Entertainment shared this LEMONADE set photo with Vogue.

DRAGON PONY gives the first day a band to watch. Compare the precision of a choreographed group with the way musicians pull a song along together. If you already have a favorite, one studio track and one recent official performance are enough homework. A crowd chant, an instrumental break or a few seconds of choreography at the end can change the way a familiar song lands.

IVE members posing together on a street set.STARSHIP Entertainment

An IVE album concept photo.

ATEEZ members standing beside a boat and ropes.KQ엔터테인먼트

An ATEEZ album concept photo.

Sunday: familiar acts and new discoveries

Sunday’s 12 acts are NCT 127, IVE, PLAVE, 82MAJOR, NCT WISH, ILLIT, KiiiKiii, CORTIS, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, LNGSHOT, hrtz.wav and AND2BLE. NCT DREAM appear on Saturday, while NCT 127 and NCT WISH are on Sunday. Put the full unit name alongside the date when making plans with friends.

The five members of CORTIS posing backstage.빅히트뮤직

A CORTIS photo from Weverse Magazine.

With IVE, you may already know the recording. See what changes when the group performs it live. With CORTIS, listen for the track and movement they use to introduce themselves. PLAVE offer a different question: how does a virtual act use the arena screens, and when does the crowd respond?

What else has changed since last year?

The 2025 awards results recognized albums and music videos as well as artists. This year’s Global TOP10 is new. It combines voting and judging with the Global-K Chart, which brings together platform data from Korea, China and Japan. Since its criteria differ from those of the domestic TOP10, an act can appear differently across the two awards.

A CORTIS member holding a microphone in a white sleeveless top.빅히트뮤직

A CORTIS performance photo released by BIGHIT MUSIC.

The official teaser gives you a feel for this year’s show. Use the published lineups from Melon and Kakao Entertainment to choose a day. The teaser itself can’t tell you which song an act will play.

A CORTIS member lifting an arm onstage.빅히트뮤직

A CORTIS performance photo released by BIGHIT MUSIC.

If you already follow one of last year’s winners, look up the category they won. New to MMA? Pick one music video or album from the list. After this year’s show, return to the original recording and listen for a new opening or a passage the performance brought forward.

Watching in Seoul or from abroad

The main ceremony begins at 18:00 KST on both days. According to the broadcast announcement, Melon and Wavve carry the Korean stream from the 17:00 red carpet. Japan has U-NEXT and Taiwan has TVBS, among other local routes. In some markets abroad, Melon or 1theK’s YouTube channel is an option. Check Melon’s regional viewing guide before the show.

The Melon Music Awards 2026 name and graphic.멜론

Official artwork for Melon Music Awards 2026.

Give yourself a different reason to watch each day. You might turn up on Saturday for a group you haven’t seen together in years, then tune in on Sunday for one you want to follow next year.

Gocheok Sky Dome on Naver Map

Gocheok Sky Dome on Naver Map

  • Venue: Gocheok Sky Dome, 430 Gyeongin-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul.
  • Dates: Nov. 14–15 at 18:00 KST.
  • Viewing: Melon and Wavve in Korea. Check the official guide for overseas broadcasters by market.

If you can pick only one day, go with the act you most want to see. If neither lineup has won you over, find a name you’ve heard and try one official performance first.