G-Dragon was named Artist of the Year at the 2025 MAMA Awards, delivering a heartfelt message during the ceremony. The event unfolded in a subdued tone following a deadly apartment fire in Hong Kong that killed more than 100 people. The K-pop industry paid tribute to the victims with scaled-back proceedings.
The 2025 MAMA Awards took place over two days at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong, with G-Dragon receiving the Artist of the Year award on Saturday, the second night. The BIGBANG frontman accepted the top honor from Hong Kong-born Chinese actor Chow Yun-Fat and said, "Thank you. I made my comeback through MAMA last year, and this year's activities feel different from any other year. I'm so grateful to VIPs and all the fans. I love you all. Next year marks our group's 20th anniversary, and I'll come hang out and party with my friends so I won't be lonely. See you next year."
The ceremony was subdued following a high-rise apartment fire in Hong Kong earlier that week, which killed more than 100 people. Attendees wore black or muted colors, and organizers scaled back parts of the program. Host actress Kim Hye-soo opened the evening by saying her "heart grew heavy" after the tragic news. "I sincerely offer condolences to everyone affected by this sudden accident and to those who lost loved ones," she added. "I earnestly hope that some miracles still remain for us." Presenter Yim Si-wan also expressed sympathy for the bereaved families.
G-Dragon, who earlier donated HK$1 million ($128,452) to relief efforts, pledged continued support "through art." Other major winners included Rose for Song of the Year with "APT.," Stray Kids for Album of the Year with "Karma," Enhypen for Fans' Choice of the Year, and rookie groups Cortis and Hearts2Hearts for Best New Artist.
The event drew global attention with a live-action recreation of scenes from Netflix's hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters." Babymonster members Pharita, Ahyeon, and Rora performed as the in-film trio Huntr/x, singing "What It Sounds Like" and "Golden," introduced by actor Ahn Hyo-seop, the voice of lead character Jin-woo. Ahn delivered a message of hope: "Remember this voice? You gave me my soul back ... May the music guide us into a better tomorrow." However, a planned performance by the in-film group Saja Boys was canceled due to concerns over its "grim reaper" concept being inappropriate after the disaster. It was set to feature members of Boynextdoor, Riize, TWS, and Zerobaseone. Boynextdoor's agency, KOZ Entertainment, confirmed the cancellation citing the scaled-down operation.