SEVENTEEN and aespa win grand prizes at the 39th Golden Disc Awards.
SEVENTEEN and aespa took home the coveted Grand Prizes at the 39th Golden Disc Awards, held at the Fukuoka PayPay Dome in Japan on Saturday and Sunday.
Originally scheduled to be broadcast live, the themed Coexistence, Connection, and Expansion event was instead aired as a pre-recorded broadcast after a tragic incident involving a Jeju Air flight at Muan International Airport.
This year, SEVENTEEN received the top honor in the album category, while aespa dominated the digital music category. Both groups also scored impressive double wins, taking home major awards in their respective fields.
SEVENTEEN marked a milestone in its 10th anniversary, securing the Album Grand Prize for the second consecutive year with SPILL THE FEELS. Meanwhile, aespa, fresh off its “Supernova” success last year, claimed the Digital Music Grand Prize just four years after its debut, solidifying its place at the top of the K-pop world.
The Album category featured 10 powerhouse acts, including SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, IVE, aespa, ATEEZ, NCT Dream, ENHYPEN, ZEROBASEONE, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, and (G)I-DLE. The Digital Music category’s main award went to artists like NewJeans, DAY6, BIBI, IVE, IU, ILLIT, aespa, Taeyeon, TWS, and (G)I-DLE.
The coveted Rookie of the Year awards went to ILLIT, TWS, Baby Monster, and NCT WISH—rising stars poised to lead K-pop’s next wave. The Next Generation award was claimed by KISS OF LIFE.
DAY6, pioneers in popularizing band music, commemorated its decade-long journey by winning the Best Band award. Crush won Best OST for his heartfelt song “Love You With All My Heart,” the theme from tvN’s hit drama Queen of Tears.
LE SSERAFIM left a lasting impression with their electrifying stage presence, earning them the Best Group award. (G)I-DLE’s Yuqi proved her star power by winning Best Solo Artist.
The Golden Disc Awards also featured the Male and Female Popularity Awards, which were determined by 100% fan voting. PLAVE and LE SSERAFIM claimed the top spots, with a combined total of 44 million votes cast. PLAVE earned 15.67 million votes out of 39.56 million, while LE SSERAFIM garnered 1.78 million votes from a total of 4.80 million.
The Global K-pop Artist Award was presented to IVE and ENHYPEN, while NewJeans took home the Cosmopolitan Artist Award. ENHYPEN also claimed the Fans’ Choice with the Nongshim Shin Ramyeon Award.
In a special tribute, the late Shin Hae Chul, marking the 10th anniversary of his passing, was posthumously honored with the Golden Honorable Choice Award, celebrating the lasting legacy of his music.
Additionally, Han Sung Soo, the mastermind behind K-pop’s legendary group SEVENTEEN and the 2024 debut tour of rookie group TO1, received the inaugural Golden Disc Producer Award, recognizing his contributions to shaping the future of K-pop.