33rd Hanteo Music Awards 2025: Stray Kids & ATEEZ Sweep Daesangs

The 33rd Hanteo Music Awards 2025 turned the KSPO Dome into a massive celebration of global music on Sunday, February 15, 2026. In a ceremony driven by hard data and fan passion, the night saw Stray Kids, ATEEZ, ENHYPEN, and G-Dragon split the evening's most prestigious honors, while BTS continued to demonstrate their unshakeable influence on the world stage. Hosted by Girls' Generation’s Tiffany Young and singer Lee Chan-won, the event honored the artists who defined the sound of 2025 through physical sales, digital performance, and global voting. 

The night’s biggest narrative at the 33rd Hanteo Music Awards 2025 belonged to Stray Kids, who proved their dominance by securing the Grand Prize (Daesang) for Best Album thanks to their massive 2025 hit, Karma. The group’s influence wasn't limited to just one category; they also demonstrated unparalleled reach by sweeping the Best Continent Artist awards for four distinct regions: North America, South America, Europe, and Africa. Sharing the top tier of victory was ATEEZ, who claimed the Grand Prize for Best Artist, a recognition of their explosive growth and consistent activity throughout the year. 

The remaining Grand Prizes highlighted both performance mastery and legendary status. ENHYPEN took home the Grand Prize for Best Performance, solidifying their reputation for setting high standards in choreography and stage execution. Meanwhile, K-pop icon G-Dragon made a successful return to the top, winning the Grand Prize for Best Song (Digital Daesang) for his track "Too Bad" featuring Anderson. Paak. This win, coupled with a Main Prize, reaffirmed his lasting power in the industry.

Beyond the Grand Prizes, the ceremony recognized the top ten artists of the year with the Main Prize (Bonsang) honors. The list reflected the industry's heavy hitters, awarding trophies to aespa, ATEEZ, BOYNEXTDOOR, ENHYPEN, G-Dragon, Lee Chan-won, NCT WISH, PLAVE, SEVENTEEN, and Stray Kids, as reported by Evermagaci. 

Global Popularity and Specialized Genre Recognition

Despite being on a different schedule from many active groups, BTS proved their fandom remains as strong as ever by winning the Global Popularity Award. Their victory highlighted an unmatched ability to drive conversation and engagement worldwide, even during periods of individual focus. On the domestic front, Lim Young-woong continued his reign, sweeping the Domestic Popularity Award, Special OST Award, and the WhosFandom Award, driven by his fiercely loyal fanbase, Hero Generation.

The awards also spotlighted the diversity of the Korean music landscape. Co-host Lee Chan-won bridged the gap between genres, taking home the Special Award for Trot alongside his Main Prize. Hip-hop powerhouse Lee Young-ji was also recognized with the Special Award for Hip-hop, while Lucy claimed the Special Award for Band, showcasing the wide musical range present in K-pop today.

The ceremony took time to honor career milestones as well. Pentagon celebrated its 10th Anniversary, while Kyuhyun received the Wannabe Icon Award to mark his 20th year in the industry. Veteran singer Yoon Jong-shin was also honored with the Legend of the Age Award, celebrating a remarkable 30-year career.

Looking ahead to the next generation, the Rookie of the Year honors went to CORTIS and Hearts2Hearts. HYBE’s boy group CORTIS capped off a busy week that included an NBA All-Star crossover headline slot, while SM Entertainment’s girl group Hearts2Hearts secured their win following a dominant voting performance. The mix of legendary returns, current superstars, and rising rookies confirmed that the global appetite for K-pop remains insatiable as the industry moves deeper into 2026.