(I-DLE Makes History With Daesang Victory + See All Winners From The 34th Seoul Music Awards)
The 34th Seoul Music Awards, held on June 21, 2025, at Inspire Arena in Incheon, turned into a landmark night for I-DLE as they grabbed the grand prize (Daesang) for the first time in their career. The ceremony, organized by the Seoul Music Awards Committee and hosted by Sports Seoul, recognized the best in K-pop for the year.
This victory is historic in more ways than one. I-DLE not only took home the Daesang but also snagged one of the Main Awards (Bonsang), making them double winners of the night. They became the first girl group in 15 years to win the grand prize at the Seoul Music Awards, the last being Girls’ Generation back in 2010. Earlier this year, the group rebranded from (G)I-DLE to I-DLE, and their commercial success has been huge. Their second full-length album, 2, sold over 1.53 million copies in its first week, with the lead single, I hate being sick, topping major global charts. Following that, their latest release We Are also crossed the one-million sales mark, marking I-DLE’s fourth straight million-selling album.
The Best Album Award went to two groups: TOMORROW X TOGETHER and ZEROBASEONE. ZEROBASEONE shined with their fifth mini-album Blue Paradise, which not only became their fifth consecutive million-seller but also debuted at No. 28 on the Billboard 200, setting a new high for any fifth-generation K-pop group. TOMORROW X TOGETHER also won Best Digital Song and made history by becoming the first group since BTS in 2020 to win both top honors in the same year. Their sixth and seventh mini-albums sold 1.54 million and 1.57 million copies respectively, reaching No. 3 and No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
Among newcomers, the Rookie of the Year award was shared by three groups: KiiiKiii, KickFlip, and Hearts2Hearts. KiiiKiii, under Starship Entertainment, impressed with their debut track I Do Me, seen as the next big thing after IVE. KickFlip, from JYP Entertainment, rocked the scene with Mama Said (So What?), positioning themselves as JYP’s next wave of leaders. Meanwhile, Hearts2Hearts, from SM Entertainment, attracted attention with The Chase, earning comparisons to the iconic Girls’ Generation.
Other significant winners included DOYOUNG taking home Best Solo Artist, ILLIT and NCT WISH sharing Best Group, and YOUNGTAK, who dominated by winning three awards across Trot, OST, and K-pop World Choice – Solo categories.
Here’s a rundown of the major winners from the night:
- Grand Prize (Daesang): I-DLE
- Best Album: TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ZEROBASEONE
- Best Digital Song: TOMORROW X TOGETHER
- Main Award (Bonsang): ILLIT, NCT WISH, QWER, P1Harmony, IVE, aespa, ENHYPEN, PLAVE, DOYOUNG, I-DLE, YOUNGTAK, ZEROBASEONE, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ROSÉ, SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, NCT DREAM, G-DRAGON
- Best Group: ILLIT, NCT WISH
- Best Solo Artist: DOYOUNG
- K-pop Special Award: BTOB
- K-pop World Choice – Group: BABYMONSTER
- K-pop World Choice – Solo: YOUNGTAK
- World Best Artist: ROSÉ, aespa
- R&B/Hip-Hop Award: RM
- Band Award: wave to earth
- Trot Award: YOUNGTAK
- OST Award: YOUNGTAK – ‘Unpredictable Life’
- Ballad Award: HWANG GARAM
- Rookie of the Year: KiiiKiii, KickFlip, Hearts2Hearts
- Popularity Award: LEE CHAN WON
- Hallyu Star Award: JIMIN
- Rising Star Award: VVUP
- Discovery of the Year: SAY MY NAME
- Best Performance: CRAVITY, FIFTY FIFTY
The Seoul Music Awards ceremony once again served as a major platform for K-pop’s current stars and fresh talent alike, shining a spotlight on both industry veterans and rising sensations.