November 3, 2026 | K-POP News | Awards & Industry
BTS, ILLIT and CORTIS lead the MMA 2026 nominations with five nods each, putting three acts from HYBE-affiliated labels at the front of the race for this year’s Melon Music Awards. Melon announced the nominees on October 30, ahead of the ceremony at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome on November 14 and 15, 2026.
All three are in contention for the same three major awards: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year. They have also been nominated for Global TOP10. BTS and CORTIS complete their five-category tally with Best Group – Male, while ILLIT is nominated for Best Group – Female.
MMA 2026 nominations: five categories for each group
The three acts share four categories but compete in separate male and female group awards. The table below identifies the nominated releases rather than just counting how many categories each group entered.
| Award category | BTS | ILLIT | CORTIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artist of the Year | Nominee | Nominee | Nominee |
| Album of the Year | ARIRANG | MAMIHLAPINATAPAI | GREENGREEN |
| Song of the Year | “SWIM” | “It’s Me” | “REDRED” |
| Global TOP10 | Nominee | Nominee | Nominee |
| Best Group | Male | Female | Male |
| Total nominations | 5 | 5 | 5 |
These are nominations, not five trophies already won. The separate TOP10 selection was decided before the category nominees were revealed: BTS, ILLIT and CORTIS were among the ten TOP10 recipients announced from the October 15–29 voting round. Those recipients automatically advanced to the Artist of the Year ballot. The new Global TOP10 competition is a different award, with voting still open.
BTS: ARIRANG and SWIM bring major award nominations
For BTS, the nominations recognize ARIRANG, the seven-member group’s fifth studio album, and its lead single “SWIM.” Both are competing in the ceremony’s major album and song categories. BTS is also nominated for Artist of the Year, Global TOP10 and Best Group – Male.
The group has a long history at the Melon Music Awards. Its latest nominations place it in another major awards race following its full-group return in 2026. However, a nomination does not confirm that BTS will perform at the November ceremony; an artist’s appearance should be checked against the official performer announcements.
ILLIT: It’s Me and MAMIHLAPINATAPAI compete for top prizes
ILLIT has received five nominations led by its fourth mini album MAMIHLAPINATAPAI and the track “It’s Me.” The song is in the running for Song of the Year, while the album competes for Album of the Year. ILLIT also appears in the Artist of the Year and Global TOP10 fields, alongside a nomination for Best Group – Female.
ILLIT’s presence among the leading nominees reflects how a newer girl group can compete directly with established acts in major categories. It follows the group’s Best Performance – Female win at MMA 2025. ILLIT is also among the artists announced for Music Day on November 15.
CORTIS: GREENGREEN and REDRED join the awards race
CORTIS, a five-member BIGHIT MUSIC group that debuted in 2025, is nominated for Album of the Year with GREENGREEN and Song of the Year with “REDRED.” Its other nominations are Artist of the Year, Global TOP10 and Best Group – Male, putting it level with BTS and ILLIT on five nominations.
The group’s rise has been especially visible on Melon’s charts. “REDRED” remained near the top of the platform’s monthly rankings through much of 2026, while GREENGREEN helped establish its reputation beyond its debut release. CORTIS is also scheduled to perform on November 15, the second day of the ceremony.
MMA 2026 voting: dates, rules and global access
The 18th Melon Music Awards will be held over two days for the first time, November 14–15, with both shows scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. KST at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. The event’s slogan is K-POP CONNECT: The New Pulse.
| Event detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Nominations announced | October 30, 2026 |
| Category voting | October 30–November 13, 2026 (KST) |
| Award dates | November 14 and 15, 2026 |
| Start time | 6 p.m. KST each day |
| Venue | Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul |
| Main awards formula | Digital performance 60% + judges 20% + fan voting 20% |
| Overseas Global TOP10 voting | Berriz K-pop Square |
| International live stream | Melon and 1theK YouTube channels in supported countries |
Unlike a simple popularity poll, most of MMA 2026’s publicly voted categories combine Melon performance data (60%), a judging panel (20%) and fan votes (20%). The new Global TOP10 category uses its own Global-K Chart data, based on music platforms in South Korea, China and Japan, alongside panel scores and voting.
For Global TOP10, fans in South Korea can vote through Melon, while international fans can participate on Berriz. Kakao Entertainment says voting results from the two platforms will be combined at a 1:1 ratio. Voting is open through November 13 (KST). Check Melon’s official MMA 2026 information page for current schedules, eligibility and broadcast access.
Who else is competing at MMA 2026?
Behind the three leaders, aespa, Hearts2Hearts, IVE, KiiiKiii and YENA each received four nominations. The Artist of the Year field also includes AKMU, I.O.I, NCT WISH and PLAVE, which had already been confirmed among the event’s TOP10 selections.
For fans, the next milestone is the end of voting on November 13, followed by the two-day ceremony. The nomination count indicates breadth across award categories, not a predicted number of wins. Visit KWaveScope’s BTS A–Z profile, ILLIT A–Z profile and CORTIS A–Z profile for the groups’ music and other news.
Sources
Forbes — BTS, ILLIT and CORTIS lead MMA 2026 with five nominations each (October 30) · Kakao Entertainment — Global TOP10 nominations and international voting details (October 30).