November 5, 2026 | K-POP News | Awards · Fan Voting
The AAA 2026 Popularity Award winners have been decided, with Stray Kids, NMIXX, Lim Young Woong and TWICE’s TZUYU claiming the four music titles. Voting for the Asia Artist Awards closed late on November 4, and the results were confirmed on November 5, a month before the ceremony in Taiwan.
The winners come from different corners of the Korean music industry: two idol groups, an established solo singer and a TWICE member recognized for her individual popularity. Actors Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon also won in their respective categories.
AAA 2026 Popularity Award winners: All six categories
| Category | Winner | Final-round votes |
|---|---|---|
| Male Group Singer | Stray Kids | 463,679 |
| Female Group Singer | NMIXX | 387,061 |
| Male Solo Singer | Lim Young Woong | 149,378 |
| Female Solo Singer | TZUYU (TWICE) | 1,687,945 |
| Male Actor | Byeon Woo Seok | 450,124 |
| Female Actor | Kim Hye Yoon | 207,043 |
The figures in the table are final-round vote totals, not the weighted scores used to determine the winners. The final outcome combines the preliminary and final rounds, and each category has its own ballot.
Stray Kids hold off BTS in the male group category
Stray Kids finished first among male groups after collecting 130,513 preliminary-round votes and 463,679 votes in the final round. Their combined weighted result secured the award ahead of BTS, with CORTIS among the other leading contenders.
BTS finished second with more than 386,000 final-round votes, giving Stray Kids a lead of over 76,000 votes. The result highlights the strength of the group’s dedicated fan community throughout the voting period.
Learn more about the group in the Stray Kids A–Z profile.
NMIXX win the female group vote
NMIXX won the Female Group Singer award with 31,641 votes in the preliminary round and 387,061 in the final round.
The closest challenger was virtual idol group ISEGYE IDOL, which finished the final round with 303,148 votes. The sizeable vote totals show just how closely fans followed the category. For NMIXX, the award is another sign of their supporters’ strong engagement.
The NMIXX A–Z profile has more on the six-member group.
Lim Young Woong takes the male solo title
Lim Young Woong topped the Male Solo Singer category with 69,855 preliminary votes and 149,378 final-round votes. He led a field that also included DAY6’s Wonpil and ZEROBASEONE’s Sung Han Bin.
The male solo category drew artists with different musical styles and fan bases. Lim’s win reflects the continued support of his dedicated audience.
TWICE’s TZUYU wins the female solo award
TZUYU of TWICE delivered the largest final-round vote total among the four winning music acts, with 1,687,945 votes. She had received 38,940 votes in the preliminary round, but an especially strong final-round campaign carried her to the Female Solo Singer title.
ITZY’s YEJI was the nearest competitor, collecting 1,312,285 final-round votes, with Red Velvet’s IRENE third in the category. The official AAA voting page identifies the winner as TZUYU. Her victory is a solo-category result, separate from TWICE’s ranking in the female group ballot.
TZUYU is also part of the announced AAA 2026 hosting lineup, alongside IVE’s Jang Won Young, actor Ji Chang Wook and Sung Han Bin. She is expected to join them onstage in Kaohsiung next month.
Explore the TZUYU individual profile and the TWICE A–Z group page.
How did AAA 2026 Popularity Award voting work?
The award was settled through two main voting rounds on the IDOLCHAMP app. The preliminary vote ran from September 16 to October 6, with the top 20 candidates in each category advancing to the final. Final voting opened October 8 and closed at 11:59 p.m. KST on November 4.
- Preliminary voting: September 16–October 6, 2026; weighted at 30% of the result.
- Final voting: October 8–November 4, 2026; weighted at 70%.
- Decision: The highest combined weighted score in each category determines its Popularity Award recipient.
- Scope: These are fan-voted popularity titles, distinct from the ceremony’s other award categories.
These figures should be read within their own categories. Vote totals from separate ballots cannot be used to rank all artists against one another, and the final award is based on weighted results from both voting rounds.
When and where is AAA 2026?
The 11th Asia Artist Awards is scheduled for December 5–6, 2026, at the Kaohsiung National Stadium in Taiwan. The event brings together artists from Korean music, television and film, with musicians from several countries among the announced participants.
The Popularity Award results are already confirmed ahead of the ceremony. The other award announcements, performances and onstage moments will unfold during the December event. That means fans do not need to wait until the show to learn who won these six fan-voted categories.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the AAA 2026 music popularity awards?
Stray Kids won Male Group Singer, NMIXX won Female Group Singer, Lim Young Woong won Male Solo Singer, and TWICE’s TZUYU won Female Solo Singer.
Is TZUYU’s award a TWICE group award?
No. TZUYU won in the individual Female Solo Singer category. The Female Group Singer title went to NMIXX.
Have the 2026 AAA main ceremony awards been presented?
No. The Popularity Award fan vote is complete, but the main AAA 2026 event is scheduled for December 5–6 in Kaohsiung.
Sources
Asia Artist Awards — Official AAA 2026 final voting rankings, October 8–November 4 · StarNews — Confirmed AAA 2026 Popularity Award winners and voting breakdown, November 5, 2026.