2023 MAMA Awards Nominations Spark Controversy Amid Rigging Allegations

On October 19 (KST), the nominations for the 2023 MAMA Awards were unveiled, but the release drew significant backlash from netizens who expressed concerns that the list was "rigged."

These allegations came from several fanbases who raised concerns about certain idols being snubbed in various categories. The absence of BTS's RM and Jin from the best music video nominations, the lack of performance-related nominations for ATEEZ, and the noticeable absence of JYP's fourth-generation groups were among the primary sources of fans' dissatisfaction and frustration.

However, this isn't the first time the award show has faced allegations of being rigged. In 2022, fans made similar accusations regarding potential voting manipulation.

A Korean forum post shared graphs that highlighted suspicions about certain groups' votes possibly being manipulated. The voting patterns for groups like BLACKPINK, aespa, BTS, and Stray Kids showed consistent momentum, while groups like NCT 127, TXT, and ATEEZ displayed a few significant peaks but consistent results.

 Graph Images

In contrast, groups like IVE, DREAMCATCHER, LOONA, Kep1er, and Brave Girls experienced a sudden and significant surge in voting.

This led to suspicions that bots might have been used to boost specific groups into the top ten positions. 

The controversy escalated to the point where Mnet, the network organizing the show, had to issue statements addressing these accusations.

Mnet clarified, "The '2022 MAMA AWARDS' voting is being thoroughly verified to ensure a transparent and fair voting process, disclosing the total number of votes and the percentage of votes per artist in real time." However, the statement also created some ambiguity about potential "rigging" in the voting process.

Mnet further stated that any data identified as fraudulent voting during the monitoring process would be excluded from the final aggregation. They urged fans to support a fair voting culture and cooperate to ensure that the voices of K-POP artists and their global fanbase are genuinely represented in the voting process.

Notably, none of the groups embroiled in the controversy ended up in the top 10 when the final awards were announced in 2022. However, the lack of trust between fans and the award show appears to persist, even a year later, as the 2023 MAMA Awards nominations face similar scrutiny and allegations of bias.

The controversy surrounding the nominations underscores the passionate dedication of K-POP fans and the critical role transparency and fairness play in award shows in the global music industry.