[2026 TMA Review] A 'Masterpiece Awards Ceremony' Crafted with Sincerity and Detail

Artist's sincere stage and outstanding live performance receive acclaimRich visual spectacle provided through direction and composition alive with 'detail''2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS(2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS, TMA)' hosted by and organized by FANNSTAR and UCW, was held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Yeonje-gu, Busan on the 19th, with the cast taking a commemorative photo. /Reporter Nam Yoon-ho[THE FACT|Reporter Choi Hyun-jung] '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' has emerged as the 'best luxury awards ceremony of 2026' with stages filled with artists' 'sincerity' and direction alive with 'detail.''2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS(2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS, hereinafter referred to as 2026 TMA)', hosted by THE FACT and organized by FANNSTAR and UCW, successfully concluded on the 19th at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium.At this awards ceremony, K-pop representative artists including groups RIIZE, RESCENE, xikers, IDID, ILLIT, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, EVAN, ATEEZ, NMIXX, ALLDAY PROJECT, Lim Young Woong, YENA, CORTIS, CLOSE YOUR EYES, KiiiKii(KiiiKiii), TREASURE, and tripleS (group names in Korean alphabetical order) presented spectacular and energetic stages to the audience.Notably, at '2026 TMA' this day, a variety of memorable moments were created, living up to the slogan 'Shine the artists, excite the fans!' with stages and acceptance speeches exuding artists' 'sincerity,' and direction alive with 'detail' that further enhanced them.The 'talk of the town' moment began with ALPHA DRIVE ONE, who performed the second congratulatory stage after the opening. During the performance of 'FREAK ALARM,' a separate screen simultaneously broadcast a fancam of member Sanghyun, who was celebrating his birthday that day, evoking emotion from the fans. Furthermore, Rio shouted, "Happy birthday, Sanghyun!" loudly during the performance of 'Born Dire,' continuing the celebratory atmosphere.A moment filled with affectionate feelings for a member was also evident in TREASURE's performance. In their stages for 'IF I' and 'ZOOM ZOOM,' TREASURE left the parts of JUNKYU, who had suspended activities due to health issues, unassigned, signifying that his voice and heart were with them. Additionally, JUNKYU's image was included in the '2026 TMA' ending credits, emphasizing that 'TREASURE is still ten members.'Groups TREASURE (above) and ALPHA DRIVE ONE received much applause for demonstrating camaraderie towards their members on stage. The photo shows TREASURE and ALPHA DRIVE ONE performing at '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on the 19th. /Reporter LEE SAEROM, Reporter Nam Yong-heeIn addition, CLOSE YOUR EYES garnered significant attention with the bold move of choosing '2026 TMA' as the stage for their first performance of a new song. CLOSE YOUR EYES, who unveiled the performance of 'Open Your Eyes,' a pre-release track from '256th Note' released on the 18th, did not stop there and surprised fans by also performing the unreleased title track 'Drop That!'It is rumored that this decision was strongly influenced by CLOSE YOUR EYES's strong will to 'show the best performance on the best stage.'This determination was not limited to Close Your Eyes. ATEEZ, who won the 'ICON OF THE YEAR' grand prize at '2026 TMA,' unveiled the stage performance of 'MAMACITA' for the first time, a song they had not even performed at their own concerts, and RESCENE also revealed the orchestra version of 'LOVE ATTACK' for the first time.Furthermore, the collaboration stage by TREASURE JIHOON and KiiiKii JIYU, both from Busan, is receiving rave reviews from global K-pop fans. The duo, who covered Yoonha's 'Comet,' showcased their bright and cute charm along with a chemistry so strong it resembled that of actual siblings, creating a highlight of '2026 TMA.'In addition, tripleS, attending the awards ceremony with all 24 members for the first time, presented stage outfits that paid homage to the movie 'Battle Royale,' providing entertainment to the fans. The stage for YENA's 'Catch Catch,' which was composed like an animation, also received a positive response.Groups ATEEZ, CLOSE YOUR EYES, YENA, and tripleS (from top left, clockwise) attracted attention by presenting first-time public performances or new concepts for '2026 TMA.' The photo shows ATEEZ, CLOSE YOUR EYES, YENA, and tripleS performing at '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on the 19th. /Reporter LEE SAEROMOf course, not only these artists but all artists who appeared at '2026 TMA' prepared new arrangements and performances suitable for the special venue of an awards ceremony in their own ways, filling the 4-hour runtime without a moment of boredom.Moreover, the meticulously prepared stage direction, sophisticated planning, and excellent live sound mixing played a significant role in making the stages of '2026 TMA' even more special.From the rehearsal stage, participating artists and agency officials unanimously commented, "The sound and composition are excellent," and even after the performance, many artists expressed their satisfaction directly to the relevant staff, saying, "The sound and direction were so good that we performed live with even more excitement."The highlight of an awards ceremony, inseparable from the stage, is the announcement of winners and acceptance speeches. '2026 TMA' proceeded with artists receiving their trophies directly without separate presenters, and accordingly, the artists showcased their individuality in how they received their trophies, adding to the viewing pleasure.Additionally, the provision of a separate ceremony time after acceptance speeches for the recipients of the four grand prizes – 'RECORD OF THE YEAR,' 'MUSE OF THE YEAR,' 'SOUND OF THE YEAR,' and 'ICON OF THE YEAR' – namely CORTIS, RIIZE, NMIXX, and ATEEZ, to interact with their fans, also received a positive response.JIYU of group KiiiKii (left) and JIHOON of TREASURE are receiving praise for their collaboration stage at '2026 TMA,' which showcased bright and cute chemistry. /Reporter Nam Yoon-hoThe narrative of RIIZE stood out in the acceptance speeches. Having won 'Next Leader' at '2023 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' held on October 10, 2023, as their first awards ceremony stage since debut, RIIZE stood tall as a grand prize winner at '2026 TMA' three years later.After receiving the 'Muse of the Year' award, ANTON said, "'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' was the first awards ceremony that our RIIZE attended. It's very emotional and I'm so grateful to receive a grand prize three years later. This year, we worked really hard to show you many new sides through music and performances. It's very meaningful to be recognized for our efforts with such a big award."He added, "I'm truly thankful to the BRIIZE (fandom name) and congratulations on our 3rd anniversary. Just as you always give us strength, we hope to continue to be a source of strength for you. We plan to come back with new music soon, so please look forward to it," receiving loud cheers and applause.RESCENE's acceptance speech also provided great entertainment. Upon being called as the winner of 'Today's Choice,' which is decided 100% by on-site audience votes, RESCENE WONI confessed, "This is truly an unimaginable award. (We didn't think we'd win, so) we were taking off our shoes and eating ramen in the waiting room," causing great laughter.RESCENE continued, "I ran out here with joy after hearing the news (of the award). This is our first time at 'TMA,' and we were just happy to be able to participate. I don't think we'll ever forget '2026 TMA.' Honestly, all awards are heavy. We will become a RESCENE that works hard to match the weight of those awards. Thank you so much," delivering a sincere acceptance speech.Groups RIIZE (above) and RESCENE are also garnering much attention for their special acceptance speeches. /Reporter Park Heon-woo, Reporter Nam Yoon-hoThe presence of actor Kim Soo-hyun, who appeared as a special presenter, was also notable. Kim Soo-hyun, who presented the 'TMA Popularity Award,' created an 'epic two-shot' by personally handing the trophy to the winner Lim Young Woong.Moreover, Kim Soo-hyun's presentation further elevated the value of the 'TMA Popularity Award,' following the '2025 TMA' held on September 20 last year at the Macau Outdoor Performance Venue. At '2025 TMA,' world-renowned Hong Kong actor Donnie Yen appeared as a special presenter for the 'TMA Popularity Award' and handed the trophy to the group Stray Kids.The 'TMA Popularity Award' is a category whose winner is determined through pre-voting, making its meaning special and unique as fans directly select the artist who will take the stage at 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS.'In this context, following Donnie Yen, global popular actor Kim Soo-hyun attended as a presenter and handed the trophy to 'music industry superstar' Lim Young Woong, establishing the 'TMA Popularity Award' as 'the one special award where a special actor presents to a special singer.'Furthermore, Kim Soo-hyun not only presented the award but also took charge of introducing Lim Young Woong's congratulatory stage, continuing the narrative and enhancing the prestige of the awards ceremony and the weight of the trophy.Actor Kim Soo-hyun (photo above, left) attended '2026 TMA' as a special presenter and handed a trophy to singer Lim Young Woong. At the '2025 TMA' held on September 20 last year at the Macau Performance Venue, Hong Kong actor Donnie Yen (photo below, right) presented the 'TMA Popularity Award' to the group Stray Kids. /Reporter Park Heon-woo, Reporter Seo Ye-wonThe MC chemistry between Jeon Hyun-moo and Seohyun, the mainstays of 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS,' was as strong as ever. The two, who have been MCs since the first 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS,' played a crucial role as a bridge connecting artists and fans with their skillful and stable hosting, adding the finishing touch to a 'perfect festival.'As such, '2026 TMA' is filled with the 'sincerity' of artists who strive to show their best at every moment, meticulous and detailed planning and direction that further highlight this, and the efforts of numerous people to achieve this.It is often said that 'detail makes a masterpiece.' '2026 TMA,' where the 'sincerity' of the artists met the 'detail' of and the directing team who wanted to convey it wholeheartedly to the fans, is expected to be remembered by K-pop fans as a 'masterpiece awards ceremony' for a long time to come.The following is the list of winners for '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS.'▶ICON OF THE YEAR: ATEEZ▶SOUND OF THE YEAR: NMIXX▶MUSE OF THE YEAR: RIIZE▶RECORD OF THE YEAR: CORTIS▶WORLD BEST PERFORMER: TREASURE▶ARTIST OF THE YEAR: RIIZE, RESCENE, ILLIT, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, ATEEZ, NMIXX, ALLDAY PROJECT, YENA, CORTIS, KiiiKii, TREASURE▶WORLD BEST WAVE: EVAN▶GLOBAL HOT TREND: CLOSE YOUR EYES, tripleS▶NEXT LEADER: ALPHA DRIVE ONE, CORTIS▶HOTTIEST: xikers, IDID▶TMA POPULARITY AWARD: Lim Young Woong▶TODAY'S CHOICE: RESCENE▶JUDGES' SPECIAL AWARD: Lim Young Woong▶FANNSTAR CHOICE AWARD 'Solo': Lee Chan-won▶FANNSTAR CHOICE AWARD 'Group': BTS▶BEST MUSIC 'Spring': BTS▶BEST MUSIC 'Summer': BTS▶BEST MUSIC 'Autumn': PLAVE▶BEST MUSIC 'Winter': Lee Chan-won▶GLOBAL HOT STAR: PLAVE▶MY STAR AWARD: Jin of BTS, SULLYOON of NMIXXlaugardagr@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]