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Two winners for popularity award? KPMA swept up in controversy

By Kim Jee-min

  • Published : Dec 21, 2018 - 14:36
  • Updated : Dec 21, 2018 - 14:36

A new awards event faced immediate criticism as soon as the winner of the popularity award was announced. Actually, it was the winners.

The first Korea Popular Music Awards, held Thursday with big-name K-pop stars in attendance including Red Velvet and Wanna One, became the target of heated criticism for giving out more than one popularity award.

Up to now, most music award shows have given their popularity awards to only one artist per show, and they have determined winners strictly through online votes. The online voting for KPMA’s popularity award closed at 5 p.m. on the day of the awards.


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(KPMA)

Wanna One and EXO were neck in neck, but Wanna one ended in first place with a total of 1,517,900 votes. EXO ended with 1,496,101 votes.

However, KPMA made the unprecedented choice to give the popularity award to both boy groups.

This angered both fandoms as their votes had turned out be meaningless. KPMA also did not give any prior notice that they would be giving the award to two artists.

“KPMA deceived both fandoms -- if they had announced that the popularity award would be given to two artists instead of one, I wouldn’t have spent all my money and effort on voting,” wrote one fan on Twitter.

Wanna One won four awards including artist of the year. K-pop groups including BTS, Twice and EXO were also given major awards despite being absent due to other commitments.

By Kim Jee-min (jeeminkim@heraldcorp.com)

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