The "2022 Korean Music Awards" has announced the list of nominees for this year. The ceremony is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Creative Content Agency.

The award ceremony is slated for March 1 at 6 OM KST. A board of music industry experts, including renowned music critics, representatives from diverse fields of entertainment, and KCAC members, have chosen the nominees for 2022.

The nominees for the main categories this year is as follows:

Rookie Artist of the Year

Haepali

Lee Mu Jin

STAYC

SINCE

aespa

Artist of the Year

Lang Lee

IU

BTS

The Volunteers

Kim Hyun Chul

Song of the Year

Lee Mu Jin, "Traffic Light"

Lang Lee, "There Is A Wolf"

BTS, "Butter"

AKMU, "Nakka" with IU

aespa, "Next Level"

Album of the Year

Chun Yong Sung, "Drowned"

Lang Lee, "There Is A Wolf"

IU, "Lilac"

Kim Hyun Chul, "City Breeze & Love Song"

AKMU, "Next Episode"

The nominees for genre-specific categories this year are as follows:

 Best K-Pop Song

TOMORROW x TOGETHER, "0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)" Feat. Seori

Weeekly, "After School"

BTS, "Butter"

STAYC, "ASAP"

aespa, "Next Level"

Best K-Pop Album

Kim Chung Ha, "Querencia"

BoA, "Better"

SHINee, "Atlantis"

CL, "Alpha"

aespa, "Savage"

Best Pop Song

Lee Seung Hwan & Sunwoo Junga "How Could You"

Lee Mu Jin "Traffic Light"

Wendy "When This Rain Stops"

IU "Lilac"

AKMU With IU "Nakka"

Best Pop Album

Jung Cha Sik "Night Driving"

AKMU "Next Episode"

Kim Hyun Chul "City Breeze & Love Song"

IU "Lilac"

eAeon "Fragile"

IU, aespa, and BTS are leading the nominations. Soloist IU has received 4 nominations for her own work, and two more for her music collaboration with AKMU. Rookie group aespa has been nominated in four categories. BTS has got 3 nominations.

Other genre categories include Best Folk Song/Album, Best R&B/Soul Song/Album, Best Rap/Hip-Hop Song/Album, and Best Electronic Song/Album among others.

The Korean Music Awards is an annual music awards show in South Korea, which honors both mainstream and underground musical artists from diverse genres.

The awards do not rely on record sales to judge winners, unlike other main South Korean music awards. It is counted as one of the country's most prestigious music awards. The first show was held in 2004.

The event will be broadcast live on YouTube. Check out the full list of nominees here.

Copyright © 2023 Kpop Reporter. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.