The close of November and the start of December 2025 brought a flurry of significant news across the K-pop industry, marked by historic global chart achievements, major awards show victories, and unavoidable real-world tragedy.
The week was defined by the phenomenal record-breaking success of Stray Kids in the U.S. and the emotionally complex staging of the 2025 MAMA Awards in Hong Kong.
A Historical Week on the Global Charts
The most impactful commercial news of the week belonged to the eight-member powerhouse Stray Kids.
The group shattered a 70-year record on the Billboard 200 chart, solidifying their status as global chart royalty.
Their new album, SKZ IT TAPE ‘DO IT’, debuted at No. 1, extending the group’s own unprecedented K-pop record by marking their eighth consecutive album to top the chart.
This colossal achievement not only confirms their powerful album sales and dedicated international fandom but further illustrates K-pop’s deep and sustainable penetration into the American music market.
This chart milestone came alongside a sweep of accolades at the MAMA Awards, where Stray Kids’ impact was recognized with the coveted VISA Album of the Year Daesang (Grand Prize) for their previous work, KARMA.
The group’s consistent chart performance and ability to move massive units underscore their influence, proving that their rise is far from a temporary trend.
The 2025 MAMA Awards: Triumphs and Tragedy
The annual MAMA Awards were held in Hong Kong but proceeded under an unavoidable cloud of solemnity.
Due to the catastrophic Wang Fuk Court fire that occurred in the city just days before the ceremony, claiming numerous lives, organizers and artists made significant adjustments out of respect.
The traditional red carpet event was canceled, and a moment of silence was observed.
Furthermore, much of the production was scaled back, with fire effects and certain high-concept performances, such as the eagerly anticipated “Saja Boys” collaboration, being axed entirely.
Stray Kids (Credit: YouTube)
Artists across the two-day event were seen wearing black ribbons to express solidarity and grief.
Despite the necessary atmosphere of restraint, the show honored the year’s major achievements.
The highest honors, the Daesangs, were distributed among industry giants: G-Dragon won VISA Artist of the Year, Stray Kids secured VISA Album of the Year, and BLACKPINK’s Rosé (with Bruno Mars) won VISA Song of the Year for “APT.” ENHYPEN won the VISA Fans’ Choice of the Year, a victory met with overwhelming emotion on stage by the members, who spoke tearfully of their hard work and five-year journey.
Other major winners included aespa, who took home Best Dance Performance and Best Choreography, capping off a busy year of releases and touring.
Donations and Vocal Scrutiny
Amidst the awards and performances, the K-pop community demonstrated remarkable unity and compassion for the Hong Kong fire victims.
Major agencies, including HYBE, JYP Entertainment, and YG Entertainment, and numerous artists such as Stray Kids, WayV, i-dle, and THE BOYZ, came together to announce substantial financial donations toward the relief efforts.
WayV even postponed the release of their special winter album, Eternal White, to December 1st out of respect.
However, the event was not without controversy. Despite G-Dragon winning the prestigious Artist of the Year, his closing performance sparked significant backlash.
Online forums erupted with criticism over his “scratchy vocals” and unstable technique during his set, marking what was reported to be his third major live vocal issue in eight months.
The stark contrast between his awarded prestige and his live delivery became a major talking point, briefly overshadowing his historic Daesang win.
The industry’s attention now shifts to the upcoming 2025 Music Bank Global Festival in Japan. Scheduled for December 13-14, the event will be hosted by actor-singer Lee Jun-young and IVE’s Jang Won-young and will take place at the massive National Stadium in Tokyo.
This venue, previously reserved only for major sporting and Olympic events, marks a historic milestone as the first K-pop concert to be held in the 60,000-capacity arena.
The lineup features a blend of fourth- and fifth-generation powerhouses, with Day 1 including RIIZE, ATEEZ, ITZY, and TOMORROW X TOGETHER, and Day 2 headlined by Stray Kids, IVE, and TVXQ’s Yunho, setting the stage for a spectacular conclusion to the K-pop calendar year.
The highly anticipated solo performance by K-pop icon G-Dragon (Kwon Ji Yong) at the ‘2025 MAMA Awards’ in Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium unexpectedly became a major point of controversy and public debate.
While the artist secured the prestigious Artist of the Year award, his solo set, which included tracks like “Heartbreaker,” his newly released song “DRAMA,” and the hit “Untitled,” was met with significant criticism regarding its technical and vocal execution.
This public scrutiny quickly escalated, fueled by the artist’s own surprising and candid reaction following the broadcast.
The incident highlights the persistent pressure on veteran idols to maintain flawless live performances in an increasingly demanding industry landscape.
The Controversy: Unstable Vocals and AR Dependence
The core of the criticism focused on the noticeable reliance on Augmented Reality (AR) backing tracks and pre-recorded vocals, which, for many viewers, overwhelmed G-Dragon’s live singing.
Reports indicated that during substantial parts of the 15-minute set, the idol struggled to deliver the main vocal lines, in some instances merely holding the microphone while the backing track carried the song, and his pitch appeared unstable.
For critics, the MAMA stage was seen as the third major instance of such an issue in eight months, compounding concerns raised by earlier performances.
Specifically, his stage at the SBS Gayo Daejeon was previously criticized for unstable vocals, off-key ad-libs, and lagging rhythm, with some viewers labeling it a “broadcasting accident.”
Furthermore, his solo concert in Goyang months prior also drew criticism for cracked vocals and instances of him humming instead of singing, compounded by a massive 74-minute delay and adverse weather conditions.
G-Dragon (Credit: YouTube)
G-Dragon’s Rare Public Expression of Regret
In a move that validated the feelings of many fans and critics, G-Dragon himself publicly acknowledged his dissatisfaction with the performance’s quality.
Following the ceremony, the official Mnet ‘MAMA’ account uploaded a reel of his stage to social media. G-Dragon responded directly to the clip by leaving a cryptic yet unmistakable signal of regret.
He commented with emoticons implying disappointment (such as the “boom down” or “boom tta” icons used to signify a failure or disappointment in Korean online culture) coupled with a telling ellipsis (…).
This simple, uncaptioned comment immediately circulated as conclusive evidence that the artist was fully aware of the technical and vocal shortcomings and that he shared the sentiment that the set had not lived up to expectations.
This public self-critique from an artist of his stature added significant weight to the existing controversy, underscoring the gap between his legendary reputation and his current performance delivery.
Some fans, however, offered support, arguing that he pushed through visible “poor condition” to complete the live set, demonstrating commitment despite the vocal challenges.
Philanthropy Amidst the Scrutiny
Adding a layer of complexity to the post-MAMA narrative, the controversy over his performance unfolded alongside an announcement of G-Dragon’s recent philanthropic activity.
Separately from the awards show, G-Dragon demonstrated his commitment to community service by pledging 1 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately 188.74 million Korean won) to the ‘Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po’.
This significant donation was earmarked to aid the recovery of a fire site in Hong Kong and to support the psychological healing and counseling of citizens affected by the tragedy.
Supporters highlighted this act of generosity as a testament to his character, framing his enduring commitment to social causes as a positive counterbalance to the scrutiny directed at his performance skills.
Ultimately, the 2025 MAMA Awards represented a moment where G-Dragon’s immense star power, a major career accolade, vocal controversy, and genuine philanthropy all converged, creating a highly complex and deeply discussed event in the K-pop sphere.
