The 2024 MAMA Awards, one of the biggest music award shows in Korea, witnessed historic moments this year as SEVENTEEN bagged five major awards, including two prestigious Daesangs (grand prizes). However, one of their wins, “Artist of the Year,” has sparked debate among netizens.

SEVENTEEN’s Historic Night at MAMA

At the ceremony, SEVENTEEN took home the following awards:

• Artist of the Year
• Album of the Year for Seventeenth Heaven

These wins solidified SEVENTEEN’s standing in K-pop history, tying them with TWICE for the second-most wins in MAMA history. The awards were determined through judges’ evaluations and a mix of physical and digital chart performances, not fan votes.

While their fans celebrated the moment as a testament to SEVENTEEN’s hard work and impact, others were left questioning their win for “Artist of the Year.”

Netizens Compare SEVENTEEN and Aespa’s Contributions

A forum post drew attention as netizens debated whether SEVENTEEN deserved the title, comparing their work this year to fellow nominee aespa. Some users questioned SEVENTEEN’s output in 2024, asking:

• “What did they even do this year?”
• “Not an album, but an artist award?”
• “This year? What did they release?”
• “Hmm…”
• “What song was it?”
• “????”
• “Isn’t aespa truly the Artist of the Year????”
• “What did they do this year? Honestly, I don’t know.”
• “Even people who don’t know idols know aespa as ‘Supernova,’ but what about SEVENTEEN? Did they release any music?”

Many pointed to aespa’s hit songs and visibility in 2024 as reasons they should have won.

Fans Defend SEVENTEEN and Celebrate Their Success

While there were criticisms, many others celebrated SEVENTEEN’s achievements. Fans shared congratulatory messages online, showing unwavering support:

• “Congratulations!”
• “Congratulations, SEVENTEEN”
• “Congrats, SEVENTEEN”
• “Big congrats to SEVENTEEN!”
• “To me, SEVENTEEN will always be the best. Congrats!”

Both groups have showcased immense talent and contributions to the K-pop industry this year, and their fans continue to support them no matter the award results.

A Historic Night for K-pop

As SEVENTEEN continues to break records and aespa strengthens their global presence, the conversation around the 2024 MAMA Awards highlights the passion and dedication of K-pop fans. Regardless of the debates, both groups have had incredible years that deserve recognition.