The KM Chart Awards (KMA) 2026 wrapped its ceremony on July 25 at Korea University's Hwajeong Tiger Dome in Seoul, with TXT emerging as the night's biggest winner with five trophies — including the Daesang for Artist of the Year.
The Daesangs
The four Grand Prize categories were distributed across some of the industry's heaviest hitters:
- Artist of the Year — TXT
- Album of the Year — BTS, "ARIRANG"
- Song of the Year — Hwasa (MAMAMOO), "Good Goodbye"
- Record of the Year — CORTIS, "GREENGREEN"
BTS taking Album of the Year for "ARIRANG" continues the album's remarkable run through the 2026 awards circuit — a project that has now earned critical recognition to match its unprecedented commercial performance on the Billboard 200. Hwasa's "Good Goodbye" taking Song of the Year adds another solo Daesang to her growing collection and reinforces her standing as one of the most compelling solo voices in the industry.
The Record of the Year going to CORTIS for "GREENGREEN" is notable — the group has been building momentum steadily, and this represents their most significant industry recognition to date. It signals that CORTIS is being taken seriously as a creative force beyond commercial metrics.
TXT's five-award sweep
TXT's five awards included two determined entirely by fan voting — Best Popular Song and Best Popular Male Group — while the remaining three reflected a mix of chart performance and industry evaluation. The Artist of the Year Daesang solidifies what has been a dominant year for the group, who continue to expand their footprint both domestically and internationally.
The fan-voted awards are particularly meaningful in the current K-pop landscape, where dedicated fandom engagement is often the engine that drives broader chart and sales performance. TXT sweeping those categories demonstrates the scale and coordination of their fanbase.
Ultimate 12 (Bonsang) winners
This year's main prize recipients — the Ultimate 12 — went to: BTS, Hwasa, TXT, P1Harmony, ZEROBASEONE, RIIZE, NCT WISH, KickFlip, Hearts2Hearts, ALLDAY PROJECT, CORTIS, and ALPHA DRIVE ONE.
The list reflects the generational shift underway in K-pop. Alongside established acts like BTS and Hwasa are fifth-generation groups like ZEROBASEONE and RIIZE, plus newer names like KickFlip and Hearts2Hearts who are just beginning to carve out their space. The spread across generations suggests an industry in transition — one where legacy and novelty are sharing the same stage more than ever.
