The ‘32nd Hanteo Music Awards 2024 (HMA 2024)’ has announced its highly anticipated first lineup and has officially begun the countdown.
The organizing company Hanteo Global (CEO Kwak Young-ho) revealed the first lineup of 12 teams on the 23rd, including ARTMS, EPEX, Huh Yong-byeol (Heo Gak, Shin Yong-jae, Lim Han-byeol), Lee Mu-jin, LIGHTSUM, NCT WISH, NOWADAYS, RIIZE, SAY MY NAME, tripleS, YENA, and Young Tak.
The first lineup features not only K-pop stars who have established themselves but also artists from various genres such as rock, trot, and ballad, raising interest in what kind of performances they will showcase.
The group ARTMS, consisting of Hee-jin, Ha-seul, Kim Lip, Jin-sol, and Choi Ri from LOONA, released their first album ‘Dall’ in May last year, surpassing LOONA's career high with initial sales of 120,000 copies. They have received much praise from fans for continuing the LOONA universe while showcasing their unique, original, and mysterious musicality and concept.
EPEX, who won the Emerging Artist Award at ‘HMA 2022’, has garnered great response by starting their ‘Sohwa’ series in 2024, consecutively releasing two regular albums: ‘Sohwa 1: Youth’ and ‘Sohwa 2: Youth Deficiency’.
The project group Huh Yong-byeol, formed by representative vocalists of the K-pop scene Heo Gak, Shin Yong-jae, and Lim Han-byeol, released a special single reinterpreting QWER's hit song ‘Gominjungdok’ in a ballad version last year and is preparing for album and performance activities in the first half of this year.
Lee Mu-jin, a singer-songwriter representing the K-pop scene, followed up his hit song ‘Traffic Light’, which received great love across generations, by releasing his second mini-album ‘Manhwa (滿花)’ last year, earning acclaim for his outstanding musicality. He is also expanding his activities as an MC by hosting the music talk show ‘Limousine Service’.
The group LIGHTSUM, which has been gaining momentum with active activities both domestically and internationally, is performing on various stages with their digital single ‘POSE!’ released in 2024. They have particularly gained attention as a blue-chip act at university festivals based on their solid live performance skills.
NCT WISH, who debuted last year and caught the attention of global K-pop fans, showcased positive energy with their debut song ‘WISH’, followed by ‘Songbird’ and ‘Steady’, achieving a total cumulative sales of 1,913,567 copies in their debut year, proving themselves as ‘2024’s Best New Artist’.
NOWADAYS, a rookie boy group launched by Cube Entertainment, has captured the attention of many K-pop fans with their intense music and performances, releasing two singles and two digital singles in 2024 alone.
Making their first appearance at ‘HMA’, RIIZE has set a record of over 1.25 million copies in initial sales with their first mini-album ‘RIIZING’ released in June 2024, achieving two consecutive million-seller records. They also proved their top-tier status in the next generation of K-pop by receiving ‘Platinum’ certification from the Japan Record Association just a month after their local debut with their first single ‘Lucky’.
SAY MY NAME is a rookie group that gained much attention with the addition of Hitomi Honda from IZ*ONE, debuting last October and receiving hot interest not only in Korea but also in Japan and the United States as a top K-pop prospect.
tripleS, who shone with the Rookie of the Year award at ‘HMA 2023’, has shown explosive growth, achieving first place in their debut music show last year, with initial sales of about 150,000 copies for their 24-member complete album ‘ASSEMBLE24’, and approximately 380,000 copies for the unit tripleS VV's release ‘Performante’.
Solo artist YENA, who is solidifying her own space with her bubbly charm and musicality, will also be seen at ‘HMA 2024’. After releasing her third mini-album ‘GOOD MORNING’ and her third single ‘Nemo Nemo’ last year, expectations for her appearance at ‘HMA 2024’ have increased.
‘Superstar of the Popular Music Scene’ Young Tak, who has shown outstanding performances across genres, will release his mini-album ‘SuperSuper’ in September 2024, showcasing his exceptional stage manners and vocal skills, as well as writing and composing all the tracks.
With a lineup harmonizing various genres and new and old artists, ‘HMA 2024’ is set to be the best K-pop awards ceremony, and on this day, the second lineup of presenters was also announced.
Joining the second lineup of presenters are Kahi from After School, the godfather of R&B Kim Jo-han, Nicole from the original ‘Hallyu Queen’ KARA, Mew, a member of the group UV and a singer-songwriter, legendary dancing diva Park Mi-kyung, Brian from Fly to the Sky, who is enjoying a second heyday, and Lee Hee-jin from Baby V.O.X, who has returned as a complete group after 14 years, all set to enhance the ‘K-pop Festival’ atmosphere.
In addition to the first lineup announced, including Jang Woo-hyuk, Hwanhee, Kim Yong-jun, JeA, and Jeong Seon-ah, expectations are high for a more glamorous lineup of presenters and awardees than ever.
Meanwhile, ‘HMA 2024’ will be held on February 15 and 16 at the Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul. More detailed information and announcements regarding the awards ceremony can be found on the official website and X (Twitter).
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
