1st Korean Music Awards
The first edition of the Korean Music Awards was held on March 17, 2004, honoring music released in 2003. It was organized by Munhwa Ilbo and Cultural Action, with support from KT, the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, and KT Freetel. The idea came from concerns in early 2003 that Korea’s pop music was in crisis. A 17‑member selection committee formed in September 2003, chaired by Kim Chang‑nam, and the event was initially called the Korean Good Music Awards before adopting the final name.
Nominees were chosen by the committee and announced February 28, 2004. Online voting ran until the day before the ceremony. The ceremony took place at Sungkyunkwan University’s 600th Anniversary Hall, hosted by Kim Kwang‑jin and Lee Sang‑eun. Despite most nominations going to Asoto Union, Big Mama, and Loveholics (four each), no artist won more than once. The event featured 12 performances across 14 award categories and lasted about two and a half hours. It was broadcast live by OhmyNews and Music City, with a recorded version on Mnet.
The awards emphasized the quality of albums and songs rather than sales, aiming to be a non‑commercial ceremony. A public forum was held on April 2 to discuss the event, with mixed responses: some praised it for challenging traditional broadcaster‑driven awards, while others criticized its process and the small selection panel. Discussions about an alternative music awards show had begun earlier in 2003, led by civic groups seeking a more music‑focused honor.
The Special Jury Award went to two recipients: Asoto Union and Jeon Kyung‑ok. About 400 invitations were given to the public on a first‑come, first‑served basis. The Korean Music Awards sparked debate and were seen by some as a sign of change away from conventional awards.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:55 (CET).