Ever since the Mnet Asian Music Awards (hereafter called MAMA) was launched back in 1999, the K-Pop community has been graced with tons of amazing performances from our favorite K-Pop artists. Not only that, but with year-end awards ceremonies being a hub for stars to gather and interact together, we are given numerous memorable moments between them!
With the 2021 MAMA just less than a month away, take a look at some of the legendary moments that happened at the awards show throughout the years!
BIGBANG T.O.P and Lee Hyori's Kiss, 2008 MAMA
Back when MAMA was still called the Mnet Music Video Festival in 2008, BIGBANG and Lee Hyori made waves as they collaborated for a near 15-minute performance.
However, what definitely stuck with everyone from their performance was T.O.P and Lee Hyori's surprising kiss on the lips!
Troublemaker (HyunA and Hyunseung)'s Kiss, 2011 MAMA
Another duo who made headlines for having a kiss scene in their performance was Trouble Maker, which was composed of HyunA and former BEAST member Hyunseung, when they performed a dance break for "Trouble Maker" at the 2011 MAMA! (They did it again in 2013!)
SHINee and EXO Collaboration Performance, 2012 MAMA
In the same year EXO debuted, they collaborated with fellow label mates SHINee to perform two of their hit songs, SHINee's "Lucifer" and EXO's "MAMA"!
Needless to say, we need to see more SHINee and EXO collaboration in the future!
BTS and Block B's Battle, 2014 MAMA
In 2014, BTS and Block B had an epic "fight of the century," with RM and Zico having a rap battle, to U-Kwon and B-Bomb's dance battle with J-Hope and Jimin. Not to mention Jimin set the stage on fire by ripping off his shirt! The two groups later ended their short on stage rivalry and performed "Let's Get It Started" together.
BIGBANG G-Dragon Dissing MAMA, 2014 MAMA
A lot of people have negative feelings towards MAMA, and it seems BIGBANG's leader is one of them! Back in 2014, G-Dragon opened his and Taeyang's performance by dedicating his verse to the awards ceremony, where he called out MAMA for handing out awards easily and being a pushover.
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2NE1's Last Performance, 2015 MAMA
Back in 2015, 2NE1 fans were left speechless when the group graced the staged at MAMA after speculations of their status was a hot topic. Initially, many thought CL would only be performing solo and started off her stage with "Hello Bitches." But when the lights went out after her performance, all four members surprised everyone by appearing on stage and performed their iconic hits "Fire" and "I Am The Best."
BTS 'Boy Meets Evil' Performance, 2016 MAMA
During the 2016 MAMA, BTS showcased a high-production and theatrical performance, such as Jungkook being suspended several feet in the air, J-Hope and a blindfolded Jimin dancing, V and Jin acting, and performing "Blood Sweat & Tears" and "Fire" - which definitely heated up the stage.
MAMAMOO's Solo Performances, 2018 MAMA
MAMAMOO's 2018 performance at MAMA is definitely one for the books! For their stage, each member had a solo performance, with Solar embodying Cleopatra and pole dancing, Wheein performing "Easy," Hwasa owning the stage with her confidence, and the whole group performing "Egotistic" and "Starry Night."
BTS RM Cheering for Tiger JK, 2018 MAMA
During the 2018 MAMA, BTS' leader RM became a meme when he was caught on camera cheering pretty hard for one his favorite hip-hop artists, Tiger JK, who was performing alongside SEVENTEEN's Vernon! Needless to say, get someone who will cheer for you like RM cheers for Tiger JK!
GOT7 Jackson Shocked by JYP, 2019 MAMA
Back in 2019, Jackson's then-CEO Park Jin Young collaborated with MAMAMOO's Hwasa for a performance of "Don't Leave Me," which featured Park Jin Young and Hwasa wearing the former's signature vinyl pants. As Jackson sees Park Jin Young as a father figure, it might have been a little weird to watch the performance which ended up with him also becoming a meme for his very genuine reaction!
ATEEZ 'Wonderland' Performance, 2019 MAMA
Just a year after their debut, ATEEZ showed just how much of a monster rookie they can be with their performance at MAMA back in 2019. During the ceremony, ATEEZ performed a mashup cover of K-Pop's best hits and an intense performance of their track "Wonderland."
Which is your favorite moment at MAMA?
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Written by Robyn Joan
