Lyrical Muse

The 40th Golden Disc Awards unfolded on January 10, 2026, at Taipei Dome in Taiwan, marking a milestone edition for one of South Korea’s most established music honors. With G Dragon, BLACKPINK’s Jennie, and Stray Kids emerging as the night’s top winners, the ceremony reflected both the industry’s current power centers and the continued global reach of K pop.

This year’s Golden Disc Awards stood out not only for its location outside Korea but also for its structural shift. For the first time in the show’s four-decade history, organizers introduced three Daesang prizes, expanding the top honors to include Artist of the Year alongside the traditional Album and Digital Song grand prizes. The change highlighted how artist influence, touring presence and global chart performance have become central to measuring success in today’s music economy.

Eligibility for the 2026 awards covered releases from early November 2024 through early November 2025, producing a competitive slate that blended established chart leaders with newer acts gaining traction across Asia and international markets. Multiple nominations were secured by artists including aespa, IVE, SEVENTEEN, Jennie, G Dragon, and emerging groups such as Hearts2Hearts, KiiiKiii, ALLDAY PROJECT, and ZO ZAZZ.

The ceremony also emphasized performance and legacy. Eighteen acts took the stage across the night, while tribute stages paid respect to defining moments in K pop history, bridging generations in front of a global audience. Hosting duties were led by Sung Si Kyung and Mun Ka Young, with prominent film and television stars appearing as presenters, reinforcing the event’s crossover appeal within Korean entertainment culture.

Beyond awards, the Golden Disc Awards continue to function as a barometer of how Korean pop music is evolving, measuring not just domestic success but sustained international presence. The updated trophy design and expanded criteria reflected that shift, signaling an awards show adapting to an industry no longer confined by borders.

Below is the complete, updated list of winners and nominees from the 2026 Golden Disc Awards.

2026 Golden Disc Awards Winners

Digital Daesang (Song of the Year)

• WINNER: G-Dragon – “HOME SWEET HOME (feat. Taeyang, Daesung)”
• aespa – “Dirty Work”
• ALLDAY PROJECT – “FAMOUS”
• BLACKPINK – “JUMP”
• BOYNEXTDOOR – “IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU”
• IVE – “REBEL HEART”
• Jennie – “Like JENNIE”
• LE SSERAFIM – “HOT”
• Rosé – “toxic till the end”
• ZO ZAZZ – “Don’t you know”

Album Daesang (Album of the Year)

• WINNER: Stray Kids – KARMA
• ATEEZ – GOLDEN HOUR : Part.2
• ENHYPEN – DESIRE : UNLEASH
• G-Dragon – Ubermensch
• IVE – IVE EMPATHY
• NCT WISH – COLOR
• RIIZE – ODYSSEY
• TOMORROW X TOGETHER – The Star Chapter: TOGETHER
• ZEROBASEONE – NEVER SAY NEVER

Artist Daesang (Artist of the Year)

• WINNER: Jennie

Digital Song Division Bonsang (Main Award)

• WINNER: aespa – “Dirty Work”
• WINNER: ALLDAY PROJECT – “FAMOUS”
• WINNER: BLACKPINK – “JUMP”
• WINNER: BOYNEXTDOOR – “IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU”
• WINNER: G-Dragon – “HOME SWEET HOME (feat. Taeyang, Daesung)”
• Hearts2Hearts – “The Chase”
• Hwang Karam – “I Miss You So Much”
• IU – “Never Ending Story”
• WINNER: IVE – “REBEL HEART”
• WINNER: Jennie – “Like JENNIE”
• KiiiKiii – “I DO ME”
• WINNER: LE SSERAFIM – “HOT”
• MAKTUB – “Starting With You”
• MEOVV – “HANDS UP”
• OVAN – “Flower”
• PLAVE – “Dash”
• WINNER: Rosé – “toxic till the end”
• SEVENTEEN – “THUNDER”
• Woody – “Sadder Than Yesterday”
• WINNER: ZO ZAZZ – “Don’t you know”

Album Division Bonsang (Main Award)

• &TEAM – Back to Life
• aespa – Rich Man
• WINNER: ATEEZ – GOLDEN HOUR : Part.2
• Baekhyun – Essence of Reverie
• SEVENTEEN CxM – HYPE VIBES
• WINNER: ENHYPEN – DESIRE : UNLEASH
• WINNER: G-Dragon – Ubermensch
• i-dle – We are
• WINNER: IVE – IVE EMPATHY
• Jennie – Ruby
• Jin – Happy
• NCT DREAM – DREAMSCAPE
• WINNER: NCT WISH – COLOR
• WINNER: RIIZE – ODYSSEY
• WINNER: SEVENTEEN – HAPPY BURSTDAY
• WINNER: Stray Kids – KARMA
• THE BOYZ – Unexpected
• TWICE – STRATEGY
• WINNER: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – The Star Chapter: TOGETHER
• WINNER: ZEROBASEONE – NEVER SAY NEVER

Rookie Artist of the Year

• AHOF
• WINNER: ALLDAY PROJECT
• CLOSE YOUR EYES
• WINNER: CORTIS
• Hearts2Hearts
• IDID
• idntt
• izna
• KickFlip
• KiiiKiii
• NouerA
• ZO ZAZZ

2026 Golden Disc Awards – Popularity Awards (Fan-Voted)

Most Popular Artist – Female

• aespa
• AllDay Project
• BLACKPINK
• WINNER: Hearts2Hearts
• i-dle
• IU
• IVE
• izna
• Jennie
• KiiiKiii
• LE SSERAFIM
• MEOVV
• Rosé
• TWICE

Most Popular Artist – Male

• &TEAM
• AHOF
• ATEEZ
• Baekhyun
• BOYNEXTDOOR
• CLOSE YOUR EYES
• CORTIS
• SEVENTEEN CxM
• ENHYPEN
• G-Dragon
• Hwang Ka-ram
• IDID
• idntt
• WINNER: Jin
• KickFlip
• Maktub
• NCT DREAM
• NCT WISH
• NouerA
• Ovan
• PLAVE
• RIIZE
• SEVENTEEN
• Stray Kids
• THE BOYZ
• TOMORROW X TOGETHER
• Woody
• ZEROBASEONE
• Zo Zazz

2026 Golden Disc Awards Winners – Special Awards

• Cosmopolitan Artist: IVE
• Global Impact Awards with PRIZM: Jennie
• Golden Choice: ARrC, CLOSE YOUR EYES,
• Next Generation Award: KiiiKiii
• Naver AI Choice: BOYNEXTDOOR
• Best Group: Monsta X
• Best Performance: izna, TWS

What did you think of this year’s results and performances? Join the conversation on X and Instagram. Visit Lyrical Muse for more music and entertainment coverage.