MMA2025 Unveils Stellar Rookie Lineup: NCT WISH, ILLIT, and More to Shine

The Melon Music Awards (MMA2025) is set to ignite the stage with a dazzling lineup of K-pop's rising stars, poised to lead the future of the genre.

Melon, a leading music platform by Kakao Entertainment, announced that NCT WISH, ILLIT, Hearts2Hearts, KiiiKiii, ALLDAY PROJECT, and IDID have been confirmed to perform at the '17th Melon Music Awards, MMA2025' held on December 20th at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.

NCT WISH, who have achieved remarkable growth with their unique 'COLOR' this year, are expected to dominate the MMA2025 stage with their signature energy. Their new song ‘COLOR’ topped the Melon HOT100 chart for 30 days after release, receiving immense love.

ILLIT, who swept charts with their debut song ‘Magnetic’ last year and won the prestigious 'Rookie of the Year' award at MMA2024, will also grace the MMA2025 audience. They have continued to meet expectations as a group 'you can trust and listen to' with their latest track ‘Whatever (Do the Dance)’ entering the TOP100 chart.

Fans can also look forward to performances from Hearts2Hearts and KiiiKiii, the youngest protégés from a renowned idol agency. Hearts2Hearts captured global fans' hearts with three diverse album activities – ‘The Chase’, ‘STYLE’, and ‘FOCUS’ – solidifying their position as a leading rookie. KiiiKiii garnered attention even before their official debut with unconventional promotions and high-quality content. Their pre-debut song ‘I DO ME’ marked a successful start by reaching 3rd place on the HOT100 (within 30 days of release), and their summer track ‘DANCING ALONE‘ further cemented their presence, captivating listeners with their unique mood.

The co-ed group ALLDAY PROJECT, which burst onto the K-pop scene like a comet in June, creating a sensational wave, will also perform at the Gocheok Dome. Their debut song ‘FAMOUS’ achieved No. 1 on the TOP100 chart just three days after its release, setting a record for the shortest time to reach the top for a debut song since the chart revision in 2021.

IDID, born from Starship's large-scale 'Debut's Plan' project, showcased their presence by winning first place on a music show with 'Brilliantly Chaotic' only 12 days after their debut. With just three months since their debut, IDID is set to perform at MMA2025, gathering high expectations from global K-pop fans.

Under the main slogan 'Play The Moment', presented by Kakao Bank as the title sponsor, MMA2025 promises to be an event that celebrates all the moments and stories connected and recorded through music.

Netizens are showing enthusiastic reactions to the lineup announcement, commenting things like 'So excited for all the new groups!', 'Really want to see NCT WISH and ILLIT perform!', and 'MMA2025 lineup is absolutely fire!'