Stray Kids, aespa, and ENHYPEN Shine at the 2025 TMA
The 2025 The Fact Music Awards (TMA) wrapped up in grand style with a K-pop mega-showcase in Macau, spotlighting a lineup that looked straight out of a fan dream board. Held on April 20 at the Outdoor Performance Venue in Macau, the event brought together 15 of K-pop’s top artists to celebrate another year of global Hallyu dominance.
Stray Kids Take the Crown with 4 Wins
It’s official—Stray Kids are unstoppable. The eight-member powerhouse snagged four awards, including the coveted Honor of the Year and Record of the Year. The group also earned Artist of the Year and the TMA Popularity Award, solidifying their elite status in the K-pop universe.
“We feel incredibly grateful to STAY (their fandom) who’s made every moment count,” the group said in their acceptance speech. “This year, we’ll continue to show what it means to stay true and bold.”
Aespa and IVE Continue Their Reign
Techno sirens aespa slipped into their futuristic aesthetic and walked away with three trophies, including Muse of the Year and a Special Jury Award. It’s a strong nod to their continuing influence in reshaping K-pop trends—both musically and visually.
IVE scooped up Sound of the Year, a tip of the hat to their consistently chart-topping, earworm-worthy hits. They also joined the Artist of the Year roster alongside aespa, ENHYPEN, and ZEROBASEONE.
ENHYPEN, ZB1, and Newcomers Make a Statement
ENHYPEN got their flowers too—in the form of three trophies. Most notably, they were dubbed Icon of the Year and snagged Today’s Choice. Backed by their fiery global fanbase, the group proved there’s no slowing down in their K-pop conquest.
ZEROBASEONE captured World Best Performer while BOYNEXTDOOR were awarded World Best Wave—because clearly, fans across continents were riding the K-pop tsunami this year.
Next-Gen Stars Light Up the Stage
Newer groups like NEXZ, MEOVV, Hearts2Hearts, and KiiiKiii didn’t just show up—they showed out. They bagged honors such as Global Hot Trend and Next Leader, proving that the K-pop bench runs deep with future MVPs.
2025 TMA Full Winners List
- Honor of the Year: Stray Kids
- Muse of the Year: aespa
- Sound of the Year: IVE
- Record of the Year: Stray Kids
- Icon of the Year: ENHYPEN
- World Best Performer: ZEROBASEONE
- World Best Wave: BOYNEXTDOOR
- Artist of the Year: Stray Kids, aespa, ENHYPEN, IVE, NMIXX, BOYNEXTDOOR, ZEROBASEONE, TWS, NCT WISH
- Global Hot Trend: NEXZ, MEOVV
- Next Leader: Hearts2Hearts, KiiiKiii, ALLDAY PROJECT
- Hottest: CLOSE YOUR EYES, AHOF
- TMA Popularity Award: Stray Kids
- Today’s Choice: ENHYPEN
- Jury’s Special Award: aespa
Global K-pop Keeps Soaring
If the 2025 TMA proved anything, it’s that K-pop’s jet engine of talent shows no signs of decelerating. From veteran idols to breakout rookies, this year’s winners represent a genre that continues to reinvent itself—and dominate the world stage.
What was your favorite moment from the night? Will next year’s rookies steal the spotlight?
