What’s Bringing Top Actors to a Music Awards Show?
The 2025 Korea Grand Music Awards (KGMA) just dropped its full list of award presenters—and it reads like the guest list of a K-drama fan’s dream. From rising stars to seasoned idols-turned-actors, these big names will grace the stage November 14–15 at Inspire Arena in Incheon.
Hallyu Powerhouses Joining KGMA
Ahn Hyo Seop, who voiced a lead role in Netflix’s slick anime-style hit “KPOP Girls! Demon Hunters” and had a critically acclaimed film debut this summer in “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint,” is set to be one of the ceremony’s most anticipated faces. His presence underscores the expanding overlap between K-content and K-pop.
Byun Woo Seok, fresh off the massive success of Lovely Runner—which even earned an OST win at last year’s KGMA—will hit the stage amidst filming his new MBC romance, “21st Century Lady.” Consider him booked and busy.
When Idols Turn Actors
This year’s KGMA reflects just how many idols have reinvented themselves as actors. Sooyoung of Girls’ Generation fame will present to a younger generation of K-pop stars. She last wowed audiences in Please Stop the Drinking and is lined up for new drama “Idol Eye.”
Kim Yo Han of WEi has also made the official switch for KGMA, attending solely as an actor after his emotional performance in SBS’s TRY: We Will Become Miracles.
Veterans, Rising Stars, and Fan Favorites
Ong Seong Wu, former Wanna One member and now a stage actor known for Shakespeare in Love, adds gravitas to the lineup. Fellow idol-actresses Yeonwoo (ex-MOMOLAND), Kim Doyeon (ex-Weki Meki), and Jooyeon (ex-AFTERSCHOOL) return to their music award roots after blossoming in the drama world.
Meanwhile, breakout names like Kim Dan (TRY), Choi Yoon Ji (First, For Love), and Yoon Ka Yi (ex-SNL Korea) add fresh energy to a presenter panel that reads like a who’s who of Korean TV.
Reunion Moments and Star Crossovers
Random fun fact: Actor Shin Seung Ho—once Red Velvet’s bodyguard—is now presenting alongside Irene, who will MC one of the nights. If that’s not a story arc, what is?
Veterans like Moon Chae Won (Haunted Market), Kang Tae Oh (recently discharged from military service), and Gong Seung Yeon round out the evening with a touch of class.
K-Pop + K-Drama = KGMA Magic
The full lineup also includes Jung Joon Won, Kim Min Suk, Seo Eun Soo, Bae Hyun Sung, Uhm Tae Goo, Ha Young, Park Se Wan, and more—each with recent buzzworthy projects under their belts.
Musically speaking, KGMA already announced performers like Stray Kids, IVE, KISS OF LIFE, and BOYNEXTDOOR, a solid rookie lineup, and genre-spanning acts from ballads to rock. It’s clear that this year’s ceremony is leaning hard into the cultural blend that defines modern Hallyu.
MC Lineup and What’s Ahead
Actress Nam Ji Hyun returns to host her second KGMA alongside Red Velvet’s Irene (Nov. 14) and NATTY from KISS OF LIFE (Nov. 15). With so much talent on and off stage, the 2025 KGMA is shaping up to be less of a show, more of a K-entertainment summit.
A Final Thought
What does it say when a music awards stage becomes a celebration of actors? It’s a clear sign of how deeply K-pop and K-dramas are intertwined—and the 2025 KGMA might just be the red carpet where Hallyu’s brightest stars shine the hardest.
