Jaehwa Bernardo

(From left) G-Dragon and Jennie during their respective performances at the 2025 Melon Music Awards in Seoul, South Korea, December 20, 2025. Screenshots from Melon on YouTube

Article (news)

G-Dragon, Jennie claim top honors at 2025 Melon Music Awards

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17662939917272-Composite 45.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="(From left) G-Dragon and Jennie during their respective performances at the 2025 Melon Music Awards in Seoul, South Korea, December 20, 2025. Screenshots from Melon on YouTube"/>(From left) G-Dragon and Jennie during their respective performances at the 2025 Melon Music Awards in Seoul, South Korea, December 20, 2025. Screenshots from Melon on YouTube</div>K-pop superstar G-Dragon swept three of the four grand prizes at the 2025 Melon Music Awards, while Blackpink&#x27;s Jennie claimed the remaining top honor, capping a star-studded night of music and spectacle.Organized annually by Kakao Entertainment, the Melon Music Awards is one of K-pop&#x27;s major year-end ceremonies. The 2025 edition was held Saturday at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul and livestreamed worldwide on YouTube.By the end of the five-hour event, G-Dragon had claimed three of the four &quot;Daesang&quot; (Grand Prizes), winning Artist of the Year, Song of the Year for &quot;Home Sweet Home&quot; (featuring fellow BIGBANG members Taeyang and Daesung), and Album of the Year for &quot;Übermensch.&quot;Released in February, &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2025/2/25/double-mvs-mark-g-dragons-return-with-album-ubermensch-1349">Übermensch</a>&quot; is the 37-year-old rapper&#x27;s third studio album and his first musical release in seven years, following the 2018 extended play &quot;Kwon Ji Yong.&quot;In total, G-Dragon, who began his career with BIGBANG and is often dubbed the &quot;King of K-pop,&quot; took home seven awards, including Best Solo - Male and Best Songwriter. He was also named among the Top 10 and Millions Top 10 recipients.G-Dragon also served as the evening&#x27;s final performer, energizing the venue with &quot;Power,&quot; &quot;Home Sweet Home&quot; and &quot;Too Bad&quot; from &quot;Übermensch.&quot; He closed his set with his 2013 hit “Crooked,” joining the other artists, mostly newer K-pop idols, who were visibly enjoying the performance from their seats. During the song, he also briefly handed the mic to fellow rapper-producer Zico and Taesan of BOYNEXTDOOR.Meanwhile, Jennie, who also had a standout year with her debut album &quot;Ruby&quot; and its hit single &quot;Like Jennie,&quot; took home the Record of the Year.The Blackpink star also delivered a mesmerizing performance of &quot;Seoul City,&quot; &quot;Zen&quot; and &quot;Like Jennie,&quot; accompanied by a troupe of dancers.One of the most anticipated performances of the night came from boy group EXO, who returned to an awards show stage after several years and ahead of their <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2025/12/14/exo-marks-sentimental-return-with-i-m-home-1149">expected album release </a>in early 2026.Members Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai and Sehun performed &quot;Monster,&quot; &quot;The Eve,&quot; &quot;Love Shot&quot; and &quot;Growl&quot; before premiering their new song &quot;Back It Up.&quot;Rap star <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/06/05/23/putting-the-k-in-hip-hop-south-koreas-jay-park">Jay Park</a> also took the stage, bringing along several artists, including fellow rappers from H1GHR MUSIC and &quot;Body&quot; hitmaker <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2025/12/18/k-pop-star-dayoung-is-living-her-dream-0800">Dayoung</a>. He also introduced his upcoming boy group LNGSHOT, who performed their song &quot;Saucin&#x27;.&quot;Alpha Drive One, a boy group formed through the popular survival show &quot;Boys II Planet,&quot; opened the awards show with &quot;Hola Solar&quot; and their pre-debut track &quot;Formula.&quot;Below is the list of winners:Artist of the Year (Daesang): G-DragonSong of the Year (Daesang): G-Dragon, &quot;Home Sweet Home&quot; (feat. Taeyang, Daesung)KakaoBank Album of the Year (Daesang): G-Dragon, &quot;Übermensch&quot;Record of the Year (Daesang): JennieBest Group - Female: IVEBest Group - Male: BOYNEXTDOORBest Solo - Female: RoséBest Solo - Male: G-DragonBest Performance - Female: ILLITBest Performance - Male: RIIZENew Artist of the Year: Allday Project, Hearts2HeartsBest Music Video: KiiiKiii, &quot;I Do Me&quot;Best Producer: ZicoBest Songwriter: G-DragonBest OST: HUNTR/X, &quot;Golden&quot; (from &quot;KPop Demon Hunters&quot;)Best Pop Artist: Ed SheeranBest Music Style: 10CM, Allday ProjectStage of the Year: aespaTop 10: Rosé, Lim Young-woong, Jennie, aespa, BOYNEXTDOOR, G-Dragon, IVE, NCT Wish, PLAVE, RIIZEMillions Top 10: Rosé, &quot;Rosie&quot;; SEVENTEEN, &quot;Happy Burstday&quot;; IU, &quot;A Flower Bookmark 3&quot;; Lim Youngwoong, &quot;IM HERO 2&quot;; Jennie, &quot;Ruby&quot;; BOYNEXTDOOR, &quot;No Genre&quot;; G-Dragon, &quot;Übermensch&quot;; IVE, &quot;IVE Empathy&quot;; PLAVE, &quot;Caligo Pt. 1&quot;; RIIZE, &quot;Odyssey&quot;Global Artist: aespa1theK Global Icon: KiiiKiiiHot Trend: WOODZKakaoBank Everyone&#x27;s Star: NCT WishGlobal Rising Artist: IDIDBerriz Global Fans&#x27; Choice: Hearts2HeartsTrackZero Choice: Hanroro, &quot;Goodbye, My Summer&quot;J-Pop Favorite Artist: Kenshi YonezuJapan Favorite Artist by U-NEXT: BOYNEXTDOOR

K-pop superstar G-Dragon swept three of the four grand prizes at the 2025 Melon Music Awards, while Blackpink's Jennie claimed the remaining top honor, capping a star-studded night of music and spectacle.

K-pop superstar G-Dragon swept three of the four grand prizes at the 2025 Melon Music Awards, while Blackpink's Jennie claimed the remaining top honor, capping a star-studded night of music and spectacle.