Big Bang's 'Bae Bae' awarded Song of the Year at KMA

"Heavy metal!" shout members of thrash band Method as they accept the 2016 Korean Music Award (KMA) for Best Heaviness Album. / Yonhap

By Jon Dunbar

Just hours after the Academy Awards finished praising Hollywood's filmmaking royalty, Korea's music industry came together in Guro Art Valley for the 13th Korean Music Awards (KMAs) on Monday.

This year, Big Bang, Deepflow, E Sens and Hyukoh stood out as the top winners based on award count, but Feb. 29 also had its share of quieter, dignified victories.

K-pop superstars Big Bang won two more awards for their song "Bae Bae" for Best Pop Song and Song of the Year. Their awards were accepted by YG Entertainment director Park Hyeon-pyo as they were touring overseas.

But rappers Deepflow and E Sens, both who won two awards each, were clear crowd favorites based on applause whenever their names were announced. The towering Deepflow, nominated for five awards, slouched down on stage in order to speak into the mic for his acceptance speech for Artist of the Year.

Indie band Hyukoh also netted awards for Best Modern Rock Song and Rookie of the Year.

Kwon Tree, last year's winner for Best Folk Song, got a surprise when opening the envelope revealing this year's winner _ himself. And when folk partners Kim Sa-wol and Kim Hae-won revealed this year's Best Folk Album award again went to 2015 winner Kim Sawol, her partner presented her with the award on the spot.

Controversy arose surrounding the three Netizen awards _ for male, female and group _ as the online voting system was compromised by poor identity authentication, allowing fans to cast multiple votes. A week before the awards ceremony, the votes were reset.

"The Netizen Awards I think is something KMA needs to raise some interest with the general public, but as this year's vote showed it's also a bit of a hassle to keep them around," said Anna Lindgren Lee, author of Korean music site indiefulrok.com, who watched online from her home in Sweden. "In their current form the Netizen Awards are really more of a popularity award and that became even clearer with netizens trying _ and succeeding _ to cheat the system."

The three winners _ JYP founder Park Jin-yong, IU and Big Bang _ were announced curtly by Gwangju Club Nevermind owner Nam Yujin who then made a hasty exit. According to KMA President Kim Chang-nam, the Netizen awards may be discontinued next year.

Started in 2004, the KMAs are Korean music's main awards ceremony focusing on musical diversity and merit, pitting Korea's indie and underground musicians in the same ring as K-pop stars. Popularity isn't enough to guarantee a cube-shaped KMA for popular idol groups, as decided by a panel of industry professionals including critics, journalists and producers.

For instance, Ravie Nuage beat out Wonder Girls and IU for Best Pop Album, and K-pop f(x) lost the Best Dance & Electronic Album award to Trampauline and Best Dance & Electronic Song to Flash Flood Darlings.

Jay Song, the openly gay Korean-Kiwi producer behind Flash Flood Darlings, shouted out to Korea's LGBT community to much applause and exclaimed "I love you Chris!"

"Heavy metal!" shouted thrash metallers Method, rocking the devil horns hand gesture during their acceptance speech for this year's inaugural "heaviness" album award, which groups together louder bands including metal and punk.

"Korea has offered great heavy music for several decades already and was much earlier in reaching an international audience than most other genres represented here," said Lindgren Lee.

A lifetime achievement award was presented to 79-year-old songwriter Kim Hee-gab, best known for working with Cho Yong-pil in the '80s with a career stretching back to the beginnings of Korean rock music in the early 1960s. Musician of the Year was awarded to gugak drummer Park Je-chun.

For a full list of winners and nominees, visit indiefulrok.com.

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