Winning big at Mnet Asian Music Awards brings tears to eyes of BTS
BTS won the "Artist of the Year" award at the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards Premiere in Hong Kong, Friday. Yonhap
K-pop boy band BTS won big at the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA), Friday, picking up two of the top three music awards, leading a couple of the seven member group to burst into tears.
At the end of the 2018 MAMA Hong Kong held in the AsiaWorld Arena, BTS had been awarded Album of the Year for "Love Yourself: Tear" released in May, as well as Artist of the Year.
The other top prize, Song of the Year, went to TWICE's "What is Love?"
Taking the stage to accept Artist of the Year, the final prize awarded at the event, J-Hope, the group's main dancer, burst into tears as he started an acceptance speech.
"I might have cried all the same, no matter if we got this award or didn't," he said, with his chest heaving. "This year, we have gone through much hardship and wanted to reward those who have poured so much love into us."
BTS performs during the 2018 MAMA at Hong Kong held in the Asia World Expo Arena, Friday. Yonhap
Member Jin recalled a major crisis the boy band had to undergo this year as he continued the acceptance speech.
"This reminds me of a time early this year. We had an enormous emotional burden then and even talked among ourselves whether we want to disband or not," Jin said. "It's a great relief that we made up our mind and came to a great achievement like this," he said, expressing his thanks to the other members of the group and BTS fans.
Taking the Album of the Year award earlier, group leader RM attributed their success to Bang Si-hyuk, the head of the band's management agency and producer.
"While we were trainees who were nothing, producer Bang emotionally and financially supported us, putting his trust in us," RM noted.
"The members only laughed it off after Bang said, 'I think you are singers worth the top prize and believe you will soon become a top-notch band," RM reminisced, adding, "We love and respect you."
BTS also scooped up three other prizes ― Mwave Global Choice, Best Asian Style and Tik Tok Best Music Video.
TWICE pose on the red carpet at the 2018 MAMA Hong Kong, Friday. AFP-Yonhap
The awards were in addition to four others the band took during the 2018 MAMA Fans' Choice Awards in Japan, held Wednesday at Japan's Saitama Super Arena as part of the three-part 2018 MAMA event, which kicked off in Seoul, Monday.
Including Song of the Year, girl band TWICE brought home the Best Female Group and Best Dance Performance Female Group awards.
"Many people say they are energized by our performance. We take our energy from those fans. Going forward, we will come up with better songs and energetic performances," member Jihyo said.
In the Friday event, Sunmi, a former member of the disbanded K-pop girl group Wonder Girls, picked up the Best Female Artist award, while the same prize in the male artist category went to Roy Kim.
Boy band Wanna One took home the Best Male Group award; and Seventeen, the Best Dance Performance Male Group, with Chungha taking Best Dance Performance Solo.
U.S. singer Janet Jackson poses for photos on the red carpet of the 2018 MAMA Hong Kong, Friday. AP-Yonhap
Singaporean singer JJ Lin won the Best Asian Artist Mandarin.
Hosted by CJ ENM, a South Korean entertainment giant, MAMA has been held in South Korea and other outcries since 2009 as a leading annual music awards event in Asia.
This year's MAMA, the 10th of its kind, were hosted in Korea, Japan and Hong Kong.
At the Hong Kong ceremony, American pop icon Janet Jackson received the Inspiration Award.
"I love the word inspiration. ... I am deeply humbled by the idea that I have inspired others," she said, taking the trophy.
Jackson also talked about her vision during her awards speech, saying, "I dream of an immediate future when women will no longer be controlled, manipulated or abused.
"I dream of the end of bigotry or discrimination of any forms ... and a world in which we join hands across all borders and unite as one." (Yonhap)