AKMU, I.O.I, aespa, IVE, HWASA and YENA win best song awards
AKMU, I.O.I, aespa, IVE, HWASA and YENA were named Best Song Award winners by the 2026 K World Dream Awards, the organizers announced on July 28.
The six artists were recognized for strong showings on both domestic and international charts. Organizers said the awards honor the combined efforts of artists, producers, and staff who have helped grow K-pop globally rather than ranking acts by numbers alone.
AKMU earned their nod with the full-length album ‘Blooming’, which held top spots on major music charts for three consecutive months.
HWASA reached a perfect all-kill (PAK) with the single ‘Good Goodbye’.
I.O.I marked their 10th anniversary with a full-group comeback track, ‘Suddenly’, which swept key music charts after nine years since their debut.
YENA’s title track ‘Catch Catch’ from the mini-album ‘LOVE CATCHER’ kept steady popularity following its release.
aespa pushed further overseas with their second full-length album ‘LEMONADE’, topping worldwide music and album charts.
IVE drew attention with the title song ‘BANG BANG’ from their second full album ‘REVIVE+’, becoming the first artist this year to secure a perfect all-kill and maintain long-term chart success.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the 2026 K World Dream Awards will be held on August 27 at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Performances will include ATEEZ, P1Harmony, RIIZE, and others.
Jun Hyun-moo and Jang Do-yeon will host the ceremony for the fourth consecutive year.
Fans worldwide can take part in ongoing global fan voting for popularity awards in four categories: male and female groups, and male and female solo artists. The final round will pit the top 30 nominees in each category against one another. The awards ceremony will be streamed live through an online streaming platform, with broadcast details to be announced later.