2026 Melon Music Awards Create ‘Global Top 10’ Category… Chart Data Counts for 60%, Picking 10 Teams

A new milestone for K-pop that breaks borders… the question ‘Global Top 10’ raises

Running for two days starting Nov. 14, ‘2026 Melon Music Awards’ is set to shake up the landscape of K-pop awards. At the core is the newly created ‘Global Top 10’ category, which departs from the existing main award system. Rather than a simple vote for domestic popularity, it reflects 60% of real-world indicators from the global music market, spotlighting 10 truly world-class artists.

The framework for this overhaul is the integration of mega-platform data from three Asian countries—South Korea, China and Japan. By meticulously weaving together the massive streaming figures and fandom activity metrics generated on South Korea’s ‘Melon’, China’s ‘Tencent Music’ and Japan’s ‘LINE MUSIC’, the organizers present a new benchmark called ‘Global K Chart’. As the lead organizer, Kakao Entertainment said it aims to narrow the physical and psychological distance to global fandom perfectly through this effort.

The fate of the trophies is determined by rigorous data and the public’s choice. Using the cumulative score of ‘Global K Chart’ as the yardstick, the organizers first select 30 preliminary candidate teams, then apply a golden ratio of 60% based on chart performance, 20% from a panel of expert judges and 20% from global fan voting. In the end, only artists positioned at the front line of global K-pop trends—beyond borders and languages—will earn the honor of the main awards.