20th Korean Music Awards


The 20th Korean Music Awards was held in Seoul, South Korea on March 5, 2023. Hosted by the Korean Music Awards Selection Committee and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency, the ceremony recognized the best music released in South Korea between December 1, 2021, and November 30, 2022.
Unlike other South Korean music awards, the Korean Music Awards are based on musical achievement rather than record sales. Winners are determined by the Korean Music Awards Selection Committee panel comprising music critics, radio show producers, academics, and other music industry professionals.
Nominations were announced on February 9, 2023. Newcomer girl group NewJeans received the most nominations with six, including in all three daesang categories. Producer 250 won the most awards of the night with four, while NewJeans won a total of three awards; 250 also served as the producer for the works NewJeans were nominated for.

Winners and nominees

Main awards

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger. Nominees are listed in alphabetical order.
250 – Ppong
Younha – "Event Horizon"
  • * (G)I-dle – "Tomboy"
  • * Ive – "Love Dive"
  • * Jang Ki-ha – "Envy None"
  • * NewJeans – "Attention"
  • * Silica Gel – "No Pain"
    • 250
  • * Jang Ki-ha
  • * NewJeans
  • * Nucksal, Cadejo
  • * Younha
    		• NewJeans
  • * Hanroro
  • * Ive
  • * Le Sserafim
  • * Kim Yu-jin
  • * Sion
    • NewJeans – New Jeans
  • * (G)I-dle – I Love
  • * I-dle – I Never Die
  • * Le Sserafim – Antifragile
  • * Taeyeon – INVU
    		• NewJeans – "Attention"
  • * (G)I-dle – "Tomboy"
  • * Ive – "Love Dive"
  • * Le Sserafim – "Antifragile"
  • * Red Velvet – "Feel My Rhythm"
    • Lee Chan-hyuk – Error
  • * Choi Beck-ho – Moment
  • * Jang Ki-ha – Levitation
  • * Light & Salt – Here We Go
  • * Lim Young-woong – Im Hero
    		• Younha – "Event Horizon"
  • * 250 – "It Was All a Dream"
  • * Jang Ki-ha – "Envy None"
  • * Lee Chan-hyuk – "Panorama"
  • * Wonpil – "A Journey"
    • Concorde – Supersonic Airliner
  • * ABTB – iii
  • * BadLamb – Universal Anxiety
  • * Lanalogue – Stereo Out!
  • * OVerdrive Philosophy – OVerdrive Philosophy
    		• Jambinai – "From the Place Been Erased"
  • * BadLamb – "Love, Lies, Bleeding"
  • * Concorde – "Rainbow Flowers Are Blooming"
  • * HarryBigButton – "Thelma & Louise"
  • * OVerdrive Philosophy – "Painful Truth"
    • The Black Skirts – Teen Troubles
  • * The Bowls – Blast From the Past
  • * Huckleberryfinn – The Light of Rain
  • * Say Sue Me – The Last Thing Left
  • * TRPP – Here to Stay
    		• Silica Gel – "No Pain"
  • * Cho Yong-pil – "Moment"
  • * Hanroro – "Let Me Love My Youth"
  • * Huckleberryfinn – "Tempest"
  • * Say Sue Me – "To Dream"
    • 250 – Ppong
  • * Glen Check – Bleach
  • * Pierre Blanche – Ego
  • * Salamanda – Ashbalkum
  • * Two Tone Shape – Every Minute
    		• 250 – "Bang Bus"
  • * Glen Check – "4ever"
  • * Kirara – "Stargaze"
  • * Pierre Blanche – "Infinite Circle"
  • * Taeyeon – "INVU"
    • Nucksal, Cadejo – Sincerely Yours
  • * C Jamm – Ghenn
  • * Lee Hyun-jun – Lost in Translation
  • * Paloalto – Dirt
  • * Qim Isle – Some Hearts Are for Two
    		• Nucksal, Cadejo – "Good Morning Seoul"
  • * Lee Hyun-jun – "White Lighter"
  • * Lobonabeat! – "Birthday"
  • * Paloalto – "Priceless"
  • * Zico – "New Thing"
    • A.Train – Private Pink
  • * Che – Kpop
  • * Joe Layne – Life O Life
  • * Rad Museum – Rad
  • * Slom – Weather Report
  • * Soul Delivery – FoodCourt
    		• Bibi – "Jotto"
  • * A.Train – "Something Beautiful"
  • * Sion – "Braindead"
  • * Slom – "Anirago"
  • * Soul Delivery – "Nugs"
    • Line and Circle – Night and Day
  • * Bae Young-gyoung – You My Blue
  • * Kim Mok-in – Stored Images
  • * Lucid Fall – Voice Beside Guitar
  • * Summer of Thoughts – Hands
    		• Line and Circle – "Night and Day"
  • * Bae Young-gyoung – "I Love You"
  • * Kim Mok-in – "Walking in the City"
  • * Lucid Fall – "A Small Handful of Songs"
  • * Summer of Thoughts – "Rambler"
    • Song Young-joo – Atmosphere
  • * Hoo Kim Big Band – Common Heritage of Humankind
  • * Kim Jung-sik – Hangul, Improvisation
  • * Mandong – Big Sun
  • * Yu Tae-sung – Michelangelo
    		• Kim Yu-jin – A Piece and the Whole
  • * Kim Ju-hwan – Candy: Memories of Nat King Cole Trio
  • * Maria Kim – Stellive Vol. 16 Two for the Road
  • * Song Yi-jeon & Vinicius Gomes – Home
  • * Youn Sun-nah – Waking World
    • Madmans Esprit – I See Myself Through You Who See Us Through Me
  • * Dog Last Page – Drunken Dream
  • * Nuclear Idiots – Nclridts
  • * Seaweed Mustache – Bombora"
  • * Visceral Explosion – Human Meat Distribution Process
    		• Jung Jae-il – Psalms
  • * Baum Sae – Communication
  • * Hwang Gina – Short Film
  • * Ji Park, BlankFor.ms, VRI String Quartet – Syntropy
  • * Park Jiha – The Gleam
  • * Sinnoi – Illumination

    • Special awards