Golden Disc Awards


The Golden Disc Awards is an annual South Korean major music awards ceremony that honors achievements in the local music industry. The awards ceremony was founded with the purpose to promote popular culture creativity, discover new artists, and contribute to the growth of the music industry. The first ceremony was held in 1986.
The 35th Golden Disc Awards was held on 9–10 January 2021 without a live audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

History

From its inception in 1986, the event was called the Korea Visual and Records Grand Prize Award until 2001, when the event named was changed to the Golden Disk Awards. The spelling was later changed to the Golden Disc Awards in 2015.
The awards ceremony was hosted in South Korea until 2012, when it was hosted in Osaka, Japan. The ceremony was also hosted internationally in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2013, and in Beijing, China in 2015.
The Golden Disc Awards trophies were designed by sculptor Kim Su-hyeon, a professor at Chungbuk National University. The trophy is in the shape of a woman playing a traditional Korean wind instrument.

Ceremonies

Award categories

As of the 40th Golden Disc Awards, there were three grand prizes: Album of the Year, Digital Song of the Year, and Artist of the Year. Main prizes are awarded to multiple artists in both the Album and Digital Song categories. The grand prize winners are chosen from the main prize winners.
  • Album of the Year
  • Song of the Year
  • Artist of the Year
  • Album Bonsang
  • Digital Song Bonsang
  • Rookie Artist Award
  • Popularity Award
  • Genre awards
  • Special awards
  • International Recognition Awards
  • Special Recognition Golden Disc Awards
  • Other awards

    Grand prizes

All winners are adapted from the Golden Disc Awards website.

Song of the Year (Digital Daesang)

Album of the Year (Album Daesang)

Artist of the Year (Artist Daesang)

Main prizes

All winners are adapted from the Golden Disc Awards website.

Album Bonsang

Digital Bonsang

Rookie of the Year Award

Winners are listed alphabetically by year.
YearWinner
2025Allday Project
2025Cortis
2024BabyMonster
2024Illit
2024TWS
2024NCT Wish
2023Fifty Fifty
2023Zerobaseone
2022NewJeans
2022Ive
2022Le Sserafim
2021STAYC
2021Aespa
2020Enhypen
2020Kim Ho-joong
2020Treasure
2019Itzy
2019Tomorrow X Together
2018I-dle
2018Stray Kids
2018Iz*One
2017Wanna One
2016Blackpink
2016Bolbbalgan4
2016I.O.I
2016NCT 127
2015GFriend
2015iKon
2015Seventeen
2015Twice
2014GOT7
2014Red Velvet
2014Winner
2013BTS
2013Crayon Pop
2013Lim Kim
2013Roy Kim
2012Exo
2012B.A.P
2012Ailee
2012Juniel
2012Lee Hi
2011Apink
2011B1A4
2011Dal Shabet
2011Boyfriend
2011Huh Gak
2010Sistar
2010Secret
2010Beast
20094Minute
2009T-ara
2008Shinee
2008Davichi
2007F.T. Island
2007Girls' Generation
2007Younha
2006Gavy NJ
2006Super Junior
2006SeeYa

Popularity Award

YearWinners
2014Beast
2014Taemin
2014Girls' Generation
2014Toheart
2013Beast
2013Shinee
2013Girls' Generation
2013Roy Kim
2012G-Dragon
2012Shinee
2011Super Junior
2010Girls' Generation
2010Shinee
2009Super Junior
2009Shinee
2008Son Ho-young
2008F.T. Island
2008Taeyeon
2008TVXQ
2007Super Junior
2007F.T. Island
2007Girls' Generation
2007Wonder Girls
2006Baek Ji-young
2006Park Sang-min
2006Eru
2005Jang Woo-hyuk
2005g.o.d
2004Park Sang-min
2004Kim Jong- kook
2003S
2002Baby V.O.X
2001Yoo Seung-jun
2001S.E.S
2000J
2000Country Kko Kko
2000Shinhwa
1999Kim Kyung-ho
1999Roo'ra
1999Clon
1998Kim Jung-min
1998Cool
1997Diva
1997Untitle
1996Kim Jong-hwan
1995Seo Taiji and Boys
1994Deux
1994Choi Yeon-je
1993Choi Yeon-je
1992Hyun Jin-young
1992Lee Deok-jin
1991Shin Hae-chul
1991Kang Susie
1990Min Hae-kyung
1989Kim Heung-gook
1988Sobangcha
1987Kim Soo-hee
1987Yoon Su-il
1986Cho Yong-pil

Genre awards

All winners are adapted from the Golden Disc Awards website.

Best R&B/Hip-Hop Award

Best Trot Award

Best Ballad Award

Best OST Award

Best Hip-Hop Award

Best Rock Award

Best R&B/Soul Award

Special awards

All winners are adapted from the Golden Disc Awards website.

Best Group Award

Best Solo Artist Award

Performance Award

Artist of the Year Award

Cosmopolitan Artist Award

Next Generation Award

Producer Award

International Recognition Awards

Special Recognition Golden Disc Awards

Other awards

Discontinued awards

Ceci Asia Icon Award
Achievement Award
Music Video Awards
YearAwardWinnerMusic video
2002Music Video AwardCho PD"My Style"
2002Popular Music Video AwardLena Park"In Dreams"
2002Music Video Director's AwardKim Nam-gyeong"How Are You Doing?" by Hwayobi

Producer Daesang
YearWinner
1998Son Myeong-su – Apple Records
1997Jang Yong-jin – SM Entertainment
1996Park Nam-seong – Doremi Records
1995Sa Maeng-seok – Line Sound
1994Lee Seong-gyun – Dukyun Industries
1993Lee Seong-gyun – Dukyun Industries
1992Lee Seong-gyun – Dukyun Industries
1991Jeon Gap-sin – Sorabel Records

Encouragement Award
Other Technical awards
YearAwardWinnerSong
1990Planning AwardEom Yong-seopBack To You Again by Byun Jin-sub
1990Lyricist AwardPark Joo-yeonBack To You Again; and "It's Only Love'" by Kim Min-woo
1990Composition AwardHa Kwang-hoonBack To You Again; and "It's Only Love'"

Most awarded artists

Most grand prizes awarded

This list includes both Album of the Year and Digital Song of the Year award winners.
AwardsArtist
7BTS
4Exo
3Girls' Generation
3Jo Sung-mo
3Kim Gun-mo
3SG Wannabe
3Super Junior
3IU
2Byeon Jin-seob
2Psy
2Seventeen
2Shin Seung-hun
2TVXQ