The glittering 2026 D Awards ceremony illuminated Seoul on February 11th, transforming the night into a celebration of K-pop’s brightest stars and most promising newcomers. The event was a spectacle of awe-inspiring performances and emotional acceptance speeches, all dedicated to honoring the genre’s phenomenal year.
Hosted by the returning MC Lee Jong-won, alongside rising actress Shin Ye-eun and BOYNEXTDOOR’s Myeong Jae-hyun, the evening brought together sixteen of the industry’s top artists and twenty-one presenters. The D Awards are distinct for their symbolic trophy system: the coveted Black Label for grand prizes (Daesang), Blue Label for main awards, and Silver Label for recognizing emerging artists.
The Night’s Biggest Winners
The 2026 ceremony will be remembered as the year of ENHYPEN. The powerhouse group delivered a stunning performance, taking home a staggering six awards. Their haul included the night’s top honor of Artist of the Year, along with Best Group, and Best Tour for their massive ‘Walk the Line’ World Tour.
However, the final Black Label grand prize, the prestigious Album of the Year Daesang, was awarded to Stray Kids, cementing their status as album architects and global hitmakers. Other Black Label winners included BOYNEXTDOOR for Song of the Year, RIIZE for Record of the Year, NCT WISH for Performance of the Year, and TWS for Trend of the Year.
Blue Label Honors & Special Recognitions
The Blue Label categories celebrated excellence across the musical spectrum. Key winners included:
- Best Song: izna (“SIGN”) & NCT WISH (“poppop”)
- Best Video: ZEROBASEONE (“ICONIK”)
- Best Choreography: FIFTY FIFTY (“Pookie”)
- Best OST: ZEROBASEONE’s Seok Matthew & Park Gunwook for “BACK PACKER” from STUDY GROUP.
The popularity awards, chosen by fans globally via the upick platform, saw victories for Jennie (Best Solo Popularity – Girl) and Chuei Li Yu (Best Solo Popularity – Boy), while ENHYPEN and BABYMONSTER won the group categories. The coveted UPICK Global Choice awards went to ENHYPEN’s Heeseung and aespa’s Karina.
Spotlight on the Future: Silver Label
The Silver Label awards shone a light on the next generation of K-pop, with groups like AHOF and KickFlip being recognized in the Dreams Silver Label category. The D Awards Breakthrough honor was given to 82MAJOR, while the Discovery of the Year award highlighted the potential of Hi-Fi Un!corn, Chuei Li Yu, and AxMxP.
The 2026 D Awards successfully captured the vibrant and ever-evolving spirit of K-pop, honoring both the established legends shaping the industry and the fresh faces destined to define its future.
