[Edaily Reporter KIM HYUNSIK ] Young K of the band DAY6 received the “Kugung Most Popular Artist Award” at the “2026 Korea Grand Music Awards” (2026 KGMA).

Young K was named the winner of the “Kugung Most Popular Artist Award” during “Artist Day,” the first day of the “2026 KGMA,” held on the 7th at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul.
The “Kugung Most Popular Award” is an award determined by a fan vote conducted on the K-pop platform “Kugung.”
Young K began by saying, “I will never forget the sound of these cheers right now,” and added, “I know that cheering for someone isn’t easy, and it’s not something to be taken for granted.”
He continued, “That’s why I’ll work even harder to make my fans happy,” and promised, “I love my fans so much that the word ‘love’ alone isn’t enough. I’ll make sure to bring lots of smiles to your faces from now on.”
The ‘KGMA’ is an awards ceremony newly established in 2024 by Ilgan Sports (Edaily M)—which celebrated its 57th anniversary this year—to present a new paradigm for the South Korean pop music industry. Now in its third year, this year’s ceremony was hosted by Ilgan Sports and co-organized by the KGMA Organizing Committee and Creatorling.
The awards ceremony takes place over two days, the 7th and 8th. On the first day, designated as “Artist Day,” performers include Nobel Bright, Nueara, Dayoung, Lucy, Lisenne, Maydin, Miyao, Cykerus, iDIT, Andable, Young K, All Day Project, Jang Min-ho, CRAVITY, Close Your Eyes, TUID, TREASURE, Triple S, P1Harmony, and Fifty Fifty. Actors Nam Ji-hyun and Lisenne’s Won-i served as MCs.
Music and album data for the “2026 KGMA” was provided by Hanteo Chart, Genie Music, FLO, and Bugs, while the official fan vote was conducted via the Kugung app. The awards ceremony was broadcast live on ENA. In Japan, it was streamed live on Hulu Japan, and in regions outside of Japan and China, it was streamed live on TikTok Live.