[Edaily Reporter KIM HYUNSIK ] Young K of the band DAY6 took home the “Grand Artist” trophy—one of the highest honors—at the “2026 Korea Grand Music Awards” (2026 KGMA).

Young K was announced as the winner of the “Grand Artist” award toward the end of the “Artist Day” ceremony, held on the 7th at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, as part of the first day of the “2026 KGMA.”
At the ceremony, Young K swept a total of five trophies, including “Grand Artist,” “Best Artist,” “Best Male Solo Artist,” “Best OST,” and the “Kugung Most Popular Award.”
After receiving the “Grand Artist” award—the very last of the night—Young K said, “Mom, Dad, I’ve grown up well, haven’t I? Your one and only son has grown up like this.” He then added, “Thank you for giving birth to me and loving me.”
Shortly after, he called out the names of the DAY6 members and said, “I love you all always. Let’s live our lives well.”
Looking at the fans, he said, “On the day DAY6 returns, you’ll continue to be with us and love us, right? And someday, when Young K returns, will you love me then, too?”
Young K added, “I’m truly grateful that you’ve allowed me to dream. As I always say, ‘My Day’ (the fan club name) is the reason I’m able to live as Young K. I’m always grateful.”
Finally, he said, “I’ll sing as much as you want to hear,” and added, “Thank you for making this such an amazing day.”
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 Creatoring.
The awards ceremony takes place over two days, the 7th and 8th. The first day, themed “Artist Day,” features performances by 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.