Park Bo-gum named inaugural ambassador for 2026 MAMA AWARDS

Actor Park Bo-gum will serve as the first ambassador for the 2026 MAMA AWARDS, acting as a storyteller to link the Artist and Performance categories. The ceremony is scheduled to take place from November 20 to 21 at the Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan.

Actor Park Bo-gum has been selected as the first ambassador for the 2026 MAMA AWARDS, one of K-pop's largest music festivals. Having served as a host a total of seven times since his first appearance in 2017, he has built a special connection with the awards; this year, he will move beyond being a mere presenter to act as a storyteller who weaves through the entire ceremony. Based on his long-accumulated trust and symbolism, he has taken on a new role to connect global music fans with the awards.

During the 2026 MAMA AWARDS media day held on the morning of the 29th at the Eliena Hotel Grand Ballroom in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Mnet Business Division Manager Yoon Shin-hye officially announced Park Bo-gum's selection as ambassador. The ambassador system, introduced for the first time this year, is interpreted as placing weight on the role of delivering the identity and message of the awards and weaving each program and stage into a single story.

Manager Yoon cited the long-standing relationship with the awards as the reason for selecting Park Bo-gum. She explained that "Park Bo-gum is an indispensable figure when you think of 'MAMA AWARDS,'" noting that after being selected as the first host in 2017, he has hosted a total of seven times through last year and has been part of the various changes the ceremony has attempted. His history of sharing the event and its evolution, rather than just making one-off appearances, served as a key reason for this selection.

This year, Park Bo-gum's mission is to connect the two core areas of the ceremony. Manager Yoon stated that he will act as a storyteller linking Chapter 1, the "Artist Category," and Chapter 2, the "Performance Category." The plan is to bind the process of highlighting artists' musical achievements with the energy of the stage performances into a single narrative, leading viewers to experience the entire ceremony more multidimensionally.

Manager Yoon also expected Park Bo-gum to serve as a guide, leading fans on a special journey through the common language of music. The intention is to highlight the authenticity of the music and add depth to the ceremony while providing an experience where fans from different cultures connect through K-pop. A key point of interest for this year's ceremony will be organically delivering the stories surrounding the artists and music, rather than merely listing stages and award results.

Park Bo-gum also shared his thoughts on joining as an ambassador through a video. He stated, "Through this special musical journey, I will deliver stages that exceed the imagination of fans worldwide and diverse stories that cannot be found anywhere else." His ambition is to convey not only flashy performances but also the meanings embedded in the stages and the stories of the artists extensively.

This selection is expected to serve as an opportunity for Park Bo-gum to expand his relationship with the "MAMA AWARDS" to a new dimension. While he has previously maintained the center of the ceremony with stable hosting and his characteristic gentle atmosphere, this year he has taken on the symbolic role of designing the overall flow of the event. In particular, attention is focused on how he will create an emotional connection between artists and the audience at a ceremony targeting global music fans.

The 2026 MAMA AWARDS will be held from November 20 to 21 at the Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan. Expectations are high to see whether the first ambassador, Park Bo-gum, can weave artists and performances into a single story and what new scenes he will create at this music festival attended by fans from around the world.

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