The 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards final lineup

The 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards also known as MAMA 2021 is the worlds most anticipated K-pop award event of the year.

However, following the underwhelming lineups at the 2021 Asia Artist Awards or Melon Music Awards, fans are upset that many big names will also be left out from this years MAMA.

BTS, who have put on some epic performances every year since the debut of MAMA in 2013, will not be able to attend this year due to the 10 day quarantine rule in South Korea.

On Dec 3, the South Korean Government announced that all arrivals from overseas regardless of vaccination status are required to quarantine to curb the spread of the Omicron variant.

Super Junior’s Siwon will also not be able to attend the event as a presenter after testing positive for Covid 19 after taking a PCR test.

Big names BLACKPINK, TWICE, Red Velvet and SEVENTEEN have also confirmed that they will be giving MAMA 21 a miss.

Ke1per who made their debut with Mnet’s reality survival show Girls Planet 999 canceled their schedule at the last minute due to a staff member infected with COVID-19.

Wanna One who were set to have a highlight reunion performance after 3 years at the MAMA 21 had to postpone their pre-recording, after one of their staff members was also confirmed to be infected with Covid-19.

Despite the weakest lineup in years due to the pandemic, fans can look forward to this years MAMA for some star studded show from the confirmed artist including: aespa, NCT 127, NCT Dream, NCT U, TXT, ATEEZ, Brave Girls, ITZY, Stray Kids, ENHYPEN, INI, Jannabi, JO1 and Street Woman Fighter dance crew.

Chief producer Park Chan-wook said, British singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran who had worked with BTS, is also slated to perform a “new version” of his chart-topping single, ‘Bad Habits’, exclusively for the awards show.

K-pop veteran Lee Hyo Ri who will be the first female host in the awards history will also be performing in a special collaboration together with all the members of the ‘Street Woman Fighter’ dance crew.

The MAMA 2021 awards ceremony will take place on December 11 with the theme Make Some Noise, to bring the world together and overcome the boundaries of nation, race, and generation through the power of music and K-pop.