Jimin won the VISA Fans’ Choice of the Year at the 2024 MAMA Award, proving his immense global popularity as a solo artist. While Jimin achieved notable chart success with his album MUSE, his award sparked controversy due to claims about the fairness of the voting process. Analysts noted that ARMY’s focused voting strategy contributed significantly to his grand prize win, despite ongoing debates in online communities.
Jimin Wins Grand Prize at 2024 MAMA Awards
On November 22, Jimin of BTS won the VISA Fans’ Choice of the Year at the 2024 MAMA Awards held at Kyocera Dome, Osaka. This award is one of MAMA’s four grand prizes and highlights Jimin’s global popularity as a solo artist. Last year, Jimin won a main category award and now has achieved the milestone of consecutive wins at MAMA. In 2023, he also received Best Male Artist and contributed to BTS winning Worldwide Artist of the Year and Worldwide Icon of the Year.
Jimin’s Achievements in Charts and Streaming
Jimin’s second solo album, MUSE, released in July, reached #2 on the Billboard 200. Its title track, Who, debuted at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, cementing its global appeal. Jimin maintained his presence on Billboard’s main charts for 17 consecutive weeks, reflecting consistent success. Additionally, Who became the fastest track by a Korean artist to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify in 2024. It remains the only K-pop song released this year to achieve this feat.
Controversy Surrounding Jimin MAMA Award
Despite Jimin’s grand prize win, controversy emerged regarding the voting process. Some claimed that ENHYPEN secured first place by a 10% margin in the initial Fans’ Choice vote, where Jimin ranked only sixth. This led to debates, with critics suggesting his award was undeserved. However, Mnet clarified that the Fans’ Choice Male Top 10 voting did not influence the VISA Fans’ Choice of the Year. Mnet explained that the grand prize was determined through separate voting, including Twitter hashtags and real-time votes on the ceremony day.
Analysis of ARMY’s Voting Strategy and Community Reactions
Analysts suggested that ARMY’s voting strategy played a key role in Jimin’s win. They speculated that fans spread their votes across BTS members in the Fans’ Choice Top 10, allowing all five members to secure awards. For the VISA Fans’ Choice of the Year, ARMY focused their efforts solely on Jimin. While Mnet’s explanation clarified the voting process, some Korean online communities remain skeptical, questioning the fairness of the results.
Here’s a link to theqoo.
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