A fire that broke out in a high-rise apartment complex in Hong Kong is showing signs of becoming one of the most significant human disasters in Hong Kong's history, raising alarms for the upcoming ‘2025 MAMA Awards’. The ‘2025 MAMA’ was scheduled to be grandly held at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on the 29th and 30th, but with the fire disaster occurring just before the event, it has been reported that at least 44 people have died and 279 are missing, making it difficult to guarantee the ceremony itself.
Many artists have already departed for Hong Kong for the ‘MAMA’ stage. Hats to Hearts and Alpha Drive One boarded flights to Hong Kong on the 25th, while Tomorrow X Together, ENHYPEN, Kickflip, Zero Base One, and (G)I-DLE completed their departures on the 26th. Even on the morning of the 27th (Korean time), when the holding of ‘MAMA’ became uncertain, Stray Kids, IVE, All Day Project, and Super Junior left for Hong Kong as scheduled. By that night (Korean time), artists set to perform at ‘MAMA’ and actors who will serve as presenters were also preparing to depart, leaving local and domestic staff in a state of literal anxiety.
The issue is that it is not easy for CJ ENM to make a unilateral decision on whether to cancel the event or proceed with adjustments to the schedule and format. The Hong Kong Tourism Board has poured substantial support into ‘2025 MAMA’. At the ‘Hong Kong Mega Event Showcase Media Luncheon’ held on September 26, organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, ‘2025 MAMA’ was introduced as one of the ‘six mega events’ representing Hong Kong this year and next year, alongside the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival, Hong Kong Winterfest, and the Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebration, promising both material and human support. This means that close consultation with the Hong Kong authorities is essential, and it is assessed that the decision-making power regarding whether to hold the event is effectively in the hands of the Hong Kong side.
A representative who has already arrived in Hong Kong to monitor the situation told local media, “For now, we are closely monitoring the situation,” conveying a tense atmosphere. Another representative preparing to depart on the night of the 27th (Korean time) stated, “Since there has been no official cancellation notice from MAMA, we plan to depart as scheduled for now,” but added, “However, since there is a possibility of changes, we are continuously checking the local situation and the organizer's announcements,” suggesting that both the cast and staff are moving amid confusion.
The CJ ENM ‘2025 MAMA’ office sent an official letter to each agency stating, “We are acutely aware of the seriousness of the situation regarding the fire in the Tai Po area of Hong Kong, and the MAMA Awards office is swiftly discussing appropriate response measures for each sector.” They continued, “We will promptly share matters related to official responses for the awards ceremony, event operation procedures, as well as artist stages and award scripts after thoroughly reviewing the situation,” and expressed, “We sincerely apologize for causing concern to all artists and related parties, and the office will carefully review the situation to establish the best course of action.”
As the global awards ceremony ‘MAMA’, representing K-Pop, coincides with the Hong Kong fire disaster that has resulted in significant human casualties, the eyes of music fans worldwide are focused on whether the ‘K-Culture Festival’ can proceed as planned, or if it will shift to a ‘quiet proceeding’ with changes in format, or be postponed or canceled altogether.
