The Where to Watch 2026 D Awards guide is finally out as the event is set to make its return for the second year with an even bigger celebration of K-pop’s global influence. Also known as the 제2회 디 어워즈, the upcoming event is set to pay tribute to artists, creators, and cultural contributors who have influenced the industry in the past year, as well as introduce the new faces of Korean popular music.
Scheduled to take place on February 11, 2026, the 2nd D Awards will be held at the Hwajeong Gymnasium of Korea University in Seoul, gathering the best K-pop artists, new rookies, actors, entertainers, and digital artists in one place. Organised by Sports DongA, the awards seek to honour not only the chart-topping success of K-pop artists but also the dreams, creativity, and power behind the music that continues to inspire fans all over the world.
Conceived to honour the ever-growing global influence of K-pop, the D Awards celebrate artists who have taken Korean music to the world while conveying the emotional link between artists and fans. The event is categorised into three main award labels: D Awards Black Label – Honouring the biggest grand prizes, such as Artist, Album, Song, Performance, Record, Globalist, and Trend of the Year. D Awards Delights Blue Label – Honouring artists who have accomplished incredible milestones and influence in the past year. D Awards Dreamers Silver Label – Featuring promising new artists who are set to take the lead in the next generation of K-pop.
Moreover, the D Awards ICONIC award honours individuals who have influenced K-pop’s past, present, and future, while special awards such as D Awards Impact and D Awards Discovery pay tribute to outstanding actors, entertainers, and K-content from 2025.
All About 2nd D Awards 2026
2026 D Awards MCs
The 2026 D Awards Host lineup combines strong acting with idol appeal. The confirmed main MCs are actors Lee Jong Won and Shin Ye Eun, as well as BOYNEXTDOOR’s Jaehyun. Each host represents a theme: Shin Ye-eun as the “Muse,” Lee Jong-won as the “Guardian,” and Jaehyun, who will fill in for the “Frontman.”
Lee Jong-won will be back to lead the D Awards after last year’s first-ever ceremony, where he impressed with his composed and confident hosting. Shin Ye-eun, who has acted in A Hundred Memories and The Murky Stream, will bring her own energetic and lively vibe to the award show, as she promised.
Jaehyun, the leader of BOYNEXTDOOR, is also in the process of developing himself as a representative voice of the fifth generation of K-pop idols. With international attention focused on his group’s recent releases and his experience as an MC on M Countdown, Jaehyun brings both experience and idol appeal to the table.
2026 D Awards Lineup of Performers
The 2nd D Awards has announced its lineup of performances in waves, mixing up popular artists with newcomers. The lineup includes P1Harmony, ENHYPEN, ZEROBASEONE, xikers, AHOF, BOYNEXTDOOR, 82MAJOR, QWER, izna, NCT WISH, NEXZ, KickFlip, AxMxP, Chuei Li Yu, FIFTY FIFTY, and Hi-Fi Un! corn, and promises a diverse lineup that will deliver exciting performances at the 2026 D Awards.
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2026 D Awards Presenters Lineup
Twenty-one presenters have been announced for the 2026 D Awards, covering TV, film, theatre, sports, variety, and online content. The list of presenters includes actors Ahn Eun-jin, Jeon Yeo-been, Ahn Hyo-seop, Lee Joo-ahn, Im Soo-hyang, Bae In-hyuk, Park Seo-ham, Choi Jin-hyuk, Oh Yeon-seo, Hong Jong-hyun, and Dasom. Sports entertainers Kim On-a and Song Ah, who have appeared in sports entertainment, will also participate, as well as TV and online personalities such as Lee Soo-ji, YouTube influencers Kim Hae-jun and Na Bo-ram, Kangnam, and Mimiminu. Musical theatre actors Moon Yoo-kang and Park Ji-yeon are also included. Yoo Jae-pil returns for a second year to host the red carpet and emcee the main ceremony.
Where to Watch 2026 D Awards
The 2026 D Awards will take place on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at Hwajeong Gymnasium, Korea University, in Seoul. The event starts with a red carpet photo opportunity, followed by the awards ceremony at 6:00 PM KST.
For fans in Korea, the event will be broadcast live on Channel A Plus. A delayed broadcast will also take place at 11:40 PM KST on Channel A. For international fans, the event will be broadcast live in Japan on TBS Channel 1 and also on the OTT platform U-NEXT.
At present, there are no further details on any other global platforms that will be streaming the event. We will update this section with any new information as the event draws closer.
2nd D Awards Pre-Award Show Winners
Before the actual ceremony, a series of pre-announced honours for the 2nd D Awards with upick gave fans a sneak peek into the performers who made an impact in the year that passed. These pre-announcements, released in the days leading up to February 11, have only added to the anticipation for the event.
Among the pre-announcements, ENHYPEN received the Best Tour award for Walk the Line, their world tour that showcased the group’s growing influence on the global K-pop scene. The Best Recording award, which recognises albums for their artistic value and completeness, was awarded to P1Harmony’s DUH! and BOYNEXTDOOR’s Hollywood Action simultaneously.
Songs that gained massive public attention were recognised in the Best Song category, which was awarded to NCT WISH’s “poppop” and izna’s “SIGN” simultaneously. NCT WISH also won the first-ever Best Social Content award, which recognises artists who are trendsetters and help build fan engagement through social media platforms.
Other pre-announcement honours include:
Best Solo Popularity Award (Male): CHUEILI YU
Best Solo Popularity Award (Female): JENNIE
Best Rising Star: AHOF and izna
Best Girl Group Popularity Award: BABYMONSTER
Best Boy Group Popularity Award: ENHYPEN
UPICK Global Choice: ENHYPEN’s HEESEUNG and aespa’s Karina
Best Stage: Cycus, NEXZ
Best Group: ENHYPEN, BOYNEXTDOOR, NMIXX, izna
Best Video: ZEROBASEONE
Best OST: Matthew & Gun-wook (ZEROBASEONE) – “Backpacker”
Best Choreography: FIFTY FIFTY
Best Band: QWER
D Awards Breakthrough: 82MAJOR
D Awards Discovery – Artist of the Year: Hi-Fi Un! corn, AHOF, AxMxP, Choi Rip-woo
The winners of the distinctive D CUBE award expressed their appreciation to their teams and fans, with messages of gratitude being released one after another through the official D Awards and Sports DongA social media accounts before the actual ceremony.
Will you be watching the 2nd D Awards ceremony? Let us know your thoughts on the pre-award show winners in the comments section below.
