MAMA 2024 was criticized, the audience said 'this is like a scam, I feel betrayed!'

The audience booed in disappointment as they were expecting to see a live performance of APT. by BlackPink's Rosé and Bruno Mars. MAMA 2024 really made fans angry.

MAMA 2024 Awards Day 2 in Japan - Photo: Soompi

November 22 (Vietnam time), award ceremony MAMA 2024 (Mnet Asian Music Awards) was held in Log Angeles, USA in the morning and Japan in the afternoon with the gathering of many famous K-pop stars, especially Rosé (BlackPink) and "Martian" Bruno Mars.

Japanese audiences feel deceived by MAMA

Information Rose and Bruno Mars will perform at this year's MAMA in Japan, causing a storm on social media because of their hit APT. The duo's songs are still dominating music charts around the world.

Many people were looking forward to seeing the couple perform live APT. However, excitement quickly turned to disappointment when the audience discovered that the performance was just a pre-recorded video.

Audiences in Japan bought tickets to see Rosé sing live APT. but the organizers only showed pre-recorded videos - Photo: Allkpop

For Korean fans watching the event online, the lack of a live performance was disappointing, but for Japanese audiences who spent thousands of yen to watch it live, it was a real shock.

According to Allkpop , only being able to watch the replay caused Japanese audiences to flock to social media to express their outrage, while sharing videos showing the actual reactions in the stands.

In this video, the atmosphere at the stadium becomes silent as soon as the big screen starts showing the performance. APT. pre-recorded. "The audience at the event venue was confused and unable to get excited," the video caption said.

Other Japanese fans commented: "I was looking forward to it so much, it turned out to be just a video"; "I bought a ticket at a high price, paying thousands of yen just to sit there and watch a replay video. It feels like I was cheated";

"Everyone in the audience whispered that it was a scam. I felt betrayed"; "It felt like sitting in front of the TV. I was surprised when they showed that video without any announcement"...

MAMA held in the US is still far behind Japan

This year's MAMA awards continue their mission to bring Korean music to the global stage, with their first-ever debut in the United States.

The event attracted great excitement from international fans, as they had the opportunity to attend one of Asia's top music awards ceremonies right on American soil.

However, Korean netizens quickly noticed the stark difference in location size between the two countries.

The scale of the two stages in the US (pictured above) and Japan is "worlds apart" - Photo: Allkpop

Specifically, the Dolby Theater - where the first day took place - is famous as the venue for the Oscars, but only has a capacity of about 3,400 seats.

Meanwhile, Kyocera Dome - the venue at Japan - again a huge multi-purpose stadium, with a capacity of up to 55,000 spectators. This has led many to question the difference in event size distribution between the two regions.

The magnificent scale of the stadium with a capacity of 55,000 people in Japan - Photo: Allkpop

According to Allkpop , Korean netizens commented: "It seems like they chose the Dolby Theater for its symbolic meaning, but the stage was cramped and not up to par. I feel sorry for the artists when they have to perform in such a cramped space";

"The audience in the US looked like it was staged, so the atmosphere felt awkward. Meanwhile, the event in Japan felt like a real party. Let's hold it in Korea!";

"I watched my favorite artist perform at MAMA USA, but the stage was really disappointing"...

Many viewers wonder why awards ceremonies like MAMA, which focus on K-pop and is a symbol of Korean culture, yet uses English as the main language in many important parts.

Additionally, critics criticized MAMA 2024 for focusing too much on the appeal of stars like Bruno Mars and Rosé or G-Dragon, overshadowing the true meaning of a musical celebration.

Source