Battle of K-Pop Groups: EXO, BTS, and ENHYPEN Compete for ‘Popularity Award’ at K-World Dream Awards

As the 2024 K-World Dream Awards draw near, excitement grows for the intense competition between EXO, BTS, and ENHYPEN. Who will come out on top and claim the throne in the group and fandom categories?

On July 23, Sports Kyunghyang featured the top three boy groups competing for the “Group Popularity Award”and aiming to win the 1st place trophy.

This award, which is now known as the K-World Dream Awards, is one of the accolades presented every year by the Soribada Best K-Music Awards (SOBA).

This year, voting for the female and male group categories officially began on July 18. The fandoms of the 52 nominated teams have been enthusiastically voting for their favorites.

#2024KWDA 🏆Boy Group Popularity Award🏆 Vote in progres1 #EXO #엑소 2 #BTS #방탄소년단 3 #ENHYPEN #엔하이픈 4 #SEVENTEEN #세븐틴 5 #PLAVE #플레이브 6 #TREASURE #트레저 7 #StrayKids #스트레이키즈 8 #NCTDREAM #엔시티드림 9 #ZEROBASEONE #제로BASE원 10 #NCT127 #엔시티127 … https://t.co/fnqTLD9Lig pic.twitter.com/YoiHIcTANM

— UPICK 유픽 (@UPICK_twt) July 23, 2024

This award was unique in that it could only be won by a group with the combined effort of its fan base, as 100% of the criteria relied on worldwide fan votes.

This will further strengthen the group’s global influence and serve as evidence of the vast voting power held by their fandoms.

According to UPICK, the official voting app for this year’s awards, the top contenders in the male category are currently EXO, BTS, and ENHYPEN.

Subsequently, the K-media emphasized the strong possibility that one of the three groups would rise to the No.1 position.

7 K-pop Male Artists Who Are 'Grown Men' & Give Off 'Daddy Vibes': EXO, DPR IAN, SF9, More! — (Photo : Twitter: @weareoneEXO)

EXO, the “Nation’s Pick”from the third-gen era, currently holds the first seat and continues to showcase their impressive firepower even after 13 years in the industry. Their dedicated fandom, EXO-Ls, is expected to maintain their enthusiasm, as seen in the packed Inspire Arena during their 2024 EXO Fan Meeting: ONE last April. However, Eris must stay vigilant as they face tough competition from BTS, the current “biggest boy group in the world,”and their dedicated fandom, ARMYs. Not only do they have immense purchasing power and streaming strength, but they are also known for their strong voting capabilities.

Currently, all BTS members, with the exception of leader Jin, are fulfilling their military service duties. However, their solo projects continue to garner significant support, showcasing the enduring impact and popularity of the group.

Finally, ENHYPEN, known as one of K-pop’s 4th-gen representatives, is currently placed in third position, following behind two major groups.

Despite only being in the music industry for four years, this group has consistently delivered exceptional performances with each music release. Most recently, their second full-length album, “ROMANCE: UNTOLD”dropped on July 12 and achieved a career milestone by ranking No. 2 on the “Billboard 200″chart.

ENHYPEN's Concert Ticket Prices Stir Disapproval Among ENGENEs: 'Companies are getting on my nerves' — (Photo : Twitter: @BELIFTLAB)

At the moment, TWICE, QWER, and BABYMONSTER hold the top three positions in the female category. The ultimate winner will be revealed once the voting period ends at 3 p.m. KST on August 8.

Fans can still participate in the voting process through the UPICK platform until the winner is announced. The recipient of the “2024 K-World Dream Awards”will be honored at a ceremony on August 22nd, which will take place at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

The event is anticipated to highlight a variety of K-pop artists, bringing them together in one location to present an impressive performance.