Actor Ahn Hyo Seop made a dramatic appearance during the 2025 MAMA Awards on November 29 at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong, as part of a special KPop Demon Hunters theater collaboration.
Hosted by actress Kim Hye Soo, Chapter 2 of the ceremony saw Ahn Hyo Seop take the spotlight as Jinu, the leader of the K-pop group Saja Boys, a central character of the Netflix animated films KPop Demon Hunters.
Wearing a mourning ribbon, Ahn delivered a powerful monologue: “Do you remember this voice? You returned my soul. Your energy is filling this night with silent light.”
He continued, “Tonight you gave me the light. Now I give it back to you. May the stars you love shine brighter for you tonight and guide you to a better tomorrow. Courage, hope and the true self: when we see clearly, courage is born; when we dream, hope spreads. Our music will shine and reach your eyes.”
He concluded with a touching sentence: “Tonight, let my voice spread softly: to you, to this city, and to the stars.”
After Ahn Hyo Seop’s performance, Pharita, Ahyeon and Rora from BABYMONSTER took the stage, transforming into Huntrix, the girl group from the same animated universe. The trio performed their hit song “Golden,” energizing the audience.
However, the highly anticipated Saja Boys stage, which was supposed to feature Wonbin (RIIZE), Shinyu (TWS), Park Gunwook and Han Yujin (ZB1), was ultimately cancelled. Organizers deemed the original “grim reaper” theme inappropriate given the tragic fire that occurred on November 26 at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, which left at least 128 dead and more than 200 missing.
The evening’s somber tone, shaped by ongoing mourning, highlighted the event’s efforts to honor victims while celebrating art.
Sources: born
