After the announcement of the best new artist at the MAMA Awards 2025K-pop rookie Annie from ALLDAY PROJECT (ADP) has unexpectedly gone viral this time, not for a win, but for the stream of apologies that fans believe she deserves.
THE MAMA Awardsone of the most prestigious events in the K-pop industry, recently crowned two winners in the coveted Best New Artist category: Hearts2Hearts and CORTIS. The result was widely welcomed by the public. Hearts2Hearts dominated with its score from digital performances, streaming numbers and album sales. CORTIS, on the other hand, shook up the Korean music scene in the second half of 2025, securing their place as a hit group.
However, in addition to these two winners, another big rookie name has flooded the social media debate: ADP. Billed as one of the fiercest contenders for this year’s debut titles, ADP’s absence from the winners’ list has sparked mixed reactions. But it was Annie, the group’s standout member, who became the center of an unexpected viral conversation.
Shortly after the awards ceremony ended, a post on Platform X (formerly Twitter) gained traction, stating: “Annie deserves the biggest apology from K-pop stans.” Many fans echoed this sentiment, reflecting on the unfounded accusations Annie had faced during awards season.
The backlash against Annie began months before when MOM changed its usual format for the Best New Artist award. Traditionally divided into male and female categories, this year’s nominations were consolidated without clear clarification on the number of potential winners. Fans speculated that this restructuring was a deliberate move to pave the way for ADP, a mixed group, to win. This triggered a wave of criticism that ADP was unfairly favored.
The target of most of that criticism? Annie. As the daughter of the wealthy Shinsegae family, Annie was quickly labeled a “chaebol princess” who used wealth and influence to manipulate her competition. Despite the lack of evidence, she has become the subject of intense online harassment and conspiracy theories.
When the final results were announced without ADP winning, many netizens were forced to confront the fact that the hatred aimed at Annie was completely unfounded. The narrative that a rich idol must use his background to buy success has been exposed for what it was: class prejudice. The viral post demanding an apology from Annie drew widespread support, highlighting how deeply ingrained the “golden spoon” prejudice still is within the K-pop community.
Despite not winning the Best New Artist award, ADP hasn’t gone away MAMA 2025 empty handed. The group received the Breakthrough Artist Award, recognizing their explosive impact over the past year.
Rather than let unfounded accusations define her, Annie along with ADP has continued to prove her worth through talent and artistic identity. Their success serves as a reminder that wealth should never overshadow genuine ability, and that every idol deserves to be judged on merit, not background.
Sources: hht
