While I don’t really watch any Korean award shows anymore, this year’s Melon Music Awards had a more exciting line-up than MAMA so I had to at least check out the performances. As expected, there were a few real standouts.
Apart from this list, I also liked the new stage mix for ZEROBASEONE but didn’t think the version of IVE’s I Am worked despite the song itself being fantastic.
Note: Most of these performances were part of longer medleys. I chose to isolate my favorite songs rather than feature full sets.
5. NCT Dream – Broken Melodies
When a song is this suited to arenas, you don’t really need a new mix. This was part of a multi-song set, which is included in the video below, but this ranking is for Broken Melodies itself.
4. BOYNEXTDOOR – But Sometimes
I’m in love with this mix of the song (except for the way-too-slow dance breakdown).
3. aespa – Drama
I still don’t love Drama, but this completely over-the-top remix and staging made it into a real event. The final moments are pretty epic.
2. SHINee – Medley
Just SHINee blitzing through a medley of four of the best K-pop songs ever. No big deal, right? I could happily sit through three hours of this.
(The songs needed more time to breathe, though)
1. RIIZE – Get A Guitar
A live band version? A solo electric guitar intro? Multiple dance breaks? Way to make an excellent song even better!
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Get A Guitar was also my favorite performance of the night, the mix was amazing
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Riize really has that extra something. Haven’t seen such fun energy in a while.
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MMA was most definitely better than MAMA this year for me (only because of the idols and groups reactions to SHINee). I love during SHINee’s performance, it became a SHINee concert with the crowd going WILD, idols losing their minds (Gunwook and Gyuvin especially). It finally felt like the fun at award shows was coming back.
SHINee Reaction fancam
My favourite performances were:
1. SHINee
2. Aespa
3. Kiss of Life (they remind me of iKON at MAMA 2015)
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omg thanks for posting this video, I loved it. My eyes were mostly on Gunwook and Gyuvin but towards the end, NewJeans started competing for my attention. Boy do those girls LOVE “don’t call me.”
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The “I watched this show so you didn’t have to” post.
Thank you, Nick, for your service. Taking one for the team.
SHINee, I mean, really they could have given them at least twice as long. Some of the song selections had literally and figuratively 4 lines.
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In case it’s needed, Melon uploaded official versions of most performances. Here’s the one for NCT Dream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGv–pJNIOg
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As much as I liked the Shinee stage, I didn’t like the fact they were lip syncing. It just takes away from their performance.
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