The 2025 MAMA Awards, set to take place on November 28 and 29 in Hong Kong, are now facing major uncertainty after a massive and tragic apartment fire in the city. The production team entered an emergency meeting on November 26 and continued discussions through November 27 as they tried to decide what changes needed to be made.
The fire broke out on November 26 at around 2:52 PM at Wong Fook Court, a high-rise residential complex in the Tai Po district in northern Hong Kong. It quickly turned into one of the worst fire disasters the city has seen. At least 36 people, including a firefighter, have been confirmed dead, and 279 people are still missing.
Hong Kong raised the alert level to Level 5, the highest level possible. Officials said the fire was “basically under control,” but many residents had been trapped in upper floors and were unable to escape.
Some reports from foreign media, including Reuters Kongsin and the Chengdu Daily, have suggested the death toll may rise. Other outlets reported at least 44 fatalities, showing that the situation is still developing.
Because of the scale of the tragedy, public sentiment in Hong Kong is somber. Many local events have already been canceled. Netizens in Hong Kong and overseas are also questioning whether it is appropriate to hold a celebratory global K-pop festival right after such a major disaster.
The 2025 MAMA Awards are scheduled to be held at Kai Tak Stadium, about 20 kilometers from the fire site. As of now, the event has not been canceled. According to officials, canceling the show has not been formally discussed yet, mainly because only one day remains before the event begins. A full cancellation is seen as difficult because many artists have already left Korea for Hong Kong.
However, major changes to the show are expected. The production team is revising the script and reworking the stage direction. They plan to include messages of comfort and condolences for the victims. Some performances that include fire effects or fire-themed scenes are now being reviewed, since there is very little time left to adjust the show.
Special guest appearances from local actors such as Michelle Yeoh and others are now considered “realistically difficult,” given the emotional atmosphere in Hong Kong. Even so, many Korean artists have already departed.
Groups like Stray Kids, (G)I-DLE, ENHYPEN, TXT, ZEROBASEONE RIIZE, BOYNEXTDOOR, IVE, Hearts2Hearts, CORTIS, MEOVV, KickFlip, and others left Korea on November 26 or are scheduled to fly out on November 27. Members of ALPHA DRIVE ONE and BABYMONSTER were also photographed departing from Incheon Airport.
The original MAMA concept for this year included an upbeat theme called “UH-HEUNG” and a festive opening. But this will now be changed. Script revisions, performance adjustments, and overall tone changes are underway.
The production team is expected to release an official decision soon. Fans and viewers wait to see whether the 2025 MAMA Awards will proceed, be postponed, or undergo further changes.