Among them, RESCENE, who continue to dominate both online and offline with their soaring popularity, will make their THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS debut this year. The group has rapidly emerged as one of 2026's hottest breakout acts, fueled by the viral "YAHO!" meme inspired by member MINAMI's cheerful gyaru concept. RESCENE have also achieved remarkable milestones in their career. The title track "LOVE ATTACK" from their first mini album "SCENEDROME" released in 2024, climbed to the top of domestic music charts two years after its release, while previously released songs including "Deja Vu" "Runaway" and "Pinball" have also re-entered the charts. In addition, the group earned their first-ever music show win since debut with the remake single "Pretty Girl" released on July 8, further proving that the "RESCENE fever" continues to grow.

Having won the Hottest award in 2023 and the Global Hot Trend award in 2024, xikers will return to the THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS stage for the third time, showcasing the presence of one of K-pop's leading global groups. The group launched a new chapter with their seventh mini album, "ROUTE ZERO: The ORA" released in May, earning enthusiastic responses from global K-pop fans with even more powerful music, bold concepts, and spectacular performances. The album also surpassed 360,000 first-week sales, setting a new personal best for the group while ranking high on major domestic and international music charts, further cementing xikers' status as one of K-pop's hottest groups.

ALPHA DRIVE ONE, the boy group formed through Mnet's survival audition program "BOYS II PLANET," will also join the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS lineup. The group officially debuted in January with their first mini album "EUPHORIA" Promoting the title track "FREAK ALARM" ALPHA DRIVE ONE claimed four music show trophies, including wins on all three major terrestrial broadcasting networks. They also recorded more than 1.44 million first-week album sales, ranking second among the highest first-week sales for a K-pop group's debut album. The group later showcased a brighter and more carefree charm with "OMG!", the title track of their prologue single "No School Tomorrow" released in May, and plans to further solidify their position as one of K-pop's hottest rookie groups with their second mini album scheduled for August.

After winning three trophies as a group at the 2025 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS, EVAN will return to the event this year by walking the TMA red carpet as a solo artist. Making his solo debut last month with the single "RIDE OR DIE", EVAN demonstrated his versatility as an all-round artist by personally producing both the title track "Ride or Die" and the B-side "Overflow". each showcasing contrasting musical styles. Upon release, "Ride or Die" topped major domestic and international music charts, while its music video surpassed 10 million YouTube views within approximately 44 hours, attracting tremendous attention from K-pop fans around the world. Having made a successful start not as ENHYPEN member Heeseung, but as a solo artist, EVAN aims to continue his momentum as one of K-pop's hottest solo acts through his appearance at the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS.

YENA, who set Korea's short-form content scene ablaze with the viral "Catch Catch" challenge, has also joined the lineup for the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS.Having established her own signature style known as "YENA Core" through distinctive tracks such as "SMILEY" "NEMONEMO" and "Hate Being Called Nice", YENA fully unleashed her potential with "Catch Catch", the title track from her fifth mini album "LOVE CATCHER" released in March. "Catch Catch" recorded more than 5.78 million monthly listeners on Spotify, the world's largest music streaming platform, setting a new record among songs by fourth-generation female solo artists. In addition, YENA's uniquely addictive musical style has earned widespread popularity not only in Japan but also across various countries, firmly establishing her as one of K-pop's "secret weapons".

CLOSE YOUR EYES, who left a lasting impression on global K-pop fans with their spectacular performance at the 2025 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS, will return to the THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS stage for the second consecutive year. The group achieved both a new career high and half-million seller status with approximately 570,000 first-week album sales of their third mini album "blackout" released in November 2025. They continued their remarkable growth by making a comeback in April this year with the digital single "OVEREXPOSED". The title track "POSE" was selected for Billboard's "25 Best K-pop Songs of the First Half of 2026", earning recognition for both its artistic quality and mainstream appeal.

After winning the Hottest award at the 2025 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS during their debut year and announcing the arrival of a "monster rookie," CLOSE YOUR EYES are determined to deliver another electrifying performance at the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS, living up to their reputation as one of K-pop's hottest rookie groups.

Following the announcement of the first lineup featuring IDID, ATEEZ, ALLDAY PROJECT, CORTIS, KiiiKiii, and tripleS, the addition of six more artists in the second lineup further completes an all-star gathering of K-pop's hottest acts. The 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS will be held on September 19 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium. Having met local fans at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan in 2024 and Macau Outdoor Performance Venue in China last year, THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS has grown into a prestigious global music awards ceremony. This year's event marks not only its return to Korea after three years but also its first-ever edition in Busan, generating considerable anticipation.