(Expo News Reporter Myung Hee-sook) The "1st D AWARDS" has unveiled its spectacular first lineup.

The "D AWARDS" secretariat announced on the 6th that it has revealed the first lineup of artists performing at the "1st D AWARDS," confirming the participation of five teams: ENHYPEN, FIFTY FIFTY, QWER, TWS, and UNIS.

ENHYPEN, who showed remarkable activity throughout 2024, will be appearing at the "D AWARDS." ENHYPEN, who recorded nearly 3 million copies in sales with their second full-length album "ROMANCE: UNTOLD" released last July, has been highly active in global markets including the United States and Japan. They reached their highest ranking of No. 2 on the US "Billboard 200" and also topped the Oricon Weekly Album Chart in Japan. In the second half of the year, they released a repackage album adding two new songs to their second full-length album, once again becoming million-sellers and drawing significant attention.

FIFTY FIFTY, who conquered the US Billboard with "Cupid," released a new album last September following a member reorganization, captivating listeners both domestically and internationally.

Recording a double hit with "SOS" and "Gravity" from their second mini-album, they rode the momentum at the end of last year to embark on a "US Tour," starting in San Francisco and visiting eight major US cities, receiving an enthusiastic response from local North American fans. They showcased high-quality performances with perfect live stages, earning critical acclaim from local media.

QWER led the top ranks of major domestic music charts and the "social hot trend" with songs including "T.B.H," "Fake Idol," and "My Name is Malgu." The potential QWER demonstrated on various global social media platforms, along with a rapidly growing fandom, quickly established them as a "favorite girl band" representing K-pop. "T.B.H," which opened the gates to the "QWER Syndrome" that continued throughout last year, was also ranked as the No. 1 most popular song in Korea in 2024 by YouTube.

The best rookie of the year, TWS, is also planning their first encounter with the "D AWARDS." Debuting early last year and reaching the top of various music charts with "plot twist," TWS has released three consecutive albums, solidifying their position as the most notable newcomers and the next-generation leaders of K-pop.

UNIS officially debuted last March and has shown the widest range of activities among 5th-generation girl groups, traveling between Korea and Japan, as well as other parts of Asia. Formed through a TV audition, they garnered significant attention from global K-pop fans, and their debut album "WE UNIS" recorded the 8th highest first-week sales for a girl group debut album in history.

The "D AWARDS" was established to evaluate and further promote the background of how K-pop has come to be loved by people all over the world, focusing on "Dream" and "Delights," and will present awards in two major categories. The "D AWARDS Delights," equivalent to a grand prize, will be awarded to K-pop artists who have shown great activity over the year, while the "D AWARDS Dreamers" will be awarded to outstanding rookies who will lead K-content in the future.

The K-pop awards ceremony "1st D AWARDS with upick," hosted by Sports Dong-A and organized by "upick" and WSM, will be held on February 22 at 6 PM at the Korea University Hwajeong Gymnasium in Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.

These are English translations of articles from our GTTOUR Japanese website.