On October 10 KST, the '2024 MAMA Awards' by CJ ENM announced the introduction of new criteria for judging its most prestigious awards, such as 'Album of the Year'.

In the past, 'Album of the Year' was awarded based on the following criteria: album sales (80%) + judging (20%). However, beginning this year, the category will no longer be judged solely upon sales, but will also take into account the album's entire package, including the production quality, art and visuals, individual songs, its impact on the music industry, and more.

What does this mean?

If the 'Album of the Year' were to be awarded based on the same criteria as in past years, according to netizens' predictions, Seventeen's 11th mini album 'Seventeenth Heaven' would secure the award without competition, based on their impressive album sales of over 5.7 million copies.

The next mostly likely winners would be Stray Kids with '樂-STAR', followed by ENHYPEN with 'Romance: Untold', Jungkook with 'Golden', TOMORROW x TOGETHER with 'The Name Chapter: Freefall', and so on.

But if the award category begins considering criteria such as the album's packaging, production quality, art and visuals, and impact on the music industry, the determining factors for the winner becomes less predictable.

For some netizens, the introduction of the new criteria just means "They don't want to give it to Seventeen." 

Many commented, 

"They really didn't want to give the 'Album of the Year' award to the group that sold almost 6 million copies of a single album..."

"Is Seventeen not going to MAMA this year???"

"It's like a month away and they suddenly announced the new criteria now?"

"If they really did that just so they didn't have to give it to Seventeen, that's so messed up."

"If not Seventeen, then who?"

"That's such a waste of the fans' efforts."

"If they figure out a way to not give it to Seventeen, then it's just not even the 'Album of the Year' award anymore."

SEE ALSO: SEVENTEEN wraps up US leg of 'RIGHT HERE' tour with stadium debut shows in LA