K-Pop — Entry No. 0356
대상
daesang · noun
대상
daesang
[DAE-sang]
nounintermediate
Meaning
대상 (大賞) literally means ‘grand prize’ and is the highest award presented at major Korean music ceremonies such as MAMA (Mnet Asian Music Awards), Melon Music Awards, and the Golden Disc Awards. Winning a 대상 is considered the definitive annual achievement in K-Pop, requiring both critical and commercial dominance.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
BTS swept multiple 대상 categories at MAMA for several consecutive years, including their landmark 2018 night where they took home Artist, Album, and Song of the Year. When aespa claimed their first 대상 at the 2023 Melon Music Awards, it was celebrated as a generational handoff moment marking SM Entertainment’s fourth-generation era arrival on the top tier.
Example Sentences
BTS가 올해도 대상을 받았어요.
BTS-ga ol-hae-do dae-sang-eul bad-ass-eo-yo.
BTS won the daesang again this year. (Tone carries both pride and awe at a sustained streak)
대상을 받을 때 멤버들이 눈물을 흘렸어요.
Dae-sang-eul bad-eul ttae maem-beo-deul-i nun-mul-eul heul-lyeoss-eo-yo.
When they received the daesang, the members cried. (Reflects the immense emotional weight the award carries for idols)
이번 시상식에서 어느 그룹이 대상을 받을까요?
I-beon si-sang-sik-e-seo eo-neu geu-rup-i dae-sang-eul bad-eul-kka-yo?
Which group will win the daesang at this award show? (Pre-ceremony speculation—one of K-Pop fandom’s favorite debates)
⚠️ Don’t use daesang when…
대상 is not handed out freely—most ceremonies award only one or two. Don’t confuse it with 본상 (bonsang), which is prestigious but a clear step below. Also, some shows have multiple 대상 categories (artist, album, song), so winning all three in one night is genuinely rare and worth noting separately.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Imitation (2021) — A fictional idol group’s entire arc is built around the goal of earning a 대상 nomination, framing the award as the finish line that validates years of training, sacrifice, and fan devotion.
- K-Pop: BTS — their 2018 MAMA performance night, where they swept Artist, Album, and Song of the Year 대상, remains the most-discussed single awards evening in modern K-Pop history.
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.