The 35th Golden Disc Awards Raises Questions With ITZY’s Bonsang Victory Over Rapper Changmo

On January 9, 2021, the 35th Golden Disc Awards aired its first “Digital Day” part of the event.

The 35th Golden Disc Awards

Following the ceremony — where 2020’s most celebrated K-Pop artists took home their awards, however, some raised questions at how the scores had been calculated so that ITZY won the Bonsang (or the “Best Digital Song”) award and not rapper Changmo.

ITZY | @ITZYofficial/Twitter

The Korean community website DCInside‘s “Melon Music Awards Minor Gallery” (or MMA Minor Gallery) shared a chart of the winning tracks, along with their related statistics which have been collected.

“2021 35th Golden Disc Awards Digital Song Award Nominees Line-Up” (Final). | MMA Minor Gallery/DCInside

According to the MMA Minor Gallery and the Golden Disc Awards, the final scores have been calculated as a 60:40 combination of points from performance-based statistics (60%) and points from the evaluating judges (40%). The performance-based points come from an accumulation of the song’s streaming and download counts. The judge points come from Golden Disc Awards‘s evaluation of the song.

“2021 Digital Song Award Bonsang Winners” performance-based statistics. | MMA Minor Gallery/DCInside

With Changmo’s 2019 hit song “Meteor” raking in 55.20 performance-based points versus ITZY’s 2020 song “WANNABE” with 19.57…

“2021 35th Golden Disc Awards Digital Song Award Nominees Line-Up” (Final). | MMA Minor Gallery/DCInside

… the gallery insisted, “ITZY would have needed at least 35.64 judge points to beat Changmo to have taken the Bonsang — and that’s assuming Changmo got 0 judge points“.

Changmo

The gallery then pointed out that “It is unlikely that ITZY won 35.64 judge points” because according to a Korean press coverage, “BTS received the highest judge points at the 35th Golden Disc Awards, at 34.74 points.”

The only explanation that would work at this point is if the judges gave Changmo negative points… which, obviously, doesn’t make sense. So what really happened?

— Curious Netizen

Consequently, the gallery raised suspicion at why they “snubbed” Changmo of his Bonsang.

| theqoo

Meanwhile, Changmo thanked the Golden Disc Awards for presenting him with the “Best R&B Hiphop” award. He shared deep appreciation for his agency and fans “who showed love and support for the song ‘Meteor’.”

I can’t believe everything that is happening to me right now. I used to watch award ceremonies like this when I was young, thinking to myself if I would ever become an artist who could attend one. So I’m awed that I’m here right now. I want to pat myself on the back for pouring my soul into producing this album. I also want to thank my agency. And I truly appreciate the fans who showed endless love and support for the song, ‘Meteor’.

— Changmo

Golden Disc Awards has not yet responded to the “suspicion” that they manipulated the numbers to include ITZY in the line-up of winners.