2022 MAMA Awards: 5 legendary performances that had fans screaming out loud

The 2022 MAMA is finally here, and fans experienced a variety of emotions watching this year's performances. MAMA, otherwise known as the Mnet Asian Music Awards, is an award show that the entirety of K-pop eagerly awaits every year. It's one of South Korea's most popular award shows, uniting and showcasing the talents of artists across the Asian continent.

Apart from the main event of awarding the winners out of their various nominations, another aspect of the show that has K-pop fans on their toes is the performances of their idols. Over the years, MAMA performances have proven to be iconic, where K-pop idols roll out special stages and dance breaks to their songs. This year is no exception. 2022 MAMA is here and artists like Stray Kids, BIBI, and HYOLYN have left fans with their jaws dropped.

Legendary 2022 MAMA performances that shook K-pop fans: TOMORROW X TOGETHER, Stray Kids, and more

When it comes to MAMA performances, K-pop idols aren't here to play. From grand stage settings to additional stage settings, they go all out. With just one day left in the 2022 MAMA, there are a number of iconic performances that shouldn't be missed.

1) youknowbetter & LAW - BIBI & HYOLYN

On November 23, 2022, tvN announced a special collaboration between BIBI and HYOLYN at the 2022 MAMA, and ever since then, fans have been on the lookout for their performance. The two K-pop idols have not disappointed.

The performance started with the beautiful vocals of the two artists as they sang youknowbetter. However, things started to get hot when they switched to performing LAW. Everything from their outfits to their captivating stage presence has been the talk of the town. The impressive performance that the two put on not only shook fans but also the other artists present that night.

2) Good Boy Gone Bad - TOMORROW X TOGETHER

TOMORROW X TOGETHER's Good Boy Gone Bad, released earlier this year, was a song that surprised many fans with its emo vibe, which the band hasn't touched on before. At 2022 MAMA, the K-pop group added the icing to the cake by including a special dance break that left them trending under TXTonMAMA2022.

While the entire performance lived up to the high expectations MoAs had, there was a specific part that quite literally left fans stunned. During their dance break that was specially prepared for 2022 MAMA, Soobin and Yeonjun danced gracefully with blindfolds on. Their quick movements, performed flawlessly even with their sight blocked, were surely an impressive performance to witness.

3) Venom (MAMA Ver.) & MANIAC (MAMA Ver.)- Stray Kids

Stray Kids are known for their energetic performances, and their 2022 MAMA performance proved it once and for all. The group started off their performance with Venom as an elevated Hyunjin slowly came to the group. The impressive stunts, glittery latex outfits, and realistic CGI that Stray Kids adopted were incredible highlights of their performance.

After their Venom performance, they moved on to perform MANIAC. Felix initiated the second performance with his dance break inside an observation dome, already intriguing the fans with what they had in store for them. Unlike their original song, the version they performed at the 2022 MAMA had a different vibe to it. Though the song was slow-paced, their energy, as they laid out the choreography, wasn't.

Fans thought the performance perfectly matched their concept and was quite thrilling to watch. The members were filled with energy, giving yet another iconic performance that will go down in history.

4) JEON SOMI X LEEJUNG LEE

As the 2022 MAMA host, JEON SOMI and LEEJUNG LEE performed snippets of many K-pop artists to announce the nominees for Worldwide Fans' Choice. The performance received the loudest cheers from the audience as the two idols covered the nominated songs.

The songs the two K-pop idols danced to were: SEVENTEEN's HOT, NCT 127's 2 Baddies, aespa's illusion, NCT Dream's Glitch Mode, TWICE's Talk that Talk, Stray Kids' MANIAC, TREASURE's JIKJIN, MAMAMOO's ILLELLA, TOMORROW X TOGETHER's Good Boy Gone Bad, ITZY's SNEAKERS, GOT7's NANANA, ENHYPEN's Future Perfect (Pass the MIC), ATEEZ's Guerilla, BTS' Yet To Come, and BLACKPINK's Pink Venom.

The performance not only had the fans hyped and excited, but also the artists who were attending the 2022 MAMA, making it quite the highlight of the night.

5) Cheer Up - IVE, Kep1er, NMIXX, LE SSERAFIM, and New Jeans

As a classic MAMA tradition, many K-pop artists and groups collaborate with one another, and since this is a rare occurrence, fans look forward to watching these performances the most. With an overflowing number of K-pop girl groups who have kicked off their journeys this year, 2022 MAMA had a collaborative performance with all 4th Generation girl groups.

While the groups covered each other's songs throughout their performance, the cover of their Sunbae TWICE's Cheer Up excited fans the most. The five girl groups, IVE, Kep1er, NMIXX, LE SSERAFIM, and New Jeans, performing the iconic song was truly a wonderful sight. The idols wrapped up their nostalgic performance with a group ending fairy that received a sea of cheers from their united fans.

As Chapter 1 of the 2022 MAMA came to an end, fans received an overwhelming amount of content that left them feeling various emotions. From thrilling stages to cheerful performances, the first day of the 2022 MAMA was a roller coaster ride, exciting the fandom for the second day's performances.

About the author

Aishwarya is a pop culture writer who covers K-drama and K-pop at Sportskeeda. After completing her Bachelor's in English and Communication Skills, she sought a job that allowed her to explore her passion, and being a K-pop and K-drama reporter felt like the ideal fit. Aishwarya has 3 years of experience under her belt and previously took on several internships in the industry that further motivated her in choosing writing as a career.

Aishwarya believes in conducting extensive research and verifying facts with the help of reputable sources to produce accurate articles. She also spends a significant amount of time on Twitter to understand how netizens are reacting to the latest trends in the industry before crafting her content.

She admires SUGA from BTS for his dedication to his work and aspires to immerse herself into the things she loves, just like him. If she could go back in time, she would jump at the opportunity to be part of ""Reply 1988,"" a K-drama set in a time when neighborhood relationships were cherished and interpersonal connections were of utmost importance. Although she loves how technology has advanced, she would also love to experience living in an era before it was invented.

When Aishwarya's not writing and reading about the latest developments in the industry, she spends her time crocheting, sketching, cycling, reading Mangas, and cooking.

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Edited by Somava