the "Answer Me 1997 LOVESTORY" project was officially released. The single "All For You" topped all Korean music charts upon its release.And the viewership for episodes 11 and 12, which continued to..."Ding Yan, why didn't you come to the company yesterday... Have you heard EXO won the MMA Daesang yesterday, 'Growl' was the best song of the year."

As soon as she arrived at the JYP practice room after school, Lim Na-yeon's eyes lit up when she saw Yu Deok Yeon and quickly rushed over.

The two of them have been following EXO's news ever since the release of the "Roar" music video. Although they aren't exactly fans, they've been keeping a close eye on everything.

One is because I think the songs are catchy, the members are handsome and popular. The other is because of my sister's influence.

"Yesterday there was something going on at home... Of course, I know. Yesterday my older sister watched the MMA live broadcast the whole time, and I watched with her too. “Roar” by Yearong is pretty normal, right That song is so popular, all our company’s trainees are practicing the dance to it every day. We learned it too, didn't we The choreography is amazing."

Yu Dingyan said what was reasonable.

With the popularity of EXO spreading throughout the peninsula, just like Zhou Tzuyu said to Ji Kyung-won in a text message, the dance of “Roar” has become a must-learn track for trainees at every entertainment company on the peninsula. Those companies’ dance teachers often sincerely marvel at how good the choreography is when they teach it to their students, saying things like, "Ji Kyung-won is so amazing…"

Besides trainees, even already-debuted artists are like this, because many variety shows have imitation and cover dance segments. And over the past few months, the most frequently used song in these segments has been "Roaring."

"Our 6MIX should be debuting soon, I wonder when we can have the same popularity as EXO and win a Daesang."

Lin Na-yeon gazed out the window with some longing.

They have recently been selected for the debut group and officially started preparing for their debut song. The group name is tentatively set as '6MIX'. After years of training, everything is finally starting to bear fruit and heading in a positive direction.

Yu Dingyan was more practical. She glanced at the other person and shook her head.

"You're really dreaming big, aren't you EXO is clearly going to be the next top group, but let's just focus on debuting first..."

…………

The news that EXO's "Growl" had won one of MMA's three major awards, the best song of the year, spread instantly among the countless fans who had been glued to the live stream the moment they received the award. It was almost dawn at that time.

After a night of brewing and news spreading, the entire internet was flooded with trending topics related to #EXOAward the next morning.

It's the same on SNS, both EXO and SHINee official accounts uploaded yesterday's photos, including stage captures, award ceremony close-ups, as well as individual group certification shots and a final photo of the two groups together.

Naver, Dau's top trending searches have been dominated by EXO and SHINee winning awards. The news has been flooding social media, and with the passage of time, clicks and comments on these articles continue to rise at an alarming rate, becoming one of the biggest talking points in a short period of time.

Just click on any hot search, and you'll see hundreds or even thousands of comments discussing yesterday's MMA event:

"DEBUT one year and 7 months to get the grand prize, this is the first of this year, it will definitely not be the last, EXO keeps going on the road of flowers, we will always be with you! Weareone!"

"We are one!! Our WULI XO is simply amazing, their momentum right now is unstoppable, the next top boy group will definitely be us, the new generation doesn't have the qualifications to compete."

"I was watching the livestream yesterday, and when it came time to announce the big prize, I was so nervous I almost broke my phone screen! Why did I keep holding onto it Of course, if XO won, I wanted to celebrate on SNS right away."

It can be seen that the members were all very excited yesterday. Even those who are usually calm and collected and like to keep things low-key seemed nervous, because it's about the honor of the group after all.

Yesterday was truly super happy and super touching, especially Yuan. When he gave his acceptance speech, he didn't really get sentimental, but looking at him with more serious eyes than usual, I don't know why tears just started streaming down... EXO having Yuan is really great, "Growl" is unbeatable!

"Upstairs, me too, me too! Fans know that Yuan usually really likes to automatically add borders and watermarks when participating in these kinds of events, but yesterday he really looked particularly focused. Although his words were only one sentence, they were definitely sincere and heartfelt. I took so many pictures of his expression because it was too charming."

This meal comes with a picture of Chi Jingyuan delivering a speech on stage yesterday. It's been specially edited and filtered, giving it a dreamy feel, but it's also a bit distorted.

“We SHINee debuted 6 years ago, and finally won the Daesang! Yesterday I really cried my eyes out, crying the whole time with Jonghyun… EXO is also really amazing, as a Shawol, I love “Growl” too, it’s truly the best boy group song. Yesterday's backstage photo of the two groups together was so heartwarming, both groups are working hard and getting better and better.”

"Indeed, this photo is definitely a classic. Yuan and Jonghyun's relationship looks great, a double delight for chefs! SHINee and EXO are truly a match made in heaven."

The backstage authentication photos I took yesterday were uploaded to SNS and immediately received crazy likes from fans who have been watching me. People who heard the news also flocked in to watch them.

Last night, the photos were already being cited by many websites and forums as headlines, especially the group photo of the two groups together was loved by countless people and shared everywhere.

"LMAO, you're acting like you won the world getting this most undeserving MMA award out of all the four major awards ceremonies. You'd think EXO just topped charts! Are fans of backup dancers this easily satisfied Won't you be crying after MAMA next week when you don't get a Daesang Won't you just pretend to be dead then I've already thought up excuses for you, like "we're still rookies," "we've only debuted for over a year," "we haven't accumulated enough," or even "splitting the pork" – feel free to use them. kkkkkk"

Because only Ji-sung had some fame and popularity at their debut, the other members were relatively unknown and called Yuan's backup dancers. Even though the popularity of the other members is quite good now, the "backup dancer group" nickname is still used by many black fans today.

"MMA is just a joke, and MAMA isn't really that prestigious either. The stage performances are interesting though, it's mainly for the entertainment. If EXO wins the Golden Disc Award or Seoul Music Awards, especially the Daesang, then they'll truly be recognized and fans will feel proud. For now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Don’t jump the gun just yet because we might end up crying if they don’t win."

“A group since their debut, twelve people all relied on Yuan to carry them. Yuan ran various schedules, filmed dramas and took care of the whole group. Without Yuan, this group would probably have disbanded by now. Oh, and "Roar" was also written by her. Sigh, if EXO didn't have Yuan now, they'd be nothing.”

“Yes, all the awards that you guys can't get are just consolation prizes, it's a pity that your idol wants them so much but can't get them no matter what, he can only smile and force a smile. Shooting for a whole night yesterday must have been really tiring, I feel sorry for the brothers.”

"Even if Yuan becomes even more popular, he's still a member of XO. He can write songs like "Roar" and win awards. We in XO have that band spirit, aren't we amazing"

"EXO's momentum right now is truly unstoppable. The MMA Awards are just the beginning, it definitely won't be their last big award this year. I put my words out there, if any haters don't believe me, just wait and see..."

“…………”

Fans were incredibly excited about EXO's win this time, even more so than the members themselves. This signifies that EXO has completely shed its past image as a struggling group, proving its current status and popularity, and taking a firm step towards becoming the top group.

Having won a major award in just one year and seven months, compared to SHINee's six years to their first win, is quite fast. However, it doesn't rank among the top spots in Korean history.

Because the record of Miss A winning a major award just four months after their debut is truly difficult to surpass.

Miss A debuted in July 2010, their title track "Bad Girl Good Girl" won Song of the Year at that year's MAMA awards ceremony in November, a remarkably fast feat.

Next is 2NE1's debut 6-month grand prize, which is also MAMA's song of the year.

Speaking of the MAMA awards, they're really quite random, aren't they So fond of rookie girl groups...

In terms of speed, EXO naturally can't compare. However, in terms of explosive power, they are definitely one of the strongest groups.

Before August of this year, no one had ever associated them with the "Grand Prize," so the return of 《Wolf》 only gave them a slightly bigger following than before.

After the release of "The Roar," they became nominees for major awards within just three months. This level of explosive popularity is truly remarkable.

This time, EXO winning the Daesang award has caused a stir online with much discussion. Fans are naturally overjoyed and spreading the news everywhere like Chinese New Year celebrations. Meanwhile, XO black fans, along with some fans of other groups, have also started to attack, spewing negativity.

Since August, the K-pop scene has been dominated by EXO's presence. Aside from GD's comeback which garnered significant attention, other boy groups' comebacks have largely been overshadowed by "Hungry Dragon." Their returns haven't made much of a splash.

In this situation, besides those who climbed the wall (meaning fans who support EXO and other groups), many hardcore EXO stans naturally felt unhappy with EXO. They were usually outnumbered and could only stay silent. This time, XO winning a major award caused many fans who had been dissatisfied with them to unite and attack. A large-scale online battle ensued between XO's fans, making the situation incredibly heated and intense.

Besides the venomous criticisms fueled by jealousy, some of the other comments are not entirely unreasonable. While MMA is one of the four major award ceremonies, in terms of prestige, it falls slightly short compared to the others. Like MAMA, it lacks official participation and is organized by private entertainment music companies.

In comparison, the Golden Disc Award and Seoul Music Awards are definitely more substantial. Apart from involving official organizations like the Korea Music Content Association, they also differ from MMA and MAMA in that both awards ceremonies have three major awards, while the Golden Disc Award only has two major awards for albums and digital music sources, and the Seoul Music Award even has only one major award, making it the most prestigious award in the music industry.

Even though it can be debated, the MMA Awards are widely recognized and respected. The top award is also a highly prestigious honor, which is why it causes such a stir online and fans get so excited.

Outside, there was a flurry of rumors and discussions. Despite the short break one night, EXO members didn't have much time to pay attention to the commotion as they plunged right back into their busy schedule.

((

)) Let me know if you have any other text you'd like translated!

First published on Taiwan Novels Networkbe surpassed by EXO. She said it would be embarrassing for her as a senior artist.As of last month, 《The Boys》 had sold over 400,000 albums, a significant margin ahead of other girl groups.The second...