The 3rd ‘ASEA 2026’ Officially Opens Phase 1 of Main Voting Today (12th)… Nominees for 13 Categories Revealed

- Global fan voting to be conducted via three official apps: PODOAL, mubeat, and my1pick
- Intense competition for awards begins ahead of the May ceremony at Belluna Dome, Japan

The ‘ASIA STAR ENTERTAINER AWARDS 2026 (ASEA 2026),’ a premier global music awards ceremony, has officially entered its fan voting phase.

The ASEA Organizing Committee announced that Round 1 of the main voting begins today, March 12, at 11:00 AM (KST) and will run through March 29. Following the momentum of the monthly pre-voting held over the past eight months, this main voting phase serves as a critical stage where global fans directly participate in selecting the winners.

Voting will be held across a total of 13 categories. This includes nine major categories—The Best Group (Male/Female), The Best Solo (Male/Female), The Best Trot, The Best New Artist, The Best O.S.T, and The Best Artist (Actor/Actress)—alongside four 'Fan Choice' categories, which are determined 100% by fan votes.

Global fans can cast their votes through three official platform apps: PODOAL, mubeat, and my1pick. The combined results from all platforms will be officially disclosed on the ASEA website.

The criteria for nominee selection have also been revealed. For the Music categories, nominees were selected based on songs and albums released between March 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026. For the Acting categories, the committee selected nominees based on performances in dramas, OTT series, and films released during the same period.

Notably, the 'Fan Choice' categories will feature on-site voting that continues until the day of the ceremony, May 17. The final winners will be announced immediately after the polls close at the venue, further heightening the excitement and anticipation of global fans.

‘ASEA 2026’ will be held on May 16 and 17 at the Belluna Dome in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Since its inauguration in 2024, ASEA has established itself as a global music awards ceremony that highlights artists with significant influence across Asia and the world.

Last year’s ‘ASEA 2025’ featured a star-studded lineup, including K-POP icons like ENHYPEN, aespa, and I-DLE, alongside Asian stars such as Byeon Woo-seok, Timelesz, and Sakurazaka46, attracting approximately 37,000 attendees over two days. ‘ASEA 2026’ is expected to be held on an even larger scale with unprecedented global fan participation.

The event is co-hosted by Newsen, Korea’s leading entertainment and sports media outlet celebrating its 21st anniversary, and @style, a star and style magazine celebrating its 14th anniversary. The ceremony is organized by the ASEA Organizing Committee.