The 2025 MAMA Awards, recognized as Asia’s premier music ceremony, became a platform for concerning displays of artist endurance as multiple K-pop stars performed through visible injuries, raising questions about industry health standards.
Lee Know (Lee Min-ho), a principal dancer of the boy band Stray Kids, sustained a significant ankle injury during the event. Fan-captured footage revealed the artist twisting his ankle while navigating backstage stairs between performance segments. Despite evident discomfort, Lee Know completed intricate dance routines with professional precision, though observers noted his limping movements and pained expressions when exiting the stage.
The situation developed further during the awards presentation when Stray Kids received the Album of the Year distinction. Band members provided physical support to Lee Know during their acceptance speech, demonstrating collective solidarity. The severity of the injury became unequivocally clear when the artist appeared at Incheon International Airport transported in a wheelchair while fellow members walked alongside.
This incident represented merely one component of a broader pattern evident during the ceremony. Minnie, a prominent member of the girl group (G)I-DLE, similarly experienced injury during rehearsal activities. The Thai artist reportedly fell from elevated stage props yet proceeded with her scheduled performance despite the physical setback, later appearing at the airport similarly utilizing wheelchair assistance.
The K-pop industry’s cultural emphasis on perseverance and professional dedication has frequently resulted in artists performing through physical adversity. While fan communities universally expressed admiration for this commitment, many simultaneously voiced concerns regarding the long-term implications for artist welfare and the industry’s responsibility toward health protection.
Social media platforms became flooded with supportive messages from global fans, combining praise for artistic dedication with genuine concerns for recovery. Medical professionals within entertainment circles emphasize that such incidents should prompt reevaluation of safety protocols and performance expectations within high-pressure entertainment environments.