: British superstar Ed Sheeran performed a special mash-up of "Bad Habits" and "Shivers," emphasizing the awards' global reach.
: Performances by aespa and NCT Dream utilized advanced Augmented Reality (AR) and avatars to create immersive stages. Major Winners at a Glance Best New Male Artist Best New Female Artist Best Male Group Best Female Group Best Male Artist BAEKHYUN (EXO) Best Female Artist Best Dance Performance (Female) aespa ("Next Level") Best Band Performance Dinamika M.A.M.A. 2021
: MAMA 2021 introduced a major change in how winners were selected. To better reflect professional artistry and global impact, the major Daesang categories—Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year—removed fan voting from their criteria, relying instead on data and a panel of expert judges. : British superstar Ed Sheeran performed a special
: After three years, the group reunited for a special performance, a major highlight for long-term fans. To better reflect professional artistry and global impact,
: For the first time in the ceremony's history, a female artist took the lead as the host. K-pop veteran Lee Hyori broke the glass ceiling, bringing a legendary presence to the stage and performing a grand finale with the crews of Street Woman Fighter .