Play in this article ↓MAMA 2026’s Special Collaborations: BIGBANG Meets Dooly, ENHYPEN Meets Dune: Part Three
Published:
- Category: News
- Artist: ENHYPEN / BIGBANG
KPOP NO1 Editorial · Sources checked October 29, 2026
A K-pop legend and a cartoon dinosaur. A chart-topping boy group and a science-fiction epic. On October 29, the 2026 MAMA AWARDS revealed four “Special Collaborations” for this year’s show in Osaka, and two of them pair K-pop acts with famous stories from outside music. Here’s what the organizer has confirmed so far.
What’s confirmed
- Four collaborations: MAMA AWARDS × Lee Bae, ENHYPEN × Dune: Part Three, BIGBANG × Dooly the Little Dinosaur, and MAMA AWARDS × Google Gemini. The announcement video went up on Mnet K-POP’s YouTube channel on October 29 (KST).
- The show: the 2026 MAMA AWARDS runs on November 20 and 21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka, and streams on Mnet Plus.
- This year’s concept: “MOVE THE STARS, A MUSIC INTERSTELLAR.”
- Two nights: Chapter 1 is on November 20 and Chapter 2 on November 21. Mnet Japan lists BIGBANG in the Chapter 2 lineup.
Four names, one short video
The announcement is a 29-second clip with the tagline “Expect the Unexpected.” Its description says MAMA “presents endless possibilities beyond genres and generations,” then lists the four pairings. That’s all the organizer has shared so far. There are no songs, stage plans or running order yet.
Two of the four are K-pop acts with famous stories. Two are MAMA itself working with partners from outside music. Lee Bae is a Korean artist. Google Gemini is Google’s AI assistant. MAMA hasn’t said what either collaboration will look like.
BIGBANG × Dooly the Little Dinosaur
BIGBANG were already confirmed for the show. Mnet Japan’s October 16 announcement of the second performer lineup put them in Chapter 2, on November 21. The new detail is the partner. Dooly the Little Dinosaur is a classic Korean cartoon character, known to several generations of Korean children.
Our take: For many Korean viewers, Dooly and BIGBANG are both childhood favorites, from very different decades. Putting them on one stage looks like a nod to how MAMA describes this year’s show: K-pop’s past, present and future.
ENHYPEN × Dune: Part Three
The other pairing links ENHYPEN with Dune: Part Three, the next film in the science-fiction series. The timing fits ENHYPEN’s year. On October 29, Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism named ENHYPEN among the winners of a minister’s commendation at the 17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards. The ministry noted that the group reached No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 six years after their debut.
ENHYPEN are also between releases. Their spinoff single THE SIN : PARALLEL WORLD comes out digitally on November 20, the first night of MAMA. The album follows on November 23. Our THE SIN : PARALLEL WORLD news has the dates.
Our take: ENHYPEN’s storytelling already leans on dark, cinematic worlds, so a desert sci-fi epic isn’t a big stretch. What the stage actually looks like is still a surprise. MAMA hasn’t said which song or which night.
Watch it in your time zone
Mnet Japan gives the times in Japan time, which is the same as KST:
| Date | Red carpet | Awards show | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapter 1 | Friday, November 20 | 3:30 p.m. | 6 p.m. |
| Chapter 2 | Saturday, November 21 | 12:30 p.m. | 3 p.m. |
For London that’s 9 a.m. (Chapter 1) and 6 a.m. (Chapter 2) on the same day. In New York, Chapter 1 starts at 4 a.m. on November 20 and Chapter 2 at 1 a.m. on November 21. In Los Angeles, both start the evening before or overnight: 1 a.m. on November 20 for Chapter 1, and 10 p.m. on November 20 for Chapter 2. Check the official 2026 MAMA AWARDS site for how to watch where you live.
What’s next
More announcements are likely before November 20, and we’ll add dated updates when MAMA confirms which night each collaboration is on.
- New to ENHYPEN? Start with all ENHYPEN articles.
- More K-pop news: the KPOP NO1 news page.