K-Pop stars shine new light on Cotai venue with TMA Ceremony

The 2025 The Fact Music Awards (TMA) brought a star-studded K-pop spectacle to Cotai on Saturday. Despite earlier concerns about poor weather threatening the event, some 30,000 fans attended the Outdoor Performance Venue and Grand Lisboa Palace.

Hosted by South Korean MCs Jun Hyun Moo and Seohyun of Girls’ Generation, the ceremony marked the first major Korean music event at the outdoor venue and Macau’s debut edition of the awards.

According to TMA organizers, after the successful overseas edition at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, the eighth ceremony moved to Macau. Prior to these two international editions, the event had been held exclusively in South Korea.

In preparation for the Macau TMA awards, the event’s organizing committee revealed that many exclusive stages were specially created for Saturday’s performances.

The eighth TMA featured star-studded performances from top K-pop groups such as Stray Kids, aespa, IVE, ENHYPEN, NMIXX, BOYNEXTDOOR, and ZEROBASEONE, among others.

This year, Stray Kids took home four major awards, including “Honor of the Year” and “Record of the Year,” while aespa earned “Muse of the Year” along with a Special Jury Award. IVE was recognized for “Sound of the Year,” and ENHYPEN took home “Icon of the Year.”

According to prior statements from the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), the event was expected to attract roughly 30,000 spectators, a target that appeared to be met as fans gathered in large numbers for the night.

To disperse crowds after the event, local authorities arranged a series of traffic measures.

According to local media reports, the PSP and other ground staff maintained crowd order as audience members proceeded to leave the venue.

To facilitate smooth departures, two free shuttle bus routes were provided – one to Praça de Ferreira do Amaral and the other to Portas do Cerco at the Border Gate.

Additionally, coordination with the Light Rapid Transit system (LRT) further facilitated the dispersal of spectators after the show.

However, by 11 p.m., reports and videos from concertgoers revealed that a large crowd had gathered at the LRT East Asian Games Station. Despite trains running every five minutes with two carriages each, over a thousand people queued at the station entrance.

To better manage the overflow and ensure safer dispersal, authorities arranged additional free shuttle buses to Hengqin Port.

At least four more outdoor events slated by year’s end

The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) has announced that four to five additional events will be held at the Macau Outdoor Performance Venue in Cotai before the end of the year, showcasing a variety of performances suitable for outdoor settings.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a public event on Saturday, Deland Leong, president of the IC, confirmed that four to five events are scheduled to rent the venue, all designed for outdoor performances. Addressing the earlier cancellations of some concert bookings, she noted that these have been handled according to the venue rental regulations.

According to her, the bureau is progressing with preparatiowns for the tender process concerning the venue’s future operations, with insights gained during the trial operation period serving as a crucial reference for the tender.

When asked about the recent unstable weather and its potential impact on the venue, Leong emphasized that all plans for hosting outdoor events include contingency measures for inclement weather. “Before each event, our core entities within the large-scale event coordination team – including the Public Security Police Force, Fire Services Bureau, and Transport Bureau – develop specific contingency plans to ensure the safe evacuation of attendees in the event of severe weather.”

The president added that if any organizer needs to cancel an event, all related rental arrangements will be managed and handled in accordance with the venue rental regulations. YL