JJ Lin clinches Best Asian Artist award at 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards
PUBLISHED ONDecember 17, 2018 2:00 AMByChoo Yun Ting
Home-grown Mandopop star JJ Lin has added yet another feather to his cap, winning the Best Asian Artist (Mandarin) award at the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) in Hong Kong on Friday (Dec 14).
Lin had been confirmed as a special guest for this year's 20th edition of MAMA, which was hosted by Korean actor Song Joong-Ki. The awards show concluded in Hong Kong on Friday after stops in Tokyo and Seoul earlier in the week.
The Singaporean singer won the Golden Melody Award for Best Mandarin Male Vocalist in 2014 and 2016 for his albums Stories Untold and From M.E. To Myself respectively.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Lin wrote: "Big thanks to #2018MAMA for the honour and award, and for believing that music is not bound by any language, race, nor region!"
[embed]https://www.facebook.com/JJLin/posts/10155980227096485[/embed]
The biggest winner of MAMA, one of the biggest K-pop events, was Korean boyband sensation BTS. The group, which will be performing in Singapore on Jan 19, swept major prizes at the awards show, winning Album of the Year for Love Yourself: Tear and Artist of the Year.
It was the K-pop group's third consecutive Artist of the Year win.
BTS also snagged several other awards including Best Asian Style and Worldwide Icon of the Year.
The boyband also met Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2019 inductee Janet Jackson backstage and presented her with the Inspiration Award.
The prestigious Song of the Year accolade went to girl group Twice for What Is Love?. It was also their third consecutive Song of the Year nod, after winning in 2016 and 2017 with Cheer Up and Signal respectively.
Twice was also named Best Female Group and Best Dance Performance Female Group.
Korean boyband Wanna One, which debuted in 2017, clinched Best Male Group and was among the Worldwide Fans' Choice Top 10.
BTS, Twice, Blackpink and GOT7 were also among the Worldwide Fans' Choice Top 10.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.