Dragon Pony Opens '2026 MMA' With Live Band Set

Rock band Dragon Pony kicked off the 2026 Melon Music Awards with a loud, high-energy set. It was the trio's first time performing at the show.

Dragon Pony (Ahn Tae-gyu, Kwon Se-hyuk and Go Kang-hoon) took the stage on the 14th at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul's Guro district. The band opened the awards show, known as MMA 2026 and named for the South Korean music streaming service Melon.

The band started with "Not Out," a song about young people who keep chasing their dreams no matter what. Its rock sound is powerful but also tender, and it got the crowd fired up right away.

Next came "Calling back," the band's recently released new song. The mood turned more heartfelt. Smooth guitar lines, lively drums and moving vocals carried the stage.

All three members have helped write, compose and arrange the band's music since their debut. That has earned Dragon Pony a name as a self-producing band. For the MMA, the group played new arrangements made only for this show.

The set leaned into the band's live reputation as a group fans trust to get them jumping. It also raised expectations for what Dragon Pony will do next in Korea's band scene.

The band has more shows coming soon. Its solo concert "2026 Dragon Pony Concert 'Calling back'" runs Dec. 5 and 6 at Blue Square Woori WON Banking Hall in Seoul's Yongsan district. The set list will pull together the band's signature songs from over the years.

From an awards show opener to its own year-end stage, Dragon Pony is ending the year doing what it built its name on: playing live.