SEOUL (Korea Herald/Asia News Network) - Actor Song Joong Ki will host this year's Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) in Hong Kong, his first public appearance after his Internet-breaking wedding with actress Song Hye Kyo last month.

Previously a one-day event, the South Korean music awards ceremony has been expanded into three shows in three Asian cities. MAMA Week will kick off at Hoa Binh Theatre in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Nov 25, then move to Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan on Nov 29, and finally to AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong on Dec 1.

Actor Park Bo Gum, who is managed by the same agency as Song, will host the show in Japan.

South Korean cable channel Mnet aims to put MAMA on a par with the Grammy Awards.

"Looking back at the past 10 years, many unexpected things happened," said Mr Kim Ki Woong, head of the Mnet division, during a press conference on Monday.

"There is the success of Psy and there are many artists who are recognised overseas. Our music is becoming mainstream music. If Asian artists together make music that the world knows, that would make MAMA an awards ceremony that can coexist with the Grammys someday," he said.

This year, MAMA will feature a star-studded lineup, including Seventeen and Wanna One for the show in Vietnam; EXO-CBX, Seventeen, Twice and Monsta X for Japan; and Super Junior, EXO, BTS, GOT7, Red Velvet and Wanna One for Hong Kong.

Celebrities such as Lee Young Ae, Nam Joo Hyuk, Song Ji Hyo and Ahn Jae Hyun will also appear at the shows as presenters.

MAMA started as a local music festival. The show has been held overseas since 2010 and become one of the biggest K-pop events.