[Official] Boycott of Asian Pop? BTS Announces Sudden Decision Not to Submit for Next Year's Grammys

*This content was translated by AI.

Top idol group BTS (RM, Jin, Jimin, J-Hope, Suga, V, Jungkook) announced that they will not submit their fifth studio album 'Arirang' for the 2027 Grammy Awards.

All members of BTS stated on their official social media channels on the 29th: "We have decided not to submit our work to this year's Grammys. We hope music can be heard and loved as music itself, rather than being categorized by region or language. We are grateful to ARMY and everyone who has supported us."

The Grammy Awards is the highest authority in the U.S. recording industry, organized by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

While many K-pop artists have attempted to enter the Grammys, no winner from the genre has emerged yet. The first significant encounter between K-pop and the Grammys occurred in 2012 when Psy's 'Gangnam Style' was nominated for Best Music Video, leaving a meaningful mark on K-pop history. Since then, BTS was nominated for three consecutive years from the 63rd to the 65th Grammy Awards in the category of Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, but none of these nominations resulted in an award.

In contrast, the Billboard Music Awards and American Music Awards have increasingly embraced changes in the global pop market, leading to more K-pop artists winning awards and performing at these ceremonies. The Grammys, however, has been considered more conservative in its data compilation and award results. Nevertheless, at the 68th Grammy Awards, 'Golden' from the OST of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' won an award, and BLACKPINK's Rosé and Cat's Eye were nominated for major categories beyond genre-specific awards, acknowledging a shift in K-pop's status to some extent.

Previously, the Recording Academy, which organizes the Grammy Awards, announced in June new restructuring plans that will introduce five new categories starting from the 69th Grammy Awards held in February next year: Best Asian Pop Music Performance, Best Latin Song, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance, and Best Traditional Folk Album.

From the perspective of domestic fans, the most attention-grabbing category is 'Best Asian Pop Music Performance.' According to official regulations released by the Recording Academy, this category recognizes artistic excellence in pop music performances originating from or widely known in the Asian market, including K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop, but not limited to them. It targets works that meaningfully use at least one Asian language.

Eligibility for the 69th Grammy Awards, to be held on February 7 next year at Crypto.com Arena, covers albums released between August 31, 2025, and August 28, 2026.

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*This content was translated by AI.