"A Smart Choice": Global Fans Back Stray Kids' Boycott of the Grammys [K-EYES]

*This content was translated by AI.

After it was revealed that Stray Kids did not submit their music for the 2027 Grammy Awards, global fans responded with reactions calling it "a smart choice."

JYP Entertainment confirmed on the 2nd that Stray Kids had not submitted any works for the 69th Grammy Awards, following reports from overseas media outlets such as Billboard and BBC. However, the company did not disclose the reason for the non-submission or whether it was related to the Grammys' new Asian Pop category.

The submission deadline for this year's Grammy Awards was August 21, and works that were not formally submitted are excluded from candidate review and voting.

What overseas fans are paying attention to is the fact that Stray Kids were in a competitive position where they could have fully entered the race for a Grammy Award. The group reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with their album released last August, and was also mentioned as a strong candidate for the Grammys' new Asian Pop category. This year, all eight members were invited to become voting members of the Recording Academy.

Considering that they chose not to submit despite this situation, supportive reactions emerged on overseas K-pop fan communities such as Reddit regarding Stray Kids' decision. Attention was drawn to the fact that Stray Kids made the same choice following BTS, with opinions continuing to express "respect" for their decision.

In particular, fans viewed Stray Kids' decision not to submit as a "smart choice" and a "wise choice." This is due to the controversy surrounding the newly established "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category. They analyzed that even if Stray Kids had submitted and become candidates, the situation would not have been simple. If they did not win, it could spark controversy that the Grammys did not properly recognize K-pop; furthermore, if they did win, the original point of contention—that K-pop, which has already established itself as a global mainstream genre, was placed in a separate "Asian Pop" category for awarding—could be replayed. It is expected that a situation would unfold where there is a problem whether or not they receive the award.

Of course, not all overseas fans welcomed the non-submission. Since Stray Kids actually had an opportunity to win a Grammy Award, some expressed regret, saying they "wanted to see them compete at the Grammys." There were also opinions that since the new Asian Pop category is not solely for K-pop but an attempt to encompass music from various Asian countries, it was necessary to participate first and observe the changes.

JYP has not officially disclosed the reason for the non-submission or mentioned a boycott regarding this decision. However, major domestic and overseas media outlets have referred to this decision as a "Grammy boycott" by a representative K-pop group following BTS.

The UK's BBC reported that Stray Kids' non-submission could be a significant blow to the Grammys. The outlet highlighted not only that Stray Kids were strong candidates for the Asian Pop category, but also that all members held voting rights at the Grammys.

Following BTS, who boycotted the Grammys before Stray Kids, reactions are emerging overseas that connect the choices of the two groups, given that both are K-pop groups that have achieved considerable success in the global market. Along with Stray Kids' non-submission, BBC also paid attention to the possibility that other K-pop singers might follow suit.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.