"From the ga to the ha, learn from us / ... / We show respect, we aliens / The sun is risin' in the East." BTS's "Aliens," released this past March, is drawing renewed attention. The song, which pointedly critiques how Western society views K-pop as an outsider, has taken on deeper meaning now that it coincides with the group's declaration to boycott the Grammys.
Around the same time, MTV's Video Music Awards (VMA) in the United States named BTS a nominee for Video of the Year. Beyond BTS, K-pop artists including BLACKPINK's Lisa, CORTIS, KATSEYE and LE SSERAFIM all earned nominations, underscoring K-pop's presence once again.
On one side, some are trying to bundle K-pop into a separate genre called "Asian pop," while on the other, others already accept K-pop as a major pillar of the global music market. Rather than confining K-pop to a narrow regional or genre label, it may be time to view it through a larger lens: "G-pop," or global pop.
Why BTS Rejected the Grammys
On the 29th of last month, BTS members announced through their respective social media accounts that they would not submit their work for the 69th Grammy Awards, to be held next February. "We hope music can be heard and loved for itself, rather than divided by region or language," they said.
The move is understood to stem from the Grammys' creation of a "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category, which groups together music from South Korea, China, Japan and other parts of Asia.
The Grammys have long been both the highest wall and the most coveted prize for K-pop artists. It is also the only one of the four major U.S. popular music awards that BTS has never won. After their full-group comeback following a hiatus of about three years and nine months, their studio album "Arirang" performed strongly in the United States as well, prompting forecasts that their chances of winning this year were higher than ever. But BTS chose to set aside that final piece of the puzzle themselves.
That is what makes the boycott all the more notable. It reads not as a message that the Grammys do not matter, but that even on the most prestigious stage, BTS does not want to be judged within a separate "Asian" enclosure.
Will the Grammys Ultimately Scrap the "Asian Pop" Category?
BTS's refusal to enter drew a strong response overseas as well. ARMY around the world rallied behind the hashtag "ArtHasNoAliens," and foreign media also voiced criticism of the new Asian pop category. Maggie Kang, director of the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," expressed support for BTS, and criticism of the Grammys has continued.
The U.S. Recording Academy, which had seemed immovable, ultimately stirred as well. On the 14th, CEO Harvey Mason Jr. signaled a review, saying that some artists felt the category did not properly represent their music in the way they wanted.
In a statement, Mason said: "Regardless of our intent, it has become clear that some artists feel this category does not represent the music they worked so hard to create. As a musician myself, I take that to heart." He added: "Over the past six years, the Recording Academy has shown it can move decisively and quickly to meet the needs of the music community. We will keep pace with this progress and work so that musicians feel truly respected."
He said he would also consider revamping the process for developing new award categories. "Now that the Grammy Awards have more than 100 categories, it is a moment to reflect on how we can advance our efforts."
Based on these remarks, Billboard forecast that the Recording Academy could, unusually, restructure the Asian pop category as early as next year's ceremony. Nothing concrete has been decided yet. Still, the decision to reexamine the new category following BTS's boycott is not insignificant.
The Awards Named "American" Gave BTS "Artist of the Year"
What is interesting is how other U.S. popular music awards regard K-pop.
Take the American Music Awards (AMA), held this past May. The name itself begins with "American." Yet at that ceremony, BTS won Artist of the Year — an award earned in competition with world-class pop stars such as Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Harry Styles and Lady Gaga. It was BTS's second win, following 2021.
BTS took home three trophies, adding Best Male K-pop Artist and Song of the Summer for "SWIM." "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters" won Song of the Year, and KATSEYE won New Artist of the Year.
Though the name carries "American," on stage the show treats K-pop not as something outside U.S. popular music but as a competitor.
In fact, the American Music Awards can be said to be the ceremony that recognized BTS first. On Nov. 20, 2017, BTS became the first K-pop group invited to the American Music Awards. The moment they appeared on the red carpet at the "2017 American Music Awards," held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, BTS shot to No. 1 on Google Trends searches. That day, Google search volume for BTS was more than double that of the second-place term, a testament to their global popularity. It would be no exaggeration to say that this was the moment BTS emerged as a global K-pop act and as "kings of pop."
Let us look back for a moment at BTS's interview at the time.
In their red carpet interview, they did not hide their joy at making their U.S. television debut, saying, "It's unbelievable. It's really amazing." Asked what BTS stands for, they explained: "Many people know it as 'Behind the Scenes,' but in Korea it means 'Bulletproof Boys.' But you can think of it however you like." There was a time when they had to explain what BTS meant — it brings back memories.
They credited their fans, saying, "It's all thanks to ARMY that we could be here today," and adding, "We love you." BTS also introduced their "Love Yourself" campaign, then underway with the Korean Committee for UNICEF. Asked about it, RM explained: "To love others, you have to love yourself first. We named the album 'Love Yourself' to mean that we should practice that ourselves first."
The VMAs Also See K-pop as "Global Pop"
The nominee list for the "2026 MTV VMAs," announced on the 18th local time, clearly shows this trend.
BTS's "SWIM" earned nominations in two categories, Video of the Year and Best K-pop. "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters" was also nominated for Video of the Year.
BLACKPINK's Lisa earned nominations in four categories — Best Pop, Best K-pop, Best Cinematography and Best Editing — for her solo track "DREAM." BLACKPINK's "JUMP" was also included among the Best K-pop nominees.
Rookie group CORTIS was nominated for Best New Artist and Best K-pop with "RED RED," while KATSEYE was nominated for Best Choreography and Best K-pop with "Pinky Up." LE SSERAFIM's "SPAGHETTI" also made the Best K-pop shortlist.
At this point, it becomes hard to describe K-pop simply as "music made in Korea" or "Asian music." That is because it is competing with global artists across a range of fields, including pop, new artists, choreography, cinematography and editing.
The "Grammy Irony" That Reaffirmed K-pop's Standing
K-pop can no longer be confined to the "K."
The name "K-pop" describes only the nationality of its origin. In reality, it is becoming too narrow to describe the music's influence and range of consumption.
That is why it is now worth viewing K-pop as one pillar of "G-pop," or global pop. It began in Korea but has become music that fans worldwide consume across borders and languages, that competes with global artists, and that collaborates with artists from other countries.
Of course, the "Asian pop" category itself carries meaning in its aim of spotlighting Asian music. It signals that K-pop's standing has risen and that it has become important music. The problem arises when that category functions as a barrier separating K-pop from the main stage.
BTS's boycott is not a demand to "treat us as more special." Rather, it is closer to a demand to "not set us apart, but judge us as music on the same stage."
The Grammys remain one of the world's most prestigious music awards. That is why the Grammys' choice carries greater weight. If the AMAs and VMAs already place K-pop on the same competitive footing as U.S. pop stars, the Grammys, too, must now go beyond how to classify K-pop and consider how to embrace the current of global music that K-pop is creating.
K-pop has grown too big to fit into the small box of "Asian pop." What is needed now is not deliberating where to place K-pop, but how to embrace the "era of G-pop" that K-pop is leading.
And in that this whole sequence — from the Grammys' creation of the Asian pop category to its signaling of a possible "reworking" — has instead reaffirmed K-pop's standing, it can be called an irony.
The ball is now in the Grammys' court: whether to keep the "Asian pop" enclosure, or to tear down that wall itself.
Yeon Seung's Entertainment Talk selects and discusses the hottest issues and most talked-about content in the entertainment industry each week. From the latest news on actors and K-pop artists to hit films, dramas, streaming (OTT) titles and K-pop trends, it unpacks entertainment news too good to pass by in an easy and engaging way.
