[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] Attention is focusing on both the K-pop industry and beyond after the group BTS announced that they will not submit their music for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards, scheduled for next February. While the prevailing interpretation is that this is a challenge to the “Best Asian Pop Music Performance” (Asian Pop) category newly established by the Grammys, attention is also focused on the decisions of other K-pop artists and the Grammys’ future response.

◇Public Criticism of the New “Asian Pop” Category
On the 29th, the members of BTS posted messages simultaneously on social media, stating, “We have decided not to submit entries to this year’s Grammys,” and adding, “We hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being categorized by region or language.” In response, their agency, Big Hit Music, stated, “The company respects the artists’ decision.”
After completing their “military hiatus” (military service + hiatus), BTS sparked a global sensation with their fifth studio album *ARIRANG*, released last March, raising expectations for their first Grammy win. Against this backdrop, this decision is being interpreted both domestically and internationally as a de facto challenge to the “Asian Pop” category.
This category is intended for pop music produced in or widely recognized within Asian markets, including K-pop, Japan’s J-pop, and China’s C-pop. Within the K-pop industry, reactions were mixed: while some expressed hope that K-pop artists’ chances of winning a Grammy Award would increase, others voiced concerns that grouping Asian music into a separate category could further blur the lines with the major “General Field” categories. The UK’s Guardian, covering BTS’s decision to boycott, reported that it was “a subtle but clear challenge to the new category established by the Grammys.”
Pop music critic Lim Jin-mo said in a phone interview with Edaily on the 30th, “Up until now, K-pop has, to some extent, been swayed by local tastes and trends in an effort to gain recognition in the North American market. BTS, too, achieved success with songs like ‘Dynamite,’ ‘Butter,’ ‘My Universe’—all produced with the U.S. market in mind—and their new album ‘Arirang,’ with its focus on calm, contemplative music, also felt like a work that was quite conscious of winning a Grammy,” he said. “BTS has now broken away from that trend and made a declaration of musical independence to preserve their own identity.”

◇The Grammys Embark on a New Path: “Entries in Major Categories Are Also Possible”
As the backlash over the BTS boycott grew, the Grammys issued an official statement of clarification that day. In it, Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. stated, “I am disappointed to hear that BTS has decided not to participate in this year’s Grammy process,” but added, “As a music creator myself, I understand and respect their decision.”
He went on to explain, “The ‘Best Asian Pop Music Performance’ category was created to celebrate the diversity and growth of Asian pop music,” adding, “It is not intended to single anyone out, but rather to recognize a wider range of artists.” He further emphasized, “Genre categories and the ‘General Field’ are not mutually exclusive, and artists can be recognized in both categories.”
Submissions for the 69th awards ceremony will be accepted until the 21st of next month. Whether BTS’s decision will influence the choices of other K-pop artists, or whether each artist will make their own independent decision, is expected to be another point of interest.
Previously, at the 68th Grammy Awards held last February, artists including BTS’s Jin, J-Hope, and RM, as well as SEVENTEEN, BLACKPINK, TWICE, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, CAT’S EYE, Stray Kids, and ATEEZ submitted entries. None of these artists have yet announced their plans regarding submissions for next year’s ceremony.
When asked about whether artists from other HYBE subsidiaries—such as Pledis Entertainment, Source Music, and ADOR—would submit entries to the Grammys, a HYBE representative offered a general response: “As HYBE operates under a multi-label system, we respect the decisions of each label and artist.”
Pop music critic Lim Hee-yoon said, “The very fact that BTS publicly raised an issue regarding the Grammys is highly symbolic. The fact that local media is covering this extensively shows just how much BTS’s status has risen,” but added, “However, it is difficult to interpret BTS’s choice as a common perspective shared by all Asian artists. There will likely be artists from the Asian region who are trying to break into the Grammys through the newly established Asian Pop category.”

◇Following The Weeknd, Now BTS… Attention Turns to the Grammys’ Next Moves
The Grammys are a music awards ceremony that has been held since 1959 by the Recording Academy, an organization composed of singers, producers, and recording engineers. Nominees and winners are selected by 15,000 voting members.
BTS has been nominated in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video categories, but has yet to win a Grammy. They have been active as Grammy voting members since 2019 and have performed solo at the 2021 and 2022 ceremonies.
The Grammys have faced criticism for being less inclusive of artists of color compared to other music awards shows. In 2021, when Canadian Black pop star The Weeknd was excluded from nominations in major categories, he declared a boycott, stating, “The Grammys are corrupt. 'secret committee,' I will not submit my work in the future," declaring a boycott. Since then, the Grammys have pushed for reform by expanding the pool of new voting members and strengthening diversity in terms of race, nationality, and gender. Against this backdrop, it remains to be seen whether BTS’s decision will serve as a turning point leading to further change at the Grammys.
Pop culture critic Kim Heon-sik said, “This is an opportunity to reevaluate the Grammys’ authority,” adding, “While the Grammys have been recognized for their authority as an awards ceremony in the U.S.—the world’s largest music market—where industry experts vote, it’s difficult to view the evaluation as absolutely objective, given that those experts are also stakeholders in the local music industry.”
He continued, “It won’t be easy for other K-pop groups or agencies to immediately follow BTS’s lead and refuse to submit entries,” but noted, “The significance of this decision goes beyond a one-time event. What matters is how the Grammys will change moving forward. Whether BTS submits entries again in the future may also depend on the Grammys’ response.”
Music critic Lim Jin-mo commented, “BTS’s boycott could have a positive impact on other Asian artists as well. By raising this issue, BTS has helped create an atmosphere where Asian pop and general categories can be recognized together,” adding, “This decision was a bold boycott directed at the U.S. music market.”