BTS has decided not to participate in the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category at the 2027 Grammy Awards, with major South Korean entertainment companies reportedly supporting this decision.
According to The Grammy Guru, none of the artists from South Korea’s biggest entertainment companies—HYBE, YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and SM Entertainment—have submitted songs for the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category at the 2027 Grammy Awards as of October 15 (Korea time).
The introduction of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category by the Grammys has sparked controversy, with critics questioning the segregation of these genres and their exclusion from general categories.
In response, BTS announced their boycott of the 69th Grammy Awards, advocating for music to be appreciated without regional or linguistic labels and refusing to participate in the new category.
Being under Big Hit Music, a label within HYBE, BTS’s decision has influenced all affiliated labels. Consequently, artists from HYBE subsidiaries such as BELIFT LAB, ADOR, and Source Music also abstained from submissions in this category.
Artists from other major South Korean entertainment companies like YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and SM Entertainment also refrained from submitting entries, leading to the absence of significant K-pop acts like BLACKPINK, TWICE, Stray Kids, and Hearts2Hearts from the submissions list.
The Grammys have faced criticism for their traditional approach to K-pop, and the recent controversy surrounding the new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category has once again put them in the spotlight.
With many notable K-pop acts missing from the submissions, speculation is rising about who will win the debut Best Asian Pop Music Performance award.
