BTS Sparks ‘Grammy Boycott’ as BLACKPINK, TWICE and Stray Kids Also Decline to Submit Entries

BTS has declined to submit entries for the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category at the 2027 Grammy Awards, and major South Korean entertainment companies have reportedly joined the move.

According to The Grammy Guru, a website specializing in Grammy Awards analysis, none of the artists affiliated with South Korea’s four major entertainment companies—HYBE, YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and SM Entertainment—submitted songs for the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category at the 2027 Grammy Awards, as of October 15 (Korea time).

The Grammys recently introduced the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which encompasses K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and other Asian pop music. The decision has drawn criticism from some observers, who have questioned whether separating these genres into a dedicated category could further distinguish them from other music or exclude them from consideration in the general categories.

In response, BTS announced that it would not submit entries for the 69th Grammy Awards. The group expressed its desire for music to be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being classified by region or language, signaling its intention to boycott the new category.

Since BTS is signed to Big Hit Music, a label under HYBE, the company’s participation in the boycott extends across its affiliated labels. As a result, artists under HYBE subsidiaries, including BELIFT LAB, ADOR, and Source Music, also reportedly did not submit songs for the category.

Artists from South Korea’s other major entertainment companies, YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and SM Entertainment, also did not submit entries. Consequently, major K-pop acts such as BLACKPINK, TWICE, Stray Kids, and Hearts2Hearts were absent from the list of submissions.

The Grammys, which have long been criticized by some observers for their perceived conservative approach to K-pop, have once again found themselves at the center of controversy following the introduction of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.

With many of K-pop’s biggest acts reportedly absent from the submissions, attention is also turning to which artist will become the inaugural winner of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance award.

Meanwhile, the 69th Grammy Awards are scheduled to take place on February 7, 2027, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.

Sources: Nate

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