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| yna@yna.co.kr 2026-06-17 11:25:13
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- The Grammy Awards' decision to introduce a new category encompassing K-pop has raised expectations that Korean acts such as BTS and Blackpink may finally secure their first wins at the prestigious U.S. music awards.
U.S. broadcaster ABC reported Tuesday that the Recording Academy has added five new categories for next year's ceremony, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance, Best Latin Song, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance and Best Traditional Folk Album.
The newly created Best Asian Pop Music Performance category has drawn particular attention.
According to the Recording Academy, the award recognizes excellence in Asian pop music that makes meaningful use of one or more Asian languages and is created by artists from Asia or those recognized in local Asian music markets. The category covers K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, among others.
The academy said the move reflects the growing influence of Asian pop music on the global music industry.
K-pop artists, including BTS and Blackpink's Rose, have repeatedly vied for Grammy honors but have come up empty-handed.
BTS' "Dynamite" and "Butter," as well as Rose's "APT.," achieved notable commercial success in the U.S. market but failed to win awards.
Earlier this year, "Golden," an original soundtrack from Netflix's animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," became the first K-pop genre release to win a Grammy.
Industry observers say the new category has brought Grammy recognition for K-pop artists a step closer.
Gold Derby, a U.S. awards prediction website, said the expansion of categories was good news for BTS and country singer Ella Langley.
The Recording Academy also revised several eligibility rules.
For the Best New Artist category, the maximum number of times an artist can appear on the ballot has been increased from three to four. The minimum percentage of newly recorded material required for albums has been lowered from 75 percent to 66 percent.
The 69th Grammy Awards, which will apply the new rules, are scheduled to take place on Feb. 7 next year.
While the K-pop industry welcomed the addition of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, some expressed concerns that it could reinforce barriers to winning in mainstream categories.
"It is a positive development that the Grammys are paying attention to K-pop and other Asian music," an official at a music agency said. "But it would be disappointing if the academy regards the new category as inferior to mainstream categories and effectively confines K-pop artists to competing only there."
"Since Grammy winners are determined by member voting, each company's strategy will become increasingly important," the official added.
Music critic Jung Min-jae said the academy appeared to have found a convenient solution by grouping Asian music together as the influence of K-pop and other Asian genres continues to grow in North America.
"However, there is room for criticism because music from Asian countries with little in common has been lumped together," Jung said.
"How would this differ from an international film festival creating an 'Anglo-Saxon Film Award' for Western cinema? We will have to wait and see how things unfold next year," he added.
Industry officials also predicted that the category's requirement for the meaningful use of one or more Asian languages could encourage K-pop artists to incorporate more Korean lyrics into their songs.
"Many teams have released entirely English-language songs to improve their chances on the Billboard charts," another agency official said. "But with the new category and rules, artists may now choose to include Korean lyrics with the Grammys in mind."
"There is also a sense that the academy feels it has to recognize Asian music because of changing times, but not necessarily within the mainstream categories," the official said. "Still, the path paved by earlier K-pop groups seems to have opened the door for younger acts to finally win Grammys."
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