K-pop Giants Stay Out of New Grammy Asian Pop Category as Filipino Acts Enter

Four major agencies sit out a category drawing 116 entries

Artists represented by HYBE, YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and SM Entertainment reportedly submitted no recordings for Best Asian Pop Music Performance at the 2027 Grammy Awards, widening a dispute that began with BTS refusing to enter any category. Yet the new award has attracted 116 submissions, according to Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., with Filipino and Japanese musicians among those seeking recognition.

The Recording Academy announced the category on June 16, 2026, and confirmed on October 1 that it would proceed after consultations with Asian music representatives. Its debut is scheduled for the 69th Grammy Awards on February 7, 2027, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The disagreement centers on two questions with practical consequences for musicians: how an award should define Asian pop, and whether recognition in a dedicated category will help artists reach the main Grammy races or draw attention away from them. The rules require substantial use of an Asian language, leaving recordings performed entirely in English eligible elsewhere.

BTS and Stray Kids have withdrawn from Grammy consideration altogether. The wider absence of artists from Korea's four biggest agencies concerns submissions to the new Asian pop category. Meanwhile, SB19 and BINI have entered that category alongside other Grammy races, showing how differently musicians across Asia view the opportunity.

The result is a divided opening year rather than a united Asian music boycott. Some of K-pop's biggest names are staying away, while artists seeking greater international visibility see a chance to reach voters who may be less familiar with their work.

How far does the K-pop withdrawal extend?

The reported absence across the four agencies includes HYBE labels BigHit Music, Belift Lab, ADOR and Source Music. BigHit Music represents BTS. BLACKPINK, TWICE, Stray Kids and Hearts2Hearts are also among the prominent groups absent from the new category's reported submission list.

A complete explanation for every artist's absence has not been made public. Eligibility, the recordings selected for submission and individual decisions all matter. BLACKPINK's absence has also been attributed to the Asian language requirement, making language eligibility part of the story alongside opposition to the award.

JYP Entertainment gave a direct confirmation about Stray Kids, the group whose eight members received Grammy voting privileges earlier in 2026.

Stray Kids did not submit for the Grammys.

The label did not elaborate on the group's reason. During an August press conference for the album This and That, member Hwang Hyun-jin described a priority beyond prizes.

We have never once set award results or records as our goal.

Hwang said the group's first concern was whether its fans were happy and satisfied. His comments offer context for the decision, while the label's statement establishes the withdrawal itself.

Why BTS walked away from every category

BTS announced on July 29 that it would not submit recordings for the 2027 Grammys. Matching statements appeared across the seven members' social media accounts, taking the group's protest beyond the new award.

The group explained its position in terms of how music should be recognized.

We have decided not to submit for Grammy consideration this year. We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. We thank Army and everyone who has always stood by us.

BTS had returned in March 2026 with Arirang after its military service hiatus. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while lead single Swim reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Withdrawing removed that successful comeback from consideration across the awards.

All seven BTS members have been Recording Academy voting members since 2019. The group has received five Grammy nominations without a win. Its objection therefore comes from musicians who already participate in the institution and have repeatedly reached its nomination stage.

Ateez leader Kim Hong-joong also expressed sympathy with BTS's action, saying he agreed "a little." He described uncertainty about the Academy's reasons for creating the category and did not announce a withdrawal.

What the language rule actually requires

Best Asian Pop Music Performance recognizes contemporary popular music originating from, or widely recognized within, Asian markets, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop. The Academy's description also sets requirements for musical style and language.

A recording must make "meaningful use" of one or more Asian languages. In a song mixing languages, the Asian language must have a substantial role. Isolated words, brief phrases or occasional vocal additions are insufficient. Songs performed entirely in an Asian language can qualify; songs performed entirely in English are ineligible for this category.

The Academy says musical style determines eligibility, rather than the performer's nationality or ethnicity. A Korean artist recording in English therefore faces a different eligibility decision from the same artist recording a song with substantial Korean lyrics.

BTS's Arirang contains mostly English lyrics, creating an eligibility problem for its recordings in the Asian pop category. English recordings can still compete in appropriate Grammy categories. For artists who move between Korean, Japanese and English releases, the submission decision depends on the particular recording they want voters to consider.

The rule reaches beyond K-pop. Asian musicians working primarily in English may seek recognition in other categories, while artists whose music uses Asian languages still need to meet the award's musical criteria. Language is one requirement within a broader definition of pop performance.

Can Asian pop entries compete for the biggest prizes?

The Recording Academy says artists entering the new category can also compete in the General Field, which includes album of the year, record of the year, song of the year and best new artist. Those races bring together music from across genres.

A more specific restriction applies to performance awards: one recording can enter only one performance category. A song submitted for Best Asian Pop Music Performance cannot also enter Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. An artist can, however, enter different recordings in those two categories.

SB19's submissions show that choice in practice. The Filipino group entered VISA for Best Asian Pop Music Performance and LAWLESS for Pop Duo/Group Performance. Its campaign seeks recognition in both fields using separate songs.

Critics are concerned about where voters will direct their attention once an Asian pop award exists. Supporters focus on the additional opportunity for recognition. The rules leave the major races open, while artists must still decide which performance category offers the best home for each recording.

The debate follows recent Grammy recognition across languages and markets. At the 2026 ceremony, Bad Bunny's Debí Tirar Más Fotos became the first album in Spanish to win album of the year, while Golden from KPop Demon Hunters won Best Song Written for Visual Media. The Academy also introduced Best African Music Performance for the 2024 awards.

Why the Academy decided to keep the award

Harvey Mason Jr. acknowledged in August that some artists felt the category did not represent their music as they wished. The Academy brought its full board and Awards & Nominations Committee into discussions with artists, executives and other representatives from K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and Indian music communities. HYBE was among the companies involved.

The consultations included consideration of whether to retain the award. On October 1, Mason confirmed that it would proceed, saying the Academy had heard opposition alongside substantial support.

Mason, the Academy's CEO, described the response from supporters in his statement.

But by far, the loudest feedback we heard was from people who were enthusiastic supporters of the category, fellow music creators expressing their encouragement for keeping it.

He also acknowledged disagreement with the outcome.

We understand this conclusion will not satisfy everyone, and that never feels good.

The Academy says the category remains subject to its annual review, with continuing discussions about eligibility and future changes. For the inaugural competition, it has chosen to keep the category as planned. Mason has also promised wider conversations about how Grammy categories serve music from global markets.

Filipino groups see an opening

SB19 and BINI have publicly supported the category and identified the songs they submitted. Their choices bring a different perspective to a debate dominated by the concerns of established K-pop stars.

SB19 member Stell said VISA represented the group's vocal performance and culture, including struggles experienced as Asian artists. BINI entered Unang Kilig for Asian pop, A Parallel World from Forgotten Island for Best Song Written for Visual Media, and the group for Best New Artist.

BINI members Aiah and Maloi described their view of the new award together.

We see it as a door opening, not a box closing.

SB19 leader Pablo connected potential recognition to the Philippines' position in the music business. He said many regional artists had worked for years with little industry visibility and explained what a win could communicate.

It would show the world that the Philippines isn't just a market. It's a source of original, world-class music.

Both groups had already expanded their international presence in 2026. SB19 performed at Lollapalooza in Chicago in July. BINI performed at Coachella and received the Global Force Award at the Billboard Women in Music ceremony in April.

Black Eyed Peas member Apl.De.Ap has also supported the possibility of more recognition, while acknowledging mixed feelings about a separate category. The Filipino American musician has urged greater government backing and investment for Philippine artists, pointing to South Korea's support for its music industry as a model.

SB19 member Justin nevertheless said the new category should not become a ceiling. That concern connects the Filipino groups' support with the objections from Korean artists: both want access to the wider awards, even as they make different decisions about entering this new race.

Japanese campaigns and other Korean entries broaden the field

Japanese artists account for 11 of 26 publicly identified submission campaigns, including campaigns involving Kenshi Yonezu, YOASOBI, BABYMETAL and Yoshiki. Eleven out of 26 is about 42%, giving Japanese acts a substantial presence among those publicly promoting their entries.

The 26 public campaigns form only part of the category's 116 submissions. The full geographic breakdown has not been released. Campaigning is the stage at which artists and their teams draw voters' attention to submitted work, ahead of the selection of nominees.

Korean groups IVE and KiiiKiii also submitted recordings. Their participation means K-pop remains represented despite the reported absence across the four largest agencies.

The opening contest therefore brings together artists facing different challenges. Some already have major international chart success and want recognition without a regional label. Others want a dedicated award to introduce their music to a wider voting audience. Those differences help explain why commercial success across Asia has not produced a single position on the category.

The dates that shaped the dispute

The controversy developed over several months, moving from the category's creation to withdrawals, consultations and a decision to retain it.

• June 16, 2026: The Academy announced Best Asian Pop Music Performance alongside four other new awards.
• July 29: BTS announced it would not submit recordings for Grammy consideration.
• August 14: The Academy's full board and Awards & Nominations Committee were involved in consultations with Asian music representatives.
• October 1: The Academy confirmed the category would proceed as planned.
• October 2: Stray Kids' withdrawal from Grammy consideration became public.
• October 12 to 22: The scheduled first voting round determines nominees.
• October 13: SB19 and BINI publicly explained their support for the category.

The Academy's detailed voting timetable lists November 16 for the nomination announcement; December 10 has also been cited as the announcement date, although that timetable places the start of final voting on December 10. Final voting is scheduled to close January 7, 2027.

The February 7 ceremony will award the first Asian pop performance Grammy. The Academy's annual review offers a later opportunity to reconsider the rules, while this first competition will proceed with prominent withdrawals and active campaigns from elsewhere in Asia.

Key Points

• Artists from HYBE, YG, JYP and SM reportedly made no submissions to the new Asian pop category.
• BTS and Stray Kids withdrew from Grammy consideration across all categories.
• The award requires substantial use of an Asian language, and entirely English recordings are eligible elsewhere.
• A recording can enter only one performance category, while General Field eligibility remains open.
• The category attracted 116 submissions, including entries from SB19, BINI, IVE and KiiiKiii.
• The Academy retained the award after consultations and says its rules remain subject to annual review.
• The 69th Grammy Awards are scheduled for February 7, 2027, in Los Angeles.