[Anchor]

BTS has declared that they will not submit their music for the upcoming Grammy Awards next year. Stating that music should not be divided by region and language, they delivered a pointed critique against the Grammys, which recently established a new Asian music category.

Reporter Kim Gyeong-hui has the details.

[Reporter]

This afternoon (July 29), posts simultaneously appeared on the social media accounts of all seven BTS members declaring that they would not submit to the Grammy Awards.

They wrote, "We hope that music can be loved for what it is, rather than being categorized by region or language."

Previously, the Recording Academy, which hosts the Grammy Awards, announced the establishment of a new "Best Asian Music Performance" category starting next year, attaching conditions that the music must use the language of Asian countries and be based in the Asian region.

While the Academy explained this as "recognizing the growing influence of Asian pop in the global music industry," it drew criticism for building barriers rather than expanding diversity.

Critics argued that this confines K-pop to Asian pop rather than global pop and aims to block K-pop stars from winning in main award categories.

BTS has continually knocked on the doors of the Grammys even after sweeping the Billboard Music Awards and the American Music Awards.

With hit songs like "Dynamite" and "Butter," they were nominated for three consecutive years starting in 2021, but ultimately failed to win.

Fans expressed their support by leaving comments on the Grammy's social media accounts, saying, "BTS no longer needs to prove themselves through the Grammy Awards."

[Kim Do-heon / Music Critic : Through this declaration by BTS, the controversy is expected to intensify regarding what Asian pop is and what issues Asian artists [submitting to the Grammys] are pondering.]

Attention is now focused on what kind of changes this decision by BTS, boasting the world's most powerful fandom, will bring to the Western-centric music industry, including the Grammy Awards.

[Video Editing: Kim Jun-hee | Design: Kim Ye-ji | VJ: Oh Se-gwan]