Today, the social media accounts of all seven BTS members simultaneously posted messages announcing that they will not submit their music 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 category called "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" starting next year, while attaching conditions that the music must use the language of an Asian country and be based in the Asian region.

Although the academy explained that this "recognizes the growing influence of Asian pop in the global music industry," criticism arose that it was not expanding diversity, but rather building barriers.

Critics argue that this limits K-pop to Asian pop rather than global pop, and attempts to block K-pop stars from winning in the main categories.

BTS has continued to knock 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 official Grammy 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, controversies are expected to intensify regarding what Asian pop is and what concerns Asian artists submitting to the Grammys are facing."]

Attention is now focused on how this decision by BTS, boasting the world's most powerful fandom, will drive changes in the Western-centric music industry, including the Grammy Awards.

BTS Refuses Grammy Submissions: "Do Not Categorize by Region or Language" (July 29, 2026, 8 News)

(Reported by Kim Kyung-hee | Produced by Choi Yoon-seo | Video by Kim Jun-hee | Graphics by Kim Ye-ji | VJ by Oh Se-kwan | Produced by SBS Digital News)