Only 4 Korean Acts Among 116 Entries in Grammys' New Asian Pop Category as Japan's Stars Crowd In
Four Korean acts (IVE, KiiiKiii, FIFTY FIFTY and Park Hyo-shin) are known to have entered the 69th Grammys' new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, while many Japanese artists submitted work. BTS said in July it would not enter, and the major Korean agencies stayed out.
Only four Korean acts are known to have entered the 69th Grammys' new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which drew 116 submissions in its first year, and none of HYBE, SM, YG or JYP submitted work. Japanese artists, by contrast, turned up in large numbers.
Japan leads the field
Hikaru Utada, King Gnu, Kenshi Yonezu, YOASOBI and Ado all entered the new category. The reference report named Utada's "Pappa Paradise," King Gnu's "AIZO," Yonezu's "Iris Out," YOASOBI's "Orion" and Ado's "Vivarium." Hitsujibungaku, AKB48 and Sakanaction were also reported to have entered. The Philippine group SB19 and the Chinese-language-world singer Jay Chou also took part. In a tally of public entry campaigns by an overseas music outlet, cited in the reference report, 11 of 26 campaigns were for Japanese artists. The report gave the 116 total for first-year entries and the 26 public campaigns as separate counts.
Korea's four entrants and the names missing
According to a report on the 18th, the Korean acts that entered are IVE, KiiiKiii, FIFTY FIFTY and Park Hyo-shin. IVE reportedly submitted "BANG BANG," KiiiKiii "404" (New Era), FIFTY FIFTY "STARSTRUCK" and Park Hyo-shin "AE." That brings the Korean total in the category to four.
Beyond HYBE, SM, YG and JYP, ATEEZ and BLACKPINK's JENNIE were reported not to have entered this category. The reference report said work by major groups such as Stray Kids and BLACKPINK was also absent from the entry list. Stray Kids is also said not to have submitted anything to this year's Grammys. In July, BTS said it would not enter the category, stating: "We hope music can be heard and loved as music itself, rather than being divided by region or language." The original report said that after BTS's announcement, participation by other Korean artists also stayed below expectations.
Rules, rival categories and the road ahead
Under Grammy rules, according to the reference report, a work that is not formally entered cannot appear on the nomination review and voting list. The Recording Academy, which runs the Grammys, formalised the new category in June to cover Asian popular music such as K-pop, J-pop and C-pop. After the announcement, opinions were raised about grouping Asian music into a single category and about dividing music by region or language. Entries must reportedly use one or more Asian languages in a meaningful way.
The Korean entries are not confined to the new category, and the figures cover both Asian pop and the existing pop categories. The distinction matters: the reports on Asian pop entries are separate from the question of whether Korean artists submitted to other Grammy categories. JENNIE, Jisoo, ENHYPEN, KATSEYE and Nmixx were reported to have entered existing pop categories, including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Attention is on whether JENNIE's "Dracula" and KATSEYE will earn major nominations. The reference report added that JENNIE also entered "Less than a Lover" in Best Pop Solo Performance, and that KATSEYE submitted work for Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year. The Korean acts are now waiting to learn whether they will be nominated.
Popular music critic Lim Jin-mo said the new category could be an opportunity for Asian singers. Because few Korean acts entered, he said, winning may not be easy.
The Recording Academy is holding first-round voting through the 22nd and will announce the final nominees on November 16. The 69th Grammy Awards will be held on February 7, 2027, at Crypto.com Arena in LA, in the United States.
Covers K-pop for SPECIALTIMES GLOBAL, and also writes Culture and K-Variety stories.
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