Two K-pop Giants Walked Away From the Grammys. Here Is the Fight Nobody Explains Properly
BTS and Stray Kids are sitting out the 2027 Grammys over one brand-new award. Blackpink could not enter even if it wanted to. What on earth is going on?
Imagine a global award show creates a brand-new trophy for your entire continent, and the biggest names from your country politely say, "No, thank you." That is the story K-pop fans have been arguing about for weeks, and it just got another chapter.
In plain terms: the Recording Academy, the group behind the Grammys, created a category called Best Asian Pop Music Performance for the 69th Grammy Awards. BTS announced in July that they would not submit music. Stray Kids followed, with their agency JYP Entertainment confirming the group did not submit either. And Blackpink, the other name fans keep asking about, turns out to be ruled out by the rulebook itself.
Is this a boycott, a protest, or a very polite disagreement? Let's untangle it, step by step.
The Category in 60 Seconds
According to reports, Best Asian Pop Music Performance covers contemporary pop from Asian markets, a bucket that includes K-pop, J-pop and C-pop. The ceremony is reported for February 7, 2027, and the eligibility window runs from August 31, 2025 to August 28, 2026.
The key rule is about language. A recording must make meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. A song performed entirely in English does not qualify. Hold on to that sentence, because it explains the Blackpink twist later.
A statement attributed to BTS in July
Why BTS Said No
BTS announced on July 29 that the group would not submit music this year. According to the reports, all seven members posted personal messages expressing the hope that music would be judged on its merits, not divided by region or language.
Notice what they did not say. They did not attack the Grammys as an institution, and they did not say the category's winners would be unworthy. Their point is about the box itself: why does a song get sorted by the passport of its singers?
Then Stray Kids Stepped Back Too
Stray Kids did not submit music for the next Grammys, and JYP Entertainment confirmed it without giving a specific reason. One report says the decision landed within 24 hours of the Recording Academy confirming that the award would go ahead as planned. Earlier, the Academy had hinted it might change the category after the backlash. In the end, it did not.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said the organization spent several weeks consulting leaders in the Asian music community and found that support for keeping the category outweighed opposition. That detail matters: the Academy says this was not a decision made in a vacuum.
Notice the careful wording from the agency side: "did not submit." It is a quiet choice, not a loud protest. In K-pop, silence is often the strategy, because fans read the empty space as the message.
The Blackpink Twist: Ruled Out by the Rulebook
Here is the part many fans missed. Blackpink is not boycotting anything. The group is simply ineligible, and the reasons are mechanical.
- Their third mini album, DEADLINE (released February 27, 2026), has five tracks. Only "JUMP" could qualify, but it was released digitally on July 11, 2025, before the eligibility window, and was already submitted for the previous Grammys.
- The other four tracks are performed entirely in English, which fails the Asian-language rule.
- Jennie's digital EP Fallen Angel came out on August 28, 2026, the very last day of the window, and it is also entirely in English.
So the so-called Asian pop category cannot recognize some of the most globally famous Asian pop acts, because their recent work is in English. Isn't that a strange outcome for an award meant to celebrate Asian pop?
Both Sides, Fairly Stated
The case for the category
Supporters say a dedicated award creates a guaranteed spotlight for music from Asian markets, and that the Academy consulted the community before deciding. A new trophy can also draw new viewers to artists they may not have met.
The case against
Critics argue that a regional category could limit where artists are recognized, quietly steering them away from the general fields. They ask whether a song should be filed by geography or language at all.
Both arguments are reasonable, and that is exactly why the debate has lasted. It is less about a single trophy and more about whether global pop is one big room or a set of separate ones.
I think the most interesting detail is how quiet this is. No hashtags campaign led by the artists, no angry live streams. Just empty entry forms. That restraint probably tells you more about how seriously they take the question than any dramatic statement could.
The Timeline So Far
- July 29: BTS announces it will not submit music this year.
- August 28: Eligibility window closes; Jennie's English-language EP lands on the last day.
- Early October: The Recording Academy confirms the category will go ahead. Stray Kids' non-submission is confirmed soon after.
- February 7, 2027: Reported date of the 69th Grammy Awards.
Meanwhile, the Fan Calendar Is Packed
Fans who want an award show with no controversy attached should look at MAMA. The 2026 ceremony is set for November 20 and 21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka, organized by CJ ENM. Reported Artist of the Year nominees include BTS, Blackpink, Big Bang, Stray Kids, Enhypen and Aespa. First-round fan voting runs until October 22 on Mnet Plus and X, with the top 20 male and top 20 female acts advancing, and the second round runs from October 28 to November 18.
So while the Grammys debate rumbles on, the next big K-pop trophy night is already open for your vote. If you are reading this on October 21, the first round closes tomorrow.
What This Means for K-pop Fans Abroad
For international fans, the practical takeaway is simple. You may see fewer K-pop headliners in the Grammys race this cycle, but that does not shrink the music itself. Streams, tours and chart records do not depend on a statue. If you want to follow the story without the noise, watch for the official nomination announcement and see which Korean acts actually appear, and in which categories.
Key Takeaways
- The Grammys' new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category requires meaningful use of an Asian language and covers a window from August 31, 2025 to August 28, 2026.
- BTS and Stray Kids did not submit music, while Blackpink is ineligible because of release dates and English-only tracks.
- The disagreement is about whether music should be sorted by region or language, not about who deserves a trophy.
Quick Answers
Is Blackpink boycotting the Grammys?
No. According to reports, the group is ineligible for the new category because of release timing and English-only tracks.
Can K-pop still be nominated in other Grammy categories?
The new category is an addition, so other fields still exist. Nominations will show which artists actually appear where.
Does a song have to be in Korean?
It needs meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. Songs performed entirely in English are not eligible.
Your Turn
Should awards sort music by region and language, or put everyone in the same categories? Tell us in the comments, and let us know which act you are voting for at MAMA.