BTS have announced they will not submit their work for Grammy consideration this year, shortly after the Recording Academy introduced a Best Asian Pop Music Performance category. The decision has been interpreted as a rejection of being separated by region or language rather than judged in major general categories, intensifying debate over how the Grammys recognise global pop artists.

The group made the statement in Korean on 29 July, following the success of their March comeback album, Arirang, after completing military service. Grammy chief Harvey Mason Jr said he was saddened and described the new category as a way to recognise Asian pop artistry, while experts say BTS’s exceptional global standing makes a wider boycott unlikely; HYBE reportedly plans to keep submitting other artists’ work. Fans and several Korean and Korean-American creatives have publicly supported BTS’s stance.