Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr has publicly responded to BTS's withdrawal from the 69th Grammy Awards, saying he was "saddened" by the decision but respected it. The K-pop group pulled out of consideration in apparent protest at the Recording Academy's newly introduced Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, arguing they want their music "heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language." Mason pushed back on that framing, insisting the category was created to expand recognition for Asian artists rather than to segregate them.

In a statement, Mason said the category was meant to "celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia" and stressed that "more categories mean more artists' work is recognised." He clarified that submitting to a genre category such as Best Asian Pop does not stop an act from also competing in general-field awards like Record, Album and Song of the Year, which remain open to all eligible recordings. All seven BTS members signed the joint withdrawal statement, thanking fans for their support; the row follows the Academy's announcement last month of five new categories, and comes months after BTS released their 10th album, Arirang, following their return from South Korea's mandatory military service.