K-pop stands at a crossroads with Grammy history.
For years, K-pop acts have dazzled global audiences, broken streaming records, and sold out stadiums worldwide—yet never claimed a Grammy trophy.
That could finally change at the 2026 Grammy Awards, where K-pop and K-pop-adjacent artists have landed nominations in the prestigious “big four” categories for the first time.
But experts are divided on whether this represents genuine recognition of K-pop—or something far more complicated.
Historic Nominations, But What Do They Really Mean?
Rosé, known worldwide as one-quarter of Blackpink, has become the first K-pop artist nominated for record of the year with her viral hit “APT.,” featuring Bruno Mars.
Song of the year also features K-pop nominees for the first time. “APT.” will compete against “Golden” by fictional girl group HUNTR/X, performed by Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami from the “Kpop Demon Hunters” soundtrack.
Meanwhile, Katseye—created by HYBE, the entertainment powerhouse behind BTS—earned a best new artist nomination. The group was fashioned directly from the K-pop idol training system, though marketed heavily toward Western audiences.
Is This Really K-Pop?
Areum Jeong, assistant professor of Korean Studies at Arizona State University and author of “K-pop Fandom: Performing Deokhu from the 1990s to Today,” sees these nominations as representing something different entirely.
The majority of these nominations strike her more as a de-territorialized, hybrid idea of K-pop, instead of a recognition of K-pop.
While Rosé trained under K-pop’s rigorous system and “APT.” references a Korean drinking game, Jeong notes the song doesn’t feel like traditional K-pop production. Similarly, Katseye was produced under HYBE but deliberately crafted for Western markets.
Both ‘APT.’ and Katseye’s ‘Gabriela’ seem less K-pop than other K-pop songs that could have been nominated over the years.
According to Jeong, these tracks use K-pop as inspiration or motif rather than representing authentic localized K-pop production. The “Kpop Demon Hunters” music follows a similar pattern—drawing from Korean culture without necessarily being K-pop itself.
Mainstream Appeal: The Key Difference
Mathieu Berbiguier, visiting assistant professor in Korean Studies at Carnegie Mellon University, identifies what sets these nominations apart from previous K-pop Grammy nods.
Each nominee carries massive mainstream pop culture weight: a Netflix blockbuster (“Kpop Demon Hunters”), collaboration with superstar Bruno Mars (“APT.”), and international membership plus Netflix exposure (Katseye’s “Pop Star Academy”).
It tells you that K-pop is not considered as something niche anymore. Now, when we think about pop music in general, we also think of K-pop as part of it.
The “Silent K” in K-Pop
Bernie Cho, president of South Korean agency DFSB Kollective, describes these nominees as representing “post-idol K-pop.”
All the nominees represent a sort of post-idol K-pop, in the sense that Rosé, the three ladies of HUNTR/X and Katseye represent the globalized version of K-pop, where the ‘K’ is very much there, but some people might argue it’s silent.
These songs aren’t necessarily for Korea, by Korea, or from Korea—they exist beyond Korea. For Cho, that demonstrates how diverse and dynamic K-pop has become.
Why Now? Language Barriers and Lackluster Western Pop
Jeong points out that record-breaking K-pop acts like BTS, Seventeen, and Stray Kids have been snubbed for years.
I think one of the main reasons is that the Western world is still so resistant to non-English lyrics.
It’s no coincidence that “APT.” and Katseye’s music contain predominantly English lyrics. Berbiguier notes this reflects current K-pop trends—less Korean, more English.
But there may be another factor at play. Music journalist Tamar Herman, author of “Notes on K-pop” newsletter, says 2025 was widely considered a disappointing year for new American pop music.
Luminate’s 2025 Mid-Year Report confirmed streams of new music slowed compared to previous years, potentially due to fewer megahits dominating charts.
These recognitions are more of a sign of how poorly the music industry in the U.S. did this year that we’re looking externally.
Herman argues U.S. acknowledgment of Korean entertainment reflects slipping American cultural dominance more than sudden K-pop excellence—because K-pop has been excellent for years.
Universal Appeal: Not Just Performers, But Artists
Herman doesn’t want to diminish these achievements. These are universally accessible, quality pop songs that connect with listeners worldwide.
Cho emphasizes the artistry behind these nominations.
It’s very obvious that they’re not just performers. They’re artists. They’re singers. They’re songwriters.
Will K-Pop Finally Win a Grammy?
Opinions vary wildly on whether 2026 will bring K-pop’s first Grammy win.
Cho is optimistic about multiple potential victories.
I think it’s not even a matter of if or when. It’s going to be who and how many.
Berbiguier remains cautious, suggesting “Golden” has the strongest shot among nominees.
Herman offers a nuanced “yes and no.” For her, everything depends on how you define K-pop. HUNTR/X is a fictional group from an animated film that never went through traditional K-pop industry channels. Would their victory count as K-pop winning?
That answer remains beautifully, frustratingly subjective—and might define what K-pop means for the next generation of global pop music.