Aren't the Grammy Awards going too far this time?

The global music industry is in an uproar following the recent news that BTS will not be attending next year's Grammy Awards. It is reported that on the 29th, the members announced via social media that they would not be submitting any works to the 2026 Grammys. This situation began when the Grammys suddenly created a new Asian Pop category. While they explained on the surface that the purpose was to promote more artists, honestly, I feel it is merely a ploy to subtly divide mainstream music from non-mainstream. Given that BTS has swept the Billboard charts and established themselves as global pop icons, it will be difficult to avoid criticism that the very attempt to confine them within the narrow fence of "Asian Pop" at this point is anachronistic and constitutes unpleasant discrimination.

Leader RM also made a pointed remark, stating that music should be evaluated on its own merits rather than being labeled with a specific region. In fact, considering that most of the tracks on BTS’s new album "Arirang," set to be released in 2026, consist of English lyrics, I really cannot understand the Grammys’ stubborn insistence on forcibly classifying it as Asian pop. Furthermore, seeing reports that past performance videos of BTS from 2021 and 2022 were quietly blocked from search on the Recording Academy website following the boycott declaration, one can see just how narrow-minded and petty the Grammys’ response is.

It is truly disappointing to see the Grammys, who pride themselves on boasting the highest authority in the music industry, still erect invisible barriers and try to maintain a conservative framework. In this global era, they should be evaluating true musical value by transcending language and regional barriers, but it feels like they are actually regressing to the past. BTS’s move to confidently choose not to participate—refusing to compromise with such unfair categorization and upholding their philosophy and values—feels much bigger and more admirable. I hope the Grammys correct their own authoritarian standards as soon as possible, befitting their title as a world-class awards ceremony.