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BTS / Big Hit

After BTS announced it would not submit its music for consideration at the Grammy Awards, support has poured in from ARMY (the group's fandom) and figures across the music industry worldwide.

BTS said via social media on the 29th, "We have decided not to enter the Grammys this year," adding, "We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language."

The decision came after the Recording Academy, which oversees the Grammys, introduced a new "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category last month. The move sparked controversy for grouping musically distinct genres such as K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop together under the regional label "Asian." Critics also noted that this classification places K-pop in a separate regional category rather than in the main pop categories, even while acknowledging its influence.

BTS did not give a specific reason for withdrawing. However, given their comment about music being heard "rather than being divided by region or language," many have interpreted the decision as connected to the new category's creation.

The Grammys responded to BTS's decision as well. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said he respected the group's choice, while expressing a wish to clear up misunderstandings surrounding the "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category.

Fans responded through music. "Aliens," a track from the group's fifth studio album "ARIRANG," topped iTunes' "Top Songs" chart in 78 countries. The song draws on the members' experience as Koreans on the global stage, likening that identity and their aspirations to the experience of being an outsider, carrying a message about forging their own standards and finding that differences can become a source of distinction. The alignment between the group's decision and the song's message drove a wave of fan streaming.

Support also spread on social media, with ARMY posting hashtags such as "#WeStandWithBTS" and "Proud_of_BTS" to back the members' choice.

Figures from the culture and music industries joined in as well. Following rapper Tablo of Epik High, director Maggie Kang, who directed the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," shared the news of BTS's Grammy withdrawal in a show of support. American producer Mike WiLL Made-It, who worked on the album tracks "Aliens" and "2.0," also posted "BTS ALIENS" on social media in support.

Meanwhile, BTS topped both the Billboard main album and singles charts in the U.S. with its fifth studio album "ARIRANG" this past March. The group's history with the Grammys began in 2019 as presenters, and the following year they became the first K-pop act to perform on the show's stage. They were nominated three years in a row starting in 2021 but never won. Having previously expressed a desire to win a Grammy, BTS chose not to submit music this time following their full-group return. With continued support from fans and peers, and the Grammys itself weighing in, attention remains focused on the group's decision.

                                                                                                               Lee Da-hye