K-pop Poised for First Grammy Win as Global Pop Boundaries Blur

K-pop could be close to winning its first Grammy Award, a milestone for a genre that has reshaped global pop music but long stood outside the Recording Academy’s top honors. For the first time, artists tied to the K-pop system have earned nominations in the Grammys’ most prestigious categories. The shift reflects both K-pop’s global reach and its growing role in mainstream pop.

At the 2026 Grammy Awards, K-pop or K-pop-adjacent songs appear in the “big four” categories — record of the year, song of the year, and best new artist. No artist trained under the K-pop system has ever won a Grammy.

First-time nominations in major Grammy fields

Rosé, a member of South Korean group Blackpink, became the first K-pop artist nominated for record of the year. She received the nod for “APT.,” her collaboration with Bruno Mars. The song also earned a nomination for song of the year.

The song of the year category also includes “Golden,” performed by Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami. The trio appears as the fictional group HUNTR/X in the animated Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters. In another major category, Katseye received a nomination for best new artist.

HYBE, the South Korean company behind BTS, created Katseye using the K-pop idol training system. However, the group targets a global audience rather than the Korean market.

Together, the nominations mark a rare moment of recognition for music shaped by K-pop. They also raise questions about what the Grammys are recognizing.

Recognition or redefinition of K-pop?

Whether this moment represents a breakthrough for K-pop depends on how the genre is defined.

Areum Jeong, an assistant professor of Korean Studies at Arizona State University, describes the nominees as part of a “hybrid” form of K-pop. She argues they do not fully reflect traditional K-pop production.

Jeong notes that Rosé trained within the K-pop system and that “APT.” includes references to Korean culture. Still, she says the song does not feel like a localized K-pop release. She makes a similar argument about Katseye, which HYBE trained but marketed primarily to Western listeners.

Jeong applies the same view to KPop Demon Hunters. She says its soundtrack draws on Korean ideas but treats K-pop more as a concept than as a product of South Korea’s music industry.

Mainstream appeal plays a role

Other scholars see the nominations as proof that K-pop now sits inside global pop music.

Mathieu Berbiguier, a visiting assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University, points to the mainstream backing behind each nominee. “Golden” is tied to a popular Netflix film. “APT.” features Bruno Mars. Katseye also gained exposure through a Netflix series, Pop Star Academy: Katseye.

“These nominations show that K-pop is no longer seen as niche,” Berbiguier said. “It has become part of pop music as a whole.”

Bernie Cho, president of South Korean agency DFSB Kollective, agrees. He describes the nominees as part of a “post-idol” era of K-pop.

“The songs are not only for Korea or made in Korea,” Cho said. “They exist beyond Korea. That shows how much K-pop has evolved.”

Why recognition is happening now

Top K-pop acts such as BTS, Seventeen and Stray Kids have broken records for years. Yet none has won a Grammy.

Jeong believes language remains a barrier. She says Western institutions still resist music that uses non-English lyrics. She notes that both “APT.” and Katseye’s songs rely heavily on English.

Berbiguier adds that this trend reflects changes within K-pop itself. English now appears more often in K-pop releases than in earlier generations.

Broader industry trends may also matter. Music journalist Tamar Herman points to a slowdown in major U.S. pop hits during 2025. Luminate’s mid-year report showed weaker growth in new music streams compared with the previous year.

Herman argues that the nominations reflect the U.S. industry’s growing reliance on global music. She says K-pop has delivered strong pop releases for years.

“This moment is overdue,” she said. “It reflects changes in global taste-making more than sudden discovery.”

Will K-pop win its first Grammy?

The outcome remains uncertain.

Cho believes a win is inevitable and says the focus has shifted to who will win and how many awards they might take. Berbiguier is more cautious and sees “Golden” as the strongest contender.

Herman says the result depends on how voters define K-pop. She notes that HUNTR/X is a fictional group that did not come through the traditional K-pop system.

If a K-pop-linked act does win, the debate may continue. The moment would still highlight how deeply K-pop now shapes global pop music.