The Big 4 Boycott: Why K-Pop’s Biggest Agencies Are Uniting Against the Grammys’ New Asian Pop Category
What began as an isolated stand by global powerhouse BTS and was quickly reinforced by Stray Kids has officially transformed into a full-scale industry rebellion.
In what is turning out to be one of the most consequential cultural showdowns in modern music history, South Korea’s “Big 4” entertainment agencies.
HYBE, JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment, and YG Entertainment—have reportedly joined forces in refusing to submit their artists’ music for consideration in the Recording Academy’s newly created Best Asian Pop Music Performance category for the 2027 Grammy Awards.
As detailed in our previous coverage, The Grammy Dilemma: Why Stray Kids and BTS Are Turning Their Backs on Music’s Biggest Night, the initial resistance stemmed from concerns that creating a dedicated “Asian Pop” category would ghettoize non-Western artists rather than integrate them into general field categories like Record of the Year, Song of the Year, or Album of the Year.
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When the Recording Academy’s initial attempts at damage control fell short—as explored in Grammys Reconsider New Asian Pop Category After BTS Withdrawal—the tension only mounted. Now, the collective non-participation of South Korea’s premier music management companies signals that the K-pop industry is no longer willing to accept token gestures in place of genuine, equitable recognition.
From Individual Protest to Industry Solidarity
When the Recording Academy announced in June 2026 that it would introduce five new award categories for the 69th Annual Grammy Awards—including Best Asian Pop Music Performance—the decision was framed as a step forward for global diversity.
According to the Recording Academy’s official guidelines, the category was established to honor “artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances,” covering contemporary popular music originating from or widely recognized across Asian markets, including K-Pop, J-Pop, and C-Pop.
However, the response from Seoul was swift and unyielding. HYBE was the first to make waves when reports surfaced that BTS would not submit music from their long-awaited comeback album Arirang or its leading singles. Shortly thereafter, JYP Entertainment confirmed that Stray Kids would also withhold their submissions.
What many Western industry observers assumed was a temporary hesitation has now solidified into a united front across all four major Korean entertainment companies:
- HYBE: Beyond BTS, sub-labels housing world-renowned acts such as SEVENTEEN, LE SSERAFIM, ENHYPEN, and ILLIT have opted against submitting entries specifically for the Asian Pop category.
- JYP Entertainment: Joining Stray Kids, flagship acts like TWICE, ITZY, and NMIXX are standing down.
- SM Entertainment: Legacy pioneers and current chart-toppers—including NCT, AESPA, RIIZE, and Red Velvet—are noticeably absent from the submission rosters for the new category.
- YG Entertainment: Following suit, YG has withheld submissions for its powerhouse rosters, including BLACKPINK’s group and solo activities as well as BABYMONSTER.
This unified stance effectively removes virtually every major mainstream K-pop group currently dominating global streaming platforms, stadium tours, and Billboard charts from consideration in the new category.
The Core Debate: Genuine Inclusion vs. “Genre Ghettoization”
To understand why Korean agencies are taking such a drastic stand, one must examine the fundamental critique surrounding how Western music institutions classify non-Western art.
For years, Asian pop music—and K-pop in particular—has experienced exponential growth across the globe. Korean acts routinely sell out North American and European stadiums, top the Billboard 200, and generate billions of streams globally. Yet, historical Grammy nominations for K-pop have been sparse, restricted primarily to secondary categories like Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
When the Recording Academy introduced Best Asian Pop Music Performance, critics, fans, and agency executives immediately recognized a familiar pattern. Rather than elevating K-pop artists into major “General Field” categories (Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist), the new category threatens to construct a glass ceiling.
The Danger of a “Side Category”
In music industry terminology, “ghettoization” occurs when mainstream institutions create separate, secondary categories for racial, ethnic, or international minorities, effectively cordoning them off from competing for top-tier honors.
- Language as a Barrier: Music sung in Korean, Japanese, or Mandarin is frequently treated as a niche sub-genre, despite dominating international pop charts.
- Dilution of Impact: By grouping distinct musical cultures—such as Korean dance-pop, Japanese city pop, Mandopop ballads, and Southeast Asian indie-pop—into a single broad catch-all category, the Grammys treat an entire continent’s diverse output as a monolithic entity.
- The “Consolation Prize” Effect: Industry leaders fear that voting members will use the Asian Pop category as a convenient dump for Asian acts, sparing them from having to vote for non-English records in the main categories.
As South Korean music critic Lim Jin-mo noted during a recent industry panel, “The message from the Big 4 agencies is clear: K-pop is pop music. It does not need a special regional enclosure to prove its value. If a song breaks global records and defines popular culture, it belongs in Record of the Year, period.”
A High-Stakes Gamble for the Recording Academy
The refusal of Big 4 agencies to participate presents a serious logistical and reputational dilemma for the Recording Academy.
The Grammys have struggled for years with declining broadcast ratings among younger demographics, a problem exacerbated by past controversies regarding racial representation and voting transparency.
The inclusion of K-pop acts in past broadcasts—most notably BTS’s high-energy performances at the 63rd and 64th Grammy Awards—brought record-breaking social engagement and massive international viewership.
By losing the participation of HYBE, JYP, SM, and YG, the Recording Academy faces several immediate consequences:
- Loss of Legitimacy for the New Category: An award category titled “Best Asian Pop Music Performance” that excludes the biggest Asian pop acts on the planet lacks artistic credibility and authority.
- Social Media & Fan Backlash: K-pop fandoms (including ARMY, STAY, BLINK, and MY) command massive digital presence. The collective decision by agencies to sit out has generated widespread support from fans who view the Grammys’ structural design as outdated.
- Escalating Tensions: Reports indicate that following BTS’s decision, the Grammys website removed archival clips of previous BTS performances, a move that only deepened the rift and alienated fans further.
While Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. previously stated that the Academy remains committed to moving forward with the category based on input from diverse music creators, the absence of K-pop’s biggest drivers threatens to turn the inaugural 2027 presentation into an empty ceremony.
What Happens Next? Strategic Submissions and Industry Futures
It is worth noting that while the Big 4 have taken a decisive stance against the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, this does not mean Korean artists are boycotting the Grammys entirely.
Agencies are reportedly maintaining a targeted strategy: selectively submitting eligible tracks for standard pop and general field categories (such as Best Pop Duo/Group Performance or Best Music Video), while deliberately leaving the Asian Pop submission boxes blank.
Furthermore, indie labels and mid-tier agencies outside the Big 4 umbrella may still choose to submit entries, creating a complex and fractured landscape for the 2027 awards cycle.
Nevertheless, the collective action by South Korea’s major agencies marks a pivotal moment in global music politics. For decades, international music markets adjusted themselves to fit American standards. Today, K-pop agencies are demonstrating that their global footprint gives them the leverage to demand equal treatment on their own terms.
As the industry moves closer to the 2027 Grammy eligibility deadlines, all eyes remain on the Recording Academy to see whether it will adjust its voting guidelines, revamp its general category outreach, or double down on a category that its primary intended participants refuse to join.
Related Articles on KPopFam:
- The Grammy Dilemma: Why Stray Kids and BTS Are Turning Their Backs on Music’s Biggest Night
- Grammys Reconsider New Asian Pop Category After BTS Withdrawal