K-pop Star Rose’s Grammy Loss Highlights Cultural Divide: Critics Analyze Academy Preferences
Despite three nominations, K-pop artist Rose faced disappointment at the 68th Grammy Awards, walking away empty-handed. This outcome reflects the ongoing challenges K-pop faces in gaining recognition from the Recording Academy.
Rose’s experience is not unique. Previous K-pop acts like Psy with “Gangnam Style” (nominated for best music video in 2012) and BTS, who received multiple nominations for best pop duo/group performance between 2021 and 2023, have also fallen short of winning a Grammy.
The Grammy Awards are often perceived as more conservative compared to other global music award shows. They tend to prioritize musical composition and innovation rather than simply rewarding commercial success and chart-topping hits.
While “APT.” garnered significant acclaim both in South Korea and internationally, culture critic Kim Heon-sik suggests that its lyrical depth and emotional resonance – particularly the repetition of the Korean word “apateu” (apartment) – may have connected more strongly with domestic audiences. This cultural specificity, while artistically valuable, might have limited its broader appeal to the Recording Academy’s 15,000 voters.
“Rose’s song, similar to past Grammy-nominated works by BTS, achieved substantial commercial success,” Kim stated. “However, the Grammys evaluate songs through a different lens, focusing on the artistic form and message of the music, not just its popularity or chart performance.”
Rose held an advantage as she actively participated in the songwriting and composition of “APT.” The Grammys traditionally favor individual artistic contributions over group dynamics, according to Kim. Yet, even this advantage wasn’t enough to overcome the institutional hurdle for music deemed “Grammy-worthy.”
Kim also suggested that the Academy’s emphasis on a song’s message could explain Bad Bunny’s success, including his album of the year win for “Debi Tirar Mas Fotos.”
“Bad Bunny’s Grammy win demonstrates the Academy’s evolving approach, moving beyond its previous preference for English-language tracks in the General Field categories,” he explained. “It wasn’t solely the album’s popularity that led to his victory. The album’s focus on Bad Bunny reconnecting with his Puerto Rican roots and preserving his culture likely resonated as a meaningful narrative worthy of recognition.”
This year’s Grammy results suggest that while K-pop is making progress in Grammy recognition, a gap remains between the genre’s current sonic identity and the Academy’s artistic preferences.
However, K-pop did achieve a significant milestone this year: “Golden” from the Netflix animated film “Kpop Demon Hunters” won best song written for visual media, marking K-pop’s first-ever Grammy victory. Despite this win, the absence of wins in the General Field categories—including Rose’s nominations for song and record of the year and “Golden’s” nod for song of the year—was seen as “regrettable” by industry insiders.
The increasing presence of K-pop artists on the nominations list, including Katseye’s nomination for best new artist and best pop duo/group performance, signals a positive shift.
“Rose and Katseye’s Grammy losses aren’t failures but a testament to K-pop’s progress and its potential to evolve and expand its influence within global music institutions,” Kim concluded.
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