BTS did the same to the South Korean Government in 2022. The Govt tried to dangle the military exemption like a bone infront of them to make them perform in political events and do their bidding for free. And after they got scammed at the Busan Expo, BTS had enough and ennounced their military enlistment unanimously one day which send the whole Govt in a frenzy. Had politicians contacting their company & even parents to change their minds.
Same way today they announced they won't be submitting ARIRANG for the 2027 Grammys. For years they thought they weren't enough, kept accepting the invite to perform and getting subbed by songs with barely any impact outside 3 states of USA. But Arirang is different, it is the most successful album of 2026 both in records & in critical acclaim. And yet the Grammys decided to introduce a whole new Asian Pop Category to box them than give them their deserved Album of the Year win. Would've probably nominated them to give false hope and bait them to perform again and increase their viewership. And then toss them that token asian award like a pity. But BTS has had enough. They now know their worth and exactly what they deserve. Just like they did in 2022. I'm so proud of them.
“Nós éramos fãs de artistas que falavam idiomas diferentes dos nossos, mas nunca pensamos diferente deles por causa disso. Eu era fã deles, continuo sendo, e nunca achei que o idioma fosse uma barreira. Sempre me importei mais com as emoções que eles transmitiam através da música.”
BTS said it in Black Swan. They were never afraid of losing fame or popularity. What they feared was losing their love passion for music. And that’s what has always set them apart. They have stayed sincere to their art and that’s what made BTS who they are
[FUN FACT]
#BTS Comeback Live x Netflix (18.4M) drew more live viewers than the major awards this year: 2026 Grammys (14.4M) and 2026 VMAs (5.5M)
WHO NEEDS WHO!?
#WeStandWithBTS
please know none of this would be possible without the guys knowing we have their back no matter what. “GOT ARMY RIGHT BEHIND US WHEN WE SAY SO” isn’t just a cute bar it’s a reminder of the power we have as bts’ biggest voice and what that support means to them. we are their greatest trophy. and that means more than any award show. THIS IS WHAT ARMYS MEANT WHEN WE SAID OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO MAKE BTS UNTOUCHABLE. the biggest band on earth just gave the much needed final knockout punch to an institution that has been playing in the faces of people of color for decades.
FunFact: The Grammys know that BTS could win most of the major categories at the 2027 Grammys, so they introduced the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category to limit BTS from winning in the main categories.
Critic Lim praises BTS' decision to skip this year's GRAMMY submissions:
— “The fact that a single Asian artist has rebelled against a massive awards ceremony and opened a forum for public discourse demanding change demonstrates immense influence in itself.”
hace 30 años, Tupac criticó a los Grammys por ser una industria controlada por gente desconectada del arte y del cambio. Años después, Namjoon hace referencia a él en 2.0: “Hit ’em up like (Tu)Pac. Hit ’em with the truth like Ra(kim)”
(Atácalos como Tupac. Enfréntalos con la verdad como Rakim)
ironíco que BTS esté haciendo exactamente eso, decir la verdad y desafiar un sistema que durante años los uso mientras les negaba el reconocimiento, ARIRANG es más de lo que pensamos
The most powerful part of this decision is that they are no longer asking to be accepted by the industry. They already know their worth as artists and understand that they deserve nothing less than everything they have built and earned throughout the years. 👏💜🔥
#WeStandWithBTS