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Unpacking BTS' decision to boycott the Grammys

South Korean boy band BTS perform during the halftime show of the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (Ashley Landis/AP)
Ashley Landis/AP
South Korean boy band BTS perform during the halftime show of the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (Ashley Landis/AP)

BTS fans are still luxuriating in the release of new music with the band’s most recent album “Arirang.”

But the new tunes won’t have their moment on stage at the Grammys next year. BTS announced last week that the group would not be submitting an entry for consideration.

The decision came on the heels of the Grammys’ creation of a new category, Best Asian Pop Music Performance.

Host Scott Tong unpacks the decision with Jae-Ha Kim, a journalist and syndicated columnist at The Chicago Tribune writing about K-Pop and culture. She also wrote about this for Rolling Stone.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

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