Rosé Eyes Grammy after Historic VMA Win

BLACKPINK’s Rosé became the first Korean to win Song of the Year at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), sharpening focus on whether a K-pop artist could also be recognized at the prestigious Grammy Awards in February.

K-content, which has fueled a global boom, has posted standout results at major U.S. award shows. Director Bong Joon-ho’s film “Parasite” won four Academy Awards in 2020, including best picture. Netflix’s “Squid Game” Season 1 earned directing and lead actor honors at the 2022 Emmys. The musical “Maybe Happy Ending” captured six prizes at this year’s Tony Awards, including best musical and best book.

Even so, K-pop’s performance at music ceremonies has lagged, despite the genre being the starting point and core of the Korean Wave. Rosé’s Song of the Year at the VMAs stands as the first main-category win. The Grammys remain a higher hurdle. BTS became the first Koreans to serve as presenters at the Grammys in 2019 and secured three straight nominations for best pop duo/group performance from 2021 to 2023, but the group has yet to win.

Still, optimism is rising this year. Rosé could carry her VMA momentum into the Grammys, and fellow BLACKPINK member Jennie also merits attention. The Grammys tend to reward artistic innovation and genre-bending ambition. Jennie’s first solo album, “Ruby,” released in March, made Billboard’s list of the 50 Best Albums of the First Half. If BTS returns later this year, the group could again mount a credible bid for Grammy recognition.

“Rosé’s VMA win signals a smooth start as a solo singer-songwriter in the pop market," music critic Kim Do-heon said. "Considering how rare it is for a song to have such wide-reaching impact, it is reasonable to cautiously expect not only a Grammy nomination but also the possibility of a win.”


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