The production team behind Netflix's animated film 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' has made history by securing the first-ever Grammy Award for a K-Pop producer at the 68th Grammy Awards. BLACKPINK's Rosé was nominated in three categories, including the General Fields, for her hit song 'APT.', but unfortunately did not win.
On February 1st, at the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' OST 'GOLDEN' was announced as the winner in the 'Best Song Written for Visual Media' category. This award is given to songwriters for songs created for visual content. With this win, composers EJAE, producers Teddy and 24, and composers Idio (Yoo Han, Kwak Joong-kyu, Nam Hee-dong) have been added to the list of Grammy winners. This marks the first time a K-Pop composer or producer has won a Grammy.
International media quickly reported the news. The New York Times described it as a "milestone as the first Grammy win in K-Pop history," while the Associated Press highlighted the "impressive bilingual acceptance speech." Variety quoted the lyrics of 'GOLDEN', "It's our moment," stating that it quenched the long-standing thirst of the K-Pop genre.
The highly anticipated 'Song of the Year' award went to Billie Eilish for 'WILDFLOWER'. This marks her third 'Song of the Year' win, following victories in 2020 and 2024.
Rosé and Bruno Mars' collaboration 'APT.' was nominated for 'Song of the Year' and 'Record of the Year' but did not win. Rosé was the first female K-Pop artist to be nominated in the General Fields, raising expectations, but the competition was tough. The 'Best Pop Duo/Group Performance' award went to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for their performance in the 'Wicked' OST, leaving Rosé, 'GOLDEN', and the group Cats Eye to look forward to future opportunities.
The ceremony turned into a political platform criticizing the Trump administration's strict immigration policies. Billie Eilish, upon receiving the 'Song of the Year' award, exclaimed "Damn ICE" and emphasized that "no one is illegal on stolen land." ICE refers to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Singer Gloria Estefan also expressed hope that the government would heed the call for humanity, while R&B winner Kehlani included expletives in her speech to denounce ICE and advocate for justice. Country winner Shaboozey praised immigrant contributions to the nation, earning applause from the audience. On the red carpet, many artists, including Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber, were seen wearing 'ICE Out' badges, calling for an end to immigration enforcement.
Reported by Min-Kyung Lee, TenAsia