Rosé Breaks Barriers at 2025 MTV VMAs with 'Song of the Year' Win

Rosé, the singer-songwriter, has shattered the perceived limitations of K-pop in the mainstream pop market by winning the 'Song of the Year' award at the '2025 MTV Video Music Awards'. Industry experts believe her victory will significantly aid other K-pop artists in breaking into the pop market.

On the morning of the 8th (Korean time), Rosé took home the prestigious 'Song of the Year' trophy at the '2025 MTV Video Music Awards' (MTV VMA) held at the UBS Arena in New York, USA, for her collaboration with Bruno Mars on the track 'APT.'. This marks the first time a Korean artist has won this award, setting a new record in the Korean music industry.

Dressed in a golden gown, Rosé expressed her gratitude on stage, saying in English, "I can't believe it. Thank you to Bruno Mars for believing in me and creating this world together. I'll be in touch." She added, "This is a moment that rewards all the hard work. I dedicate this award to my 16-year-old self who dreamed of this." In Korean, she thanked Teddy and her BLACKPINK members, saying, "I won the award. Thank you always, and I love you."

Rosé was nominated in a record-breaking eight categories for a K-pop artist at this year's ceremony, including 'Video of the Year', 'Song of the Year', 'Best Collaboration', 'Best Pop', 'Best Direction', 'Best Art Direction', 'Best Visual Effects', and 'Best K-pop'. This surpasses the seven nominations received by pop stars Ariana Grande and The Weeknd. Even compared to Lady Gaga's 12, Bruno Mars' 11, Kendrick Lamar's 10, and Sabrina Carpenter's 8 nominations, Rosé's achievement stands out.

In addition to 'Song of the Year', Rosé also won as part of the group BLACKPINK, which took home the Best Group award for the second time, following their win in 2023. The category included nominees such as K-pop groups aespa, SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, and Cats Eye, alongside international groups like Backstreet Boys, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, and Jonas Brothers.

The award-winning track 'APT.' is a collaboration with pop star Bruno Mars, who has multiple Grammy Awards to his name. The song has consistently remained at the top of the US Billboard charts, receiving widespread acclaim. The collaboration between Rosé and Bruno Mars was a highly anticipated project, symbolizing a bridge between K-pop and global pop.

Rosé joins the ranks of K-pop solo artists like BLACKPINK's Lisa, BTS's RM and Jungkook, and singer PSY, who have won awards at the world's four major music award ceremonies. However, Rosé is the first to win in a 'major category' at these events. The 'Song of the Year' award is one of the most coveted trophies at the MTV VMAs.

Rosé's win at the VMAs for 'Song of the Year' demonstrates her success in transcending the boundaries of K-pop and integrating into the Western pop market. Until now, K-pop artists, despite their achievements, were often evaluated within the confines of the 'K-pop' genre. Except for Jungkook's 'Song of the Summer' win at the AMAs, all solo artist awards have been labeled under the 'K-pop' genre.

A music industry insider commented, "Rosé's competition on equal footing with pop stars in the market sets a precedent. We hope to see her and other artists thrive beyond the confines of K-pop."