K-Content Conquers the Globe: Golden Globes to Grammys – Is This K-Pop’s Golden Era? 🏆🎶

Seoul is buzzing with unprecedented excitement as K-content continues its spectacular global ascent. From dominating Hollywood’s major awards to shattering streaming records, the cultural phenomenon we call K-Pop is not just knocking on the door of mainstream recognition—it’s kicking it wide open, with the prestigious Grammy Awards now firmly in its sights.

The latest triumph comes from the Netflix animation ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ (KDH), which recently swept two major awards at the Golden Globe Awards. Demonstrating the formidable power of Korean storytelling and music, KDH secured both the Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song categories. Its standout original soundtrack, ‘Golden,’ surprised many by besting formidable competitors like ‘Wicked’ and ‘Avatar 3,’ reaffirming K-Pop’s undeniable global influence.

Now, the industry holds its breath as ‘Golden’ sets its sights on an even grander stage: the Grammy Awards. The Associated Press, in a recent analysis, boldly speculated on the possibility of K-Pop’s first-ever Grammy win, a moment many believe is long overdue.

The 2026 Grammy Awards mark a historic milestone, with K-Pop or K-Pop-adjacent artists securing nominations in the coveted “Big Four” general fields for the very first time. The nominations generating the most buzz include:

• BLACKPINK’s Rosé, who became the first K-Pop artist nominated in a major category for ‘Record of the Year’ with her mega-hit collaboration, ‘APT.’, featuring Bruno Mars.
• The K-Pop Demon Hunters’ OST ‘Golden’ (performed by Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami of the Huntrixes), which is nominated for ‘Song of the Year.’
• The HYBE-produced girl group KATSEYE, who earned a nomination for ‘Best New Artist.’

The ‘Song of the Year’ category sets up a fascinating face-off between Rosé’s ‘APT.’ and the K-Pop Demon Hunters’ ‘Golden.’ This direct competition encapsulates the evolving identity of K-Pop’s global reach, especially given the distinct backgrounds of these nominated works. ‘Golden’ itself has already made history, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks, making its performers the first female K-Pop artists to achieve such a feat, further solidifying its status after the Golden Globe triumph.

Despite K-Pop’s undeniable presence as an indispensable force in global pop culture, it has historically struggled to receive due recognition from prestigious awards like the Grammys. The AP highlighted this disparity, noting that while K-Pop artists have graced the Grammy stage, they have yet to take home a trophy.

This year’s groundbreaking nominations, however, prompt a critical question: will this truly be a historic moment for K-Pop, and what defines “K-Pop” in this new global landscape? Experts offer varied perspectives:

• Professor Areum Jeong of Arizona State University, author of ‘K-pop Fandom,’ suggests that most of these nominations lean towards “cross-border, blended K-Pop concepts” rather than pure K-Pop. She points out that while Rosé was trained in the K-Pop system and ‘APT.’ features a Korean drinking game motif, it doesn’t feel like a “pure K-Pop song.” Similarly, KATSEYE, despite being created by HYBE, was strategically marketed towards Western audiences.
• Visiting Assistant Professor Mathieu Verbiguié from Carnegie Mellon University notes that these nominations stand apart due to their inclusion of “mainstream popular music elements.” He cites the association with a major Netflix film (KDH), a collaboration with Bruno Mars (‘APT.’), and KATSEYE’s international lineup and Netflix series (‘Pop Star Academy: Katseye’) as key factors. For Verbiguié, this signals that K-Pop is no longer a niche genre but an integral part of mainstream music.

A recurring observation from these experts is the Grammy’s historical “aversion to non-English lyrics” in the Western sphere. Professor Jeong explicitly states that the Grammys have often overlooked record-breaking groups like BTS, SEVENTEEN, and Stray Kids due to this bias. It’s therefore “not surprising” that songs like ‘APT.’ and KATSEYE’s music, which feature a higher proportion of English lyrics and less pronounced K-Pop characteristics, have gained nominations. Professor Verbiguié concurs, noting a current trend within K-Pop towards fewer Korean and more English lyrics.

Journalist Tamar Herman, who runs the ‘Notes on K-pop’ newsletter, offers a more blunt assessment. She observes a “sluggish year for US music” in 2025, characterized by a decline in new song streams and a lack of chart-dominating mega-hits. Herman argues that while these nominations are undoubtedly a significant moment for K-Pop, they are “too late.” She contends that this recognition is less about K-Pop suddenly becoming great and more about the American music industry “looking outwards” due to its own underperformance. For Herman, K-Pop has “been great for a long time,” and this acknowledgment is ultimately a testament to K-Pop’s superior global content production and taste-making capabilities, rather than an indication of its newfound excellence.

As the countdown to the 68th Grammy Awards begins, the question isn’t whether K-Pop will win, but perhaps, as Korean-American music industry expert Bernie Cho of DFSB Collective confidently states, “who gets how many.” While predictions are challenging, Professor Verbiguié cautiously suggests that ‘Golden’ might have a stronger chance. Yet, Herman raises a crucial point: if ‘Golden,’ an OST by a virtual girl group from an animation film not directly from the traditional K-Pop industry system, wins, would it truly be considered a “K-Pop victory”? The answer, she believes, will vary depending on who you ask.

All eyes will be on the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 1st (local time), as K-Pop stands on the precipice of potentially its most significant night in global music history. Whether one or multiple trophies are lifted, this moment undeniably solidifies K-Pop’s role as a transformative cultural force.

The Grammys’ embrace of K-Pop in its most prestigious categories marks a pivotal cultural shift, signaling an undeniable evolution in global music sensibilities. Beyond the awards, this moment validates decades of Korean artistic innovation and its profound impact on international entertainment landscapes.

Editor: Minho Kang 📜