K-pop Acts Position for Major Recognition at 2027 GRAMMY Awards

Korean acts and Korean-backed global groups could have a significant presence at the 2027 GRAMMY Awards. Stray Kids and HYBE-Geffen group KATSEYE are among the possible contenders. Both groups broke chart records and gained massive airplay on Western radio stations.

SEVENTEEN, ENHYPEN, and ROSÉ still dominate worldwide physical sales. They collaborated on tracks that boosted their odds for nominations. The Recording Academy scrapped its Asian music category after fans around the world pushed back, but changing voter demographics and successful worldwide tours have set up Korean acts for their biggest awards cycle.

KATSEYE came together through Netflix's Pop Star Academy. Hybe and Geffen Records built them as their next big act. Last year, the group snagged two GRAMMY nominations, including Best New Artist, despite entering the race with lower odds than other nominees. Wild, their latest EP, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with a record-breaking first-week sales total.

"Animal" gets heavy rotation. "Pinky Up," Wild's first single, climbed into the Top 30 of the Hot 100.

Recording Academy voters now welcome younger acts more than before. Social media makes finding artists outside the mainstream easier. Korean acts bring dance routines, special effects, and stadium-sized production to their performances. Past award ceremonies saw these shows go viral. Dojeon wrote, "These performances prove that Korean artists don't simply attend overseas award shows; they do, in fact, own the stage during their time there."

BTS chose not to submit their music after the new category announcement, per NBC News. 

If KATSEYE gets into Best Pop Vocal Album, they'll become the first girl group in GRAMMY history to receive a nomination in that category. They also could become the first group of any kind to earn a Best Dance Pop Recording nomination.

Manon Bannerman took an indefinite hiatus in February to focus on her health and well-being, according to People. Sophia Laforteza announced last month that she would be unable to participate in promotional activities temporarily to prioritize her mental health and wellness, BBC reports.