Stray Kids
Stray Kids

SEOUL — Stray Kids declined Thursday to say whether they plan to submit their music for consideration at next year's Grammy Awards, sidestepping repeated questions about the Recording Academy's newly created Best Asian Pop Music Performance category during a press event for their 10th EP.

The group addressed the topic at a press conference in Seoul marking the release of "This & That," with members repeatedly steering the conversation back to their music rather than confirming or denying any Grammy plans.

Group emphasizes music over awards

Member Seungmin was among those who addressed the question most directly, without actually answering it. "We've never once set out to make an album chasing a particular award or record," he said. "When we talk about the music or performances we love, it doesn't come from how we're seen from the outside — it comes from what's inside us as we build a stage or write lyrics. It's less about outside expectations around awards and more about capturing the sound and story we want to tell."

Asked specifically about the new Grammy category, Seungmin again stopped short of confirming whether the group would submit. "I feel so thankful that K-pop, as a genre, is loved this much around the world," he said. "It makes me realize all over again just how powerful music can be."

Fellow member Hyunjin echoed the same long-standing approach the group has taken toward awards throughout its career. "Throughout our time as Stray Kids, we've never once set our sights on a particular award or achievement when releasing an album," he said. "With this album, too, what we want most is to show and prove that we can do 'this and that' — anything and everything. That's really our biggest goal and dream. Above all, we want our fans to be satisfied and happy."

JYP Entertainment, the group's management agency, also declined to comment when directly asked whether Stray Kids intends to submit an entry for the 2027 ceremony.

A question sharpened by BTS' decision

The scrutiny around Stray Kids' plans has intensified since fellow K-pop giant BTS announced on July 29 that it would not submit any of its music, including its chart-topping album "ARIRANG," for consideration at the 2027 Grammys. All seven BTS members posted matching statements on their individual Instagram accounts, saying in translation that they hoped their music could be "heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language."

BTS did not explicitly name the new Asian pop category in its statement, but the timing and language of the announcement was widely read as a rebuke of it. The category, one of five new Grammy categories introduced by the Recording Academy in June, recognizes performances "originating from or widely recognized in Asian markets" that make "meaningful use of one or more Asian languages."

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. responded to BTS' decision in a statement, saying he was saddened but respected the group's choice. "I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision," Mason said, adding that he wanted to clarify what he felt was being lost in the surrounding conversation about the new category's intent.

Debate over the category's purpose

The new award has drawn a mixed reaction since its announcement. Supporters have called the recognition of Asian pop music overdue, while critics argue the category risks sidelining K-pop, J-pop and C-pop artists from the Grammys' major, genre-agnostic awards, such as record of the year and album of the year — criticism that echoes complaints Black artists have previously raised about the Recording Academy's genre-specific categories.

Complicating matters further, some of BTS' biggest commercial hits, including its English-language single "SWIM," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, would not have qualified for the new Asian pop category in the first place, given its "meaningful use of Asian language" requirement — a detail several outlets have noted lends additional weight to the group's language- and region-based framing of its decision.

Timing may factor into Stray Kids' calculus

Music critic Lim Hee-yun suggested that even if Stray Kids ultimately decide to enter the Grammy race, "This & That" is unlikely to be their submission of choice, given the calendar. "It's unclear whether they would submit the new title track," Lim said. "The album's release date falls too close to the Grammy submission deadline, leaving too short an evaluation window to expect much impact. An earlier hit released within the eligible period would have a real advantage instead."

Online submissions for the 69th Grammy Awards opened July 7 and close Aug. 21, with nominees set to be announced Nov. 16 ahead of the Feb. 7, 2027, ceremony — leaving both Stray Kids and other K-pop acts a narrowing window to decide whether, and how, to engage with the newly reshaped awards landscape.

Neither Stray Kids nor JYP Entertainment has indicated when, or whether, the group plans to clarify its submission plans before the entry window closes.

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