On February 1, 2026, Rosé and Bruno Mars performed on stage at the 68th Grammy Awards held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images/Recording Academy) ⓒGettyimagesKorea
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[Sports Korea reporter Yumin Lee]
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The greater the anticipation, the deeper the disappointment.
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The main ceremony of the 68th Grammy Awards took place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, USA, on February 2 (Korean time). This year’s ceremony was exclusively broadcast live in Korea through Mnet.
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The Grammy Awards, which started in 1959, are hosted by the Recording Academy and are considered one of the most prestigious ceremonies representing the American music industry, alongside the Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards, and MTV Video Music Awards. It is recognized for its highly esteemed evaluation style that focuses more on musicality and artistry rather than commercial success.
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However, the Grammys have long faced criticism for being stingy with awarding minority and female artists, earning the nickname “White Grammys.” K-pop was no exception. BTS was nominated for the ‘Best Pop Duo/Group Performance’ category for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023 but did not bag the award.
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On February 1, 2026, members of KATSEYE, including Jung Yoon-chae, Megan Skiendel, Lara Laje, Manon van Neumann, Sophia Laporteja, and Daniella Avanzini, attended the 68th Grammy Awards held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images) ⓒGettyimagesKorea
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▶ Rosé and KATSEYE created expectations, but no major awards
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This year, K-pop artists were nominated for major categories, including the ‘General Fields,’ at the Grammys, raising hopes. Rosé was nominated in three categories – ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘Record of the Year,’ and ‘Best Pop Duo/Group Performance’ with her global hit collaboration ‘Apartment’ with Bruno Mars.
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During the ceremony’s opening performance, Rosé’s powerful presence was felt as she and Bruno Mars sang ‘Apartment.’ This marked the first time since BTS that a K-pop solo artist performed a solo stage at the main Grammy ceremony.
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Additionally, HYBE and Geffen Records’ joint girl group KATSEYE set a meaningful milestone by being nominated for ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Best Pop Duo/Group Performance’ in their first Grammy entry.
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However, the results were different. ‘Best Pop Duo/Group Performance’ went to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for performing ‘Defying Gravity’ from the Wicked movie OST. Olivia Dean won the ‘Best New Artist.’
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The major categories in which Rosé was nominated did not win either. ‘Song of the Year’ was awarded to Billie Eilish’s ‘Wildflower,’ and ‘Record of the Year’ went to Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s ‘Luther.’
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On February 1, 2026, Lee Jae and Mark Sonnenblick took the stage to accept the award for ‘Best Music Video’ for ‘Golden – From Kpop Demon Hunters.’ (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) ⓒGettyimagesKorea
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▶ ‘Golden’ from Kpop Demon Hunters OST, the first Grammy win for Kpop
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While no wins were achieved in major categories, K-pop made history. The Netflix animated OST ‘Golden’ from Kpop Demon Hunters won the ‘Best Song Written for Visual Media’ category in the Grammy Premiere Ceremony.
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This award is given to the songwriters involved, with Lee Jae, Teddy, and Ido among those taking home the trophy. This marks the first time a K-pop composer or producer has won a Grammy Award. Major U.S. media outlets highlighted this as a symbolic win that quenches the longstanding thirst of K-pop, which has grown into a global genre.
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On February 1, 2026, Rosé attended the 68th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images/Recording Academy) ⓒGettyimagesKorea
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▶ Although Rosé didn’t win a major award, she made a significant mark for K-pop
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Although she didn’t take home a trophy, Rosé’s achievement is clear. ‘Apartment’ achieved a peak position of No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the charts for over 34 weeks, a record for a solo K-pop female artist. She also became the first solo K-pop female artist to reach No. 1 on the Spotify Global Chart and was a K-pop solo artist who was nominated simultaneously in three major Grammy categories.
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Despite not winning a trophy, Rosé’s opening stage performance and major award nominations are recorded as moments that transcend just the result. While K-pop has not yet fully surpassed the Grammy barrier, making it to the doorstep is evident.
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Reported by Yumin Lee, Sports Korea lum5252@sportshankook.co.kr
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Copyright ⓒ Sports Korea. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited.