[AK View] If Rose Had Sung 'APT.' in Korean

First K-pop Act Nominated for Major Grammy Awards
Pop Music Embraces Linguistic Diversity
Korean Language: From Obstacle to Stepping Stone

The Grammy Awards, the premier American pop music awards ceremony, have long faced criticism for their exclusivity and conservatism. Since its inception in 1959, it has been rare for artists from non-English-speaking countries to win in the main categories. In its early years, even domestic artists faced severe discrimination. Rock and roll was dismissed as the devil's music, harmful to youth, while soul, rooted in African American gospel, was marginalized. Before hip-hop became a mainstream genre, Black artists, even if nominated, often lost out to their white counterparts. For Asian artists singing in unfamiliar languages, winning seemed virtually impossible. The Grammys made no particular effort to hide the fact that their identity was overwhelmingly white.

In 2020, the true nature of the Grammys was exposed when the Recording Academy’s first female executive was fired less than six months into her term. She revealed that she had been pressured to vote for specific candidates and that bribery was involved in the nomination process. Perhaps as a result, the following year, BTS was nominated for three consecutive years, albeit not in the main categories.

Now, in 2025, BLACKPINK's ROSE's collaboration “APT.” with popular star Bruno Mars has been nominated for several major Grammy categories: Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The soundtrack “Golden” from Netflix's top-grossing hit, “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” was also nominated for Song of the Year. “Golden” is up for five categories in total, including Best Song Written for Visual Media and Best Remixed Recording. The two tracks, both wrapped in the aesthetics of K-pop and idol music, are now set to compete against each other.

This raises a sudden question: If ROSE had sung “APT.” in Korean, would she still have been nominated for a Grammy? If “Golden” had been performed in Korean, would it have conquered both the US Billboard and UK Official Singles Charts simultaneously? The answer is not simple. K-pop, which has moved from the periphery to the center of the global stage, always faces both crises and opportunities. The global music market still operates around the English language, especially in North America, where English lyrics are crucial for broadcast programming and playlist algorithms. Korean-language songs inevitably get fewer opportunities for exposure, which is a persistent concern for the production companies that have shaped K-pop into an attractive global commodity.

However, in recent years, the global music market has seen a dramatic surge in interest regarding diversity and identity. The era when foreign music fans felt more comfortable with English lyrics is coming to an end. Fans now sense authenticity when artists sing in the language that suits them best, and the fandom culture of interpreting and sharing Korean lyrics has established a unique K-pop ecosystem. The distinctive syllabic structure of Korean fits well with the rhythms of K-pop. The hybrid formula—using both English and Korean, especially in the chorus—has proven successful in many hit songs. What was once a language barrier is now turning into an opportunity to broaden the fan base.

The next chapter for K-pop, and its sustainability, will depend on turning obstacles into stepping stones. If K-pop translates itself into a foreign language, it risks shrinking its own identity rather than achieving true globalization. Ultimately, the challenge will be to balance the preservation of Korean identity with the demands of the global market. The expansion of linguistic diversity in pop music is already underway. A good example is “Lux,” the latest album by Rosalia—whom pop queen Madonna praised as “a true musician leading the times.” Rosalia has always sung in her native Spanish. Without switching to English lyrics, she has become a top star in both the United States and Europe. Her fourth album “Lux” features songs in Spanish, English, Ukrainian, Arabic, Japanese, and Chinese.

ROSE sang “APT.” in English. But one can imagine her performing “APT.” in Korean and Bruno Mars singing in English at the Grammy Awards on February 1 next year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.