K-Pop Receives First Grammy Nominations in Mainstream Categories as Global Cultural Influence Soars

In 2025, Korean culture expanded its global reach beyond K-Pop and dramas to include musicals and traditional arts. The standout phenomenon of the year was Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” which gained attention for its storytelling focused on identity acceptance by blending K-Pop’s energy with Korean shamanistic traditions. This film became the most-watched title across all Netflix film and television categories, surpassing even the landmark success of “Squid Game.” Directed by Canadian-Korean filmmaker Maggie Kang, this U.S.-produced film tells the story of a fictional girl group named “Hunter/X” that fights evil spirits through the power of music. The film’s impact extended far beyond streaming charts. The National Museum of Korea welcomed over 6 million visitors this year, the highest number in its 80-year history, and sales of its official merchandise line “Muse” surged due to the film’s popularity. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, foreign tourists numbered 15.82 million from January to October, a 15.2% increase compared to the same period last year and 8.4% higher than the record set in 2019 before the pandemic. The original soundtrack album for the film produced this year’s biggest hit song. “Golden,” performed by Korean-American artists Lee Jae, Audrey Nuna, and Lay Aimi, topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 8 non-consecutive weeks and remained at number one on the UK Official Singles Chart for 10 weeks. It is regarded as a new milestone for K-pop-inspired music that combines familiar Western pop sensibilities with Korean melodic patterns and partial Korean lyrics. This song’s chart performance was widely seen as proof of K-Pop’s growing presence on the global stage. Key industry figures involved in its production include Teddy and 24 from The Black Label, as well as co-composer and vocalist Lee Jae, who once was a Trainee at SM Entertainment. K-Pop’s global status moved in parallel with these developments. Artists from this genre received their first nominations in four mainstream “General Field” categories at the Grammy Awards. BLACKPINK member Rosé was nominated in three categories, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year, for her solo track “APT.” Her collaboration with global pop icon Bruno Mars competes for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Inspired by South Korea’s popular game “Apartment Game,” this song combines repetitive choruses with bright pop harmonies and held the longest record in K-Pop history on the Billboard Hot 100, staying there for 45 weeks before reaching number three. Rosé’s global standing also rose significantly after she won two awards, including Song of the Year, at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. At the Grammy Awards, the original soundtrack album for “KPop Demon Hunters” received five nominations, including one for “Golden” in the Song of the Year category.