On September 7 (local time), Blackpink Rosé made history becoming the first K-Pop artist to win Song of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards of 2025 (VMA) with his collaboration Bruno Mars APT ..
The result was widely celebrated in the global media, but a South Korean outlet, Chosun Ilbo, aroused strong criticism for the way he framed his coverage.
On September 8, Chosun Ilbo published an article entitled: “BTS also managed to win Song of the Year, but Rosé won with” APT. “… a first in the history of K-pop”.
The piece highlighted Rosé’s milestone while remembering that BTS’s dynamite had been named in 2021 but did not win.
While the article praised Rosé, many fans believed that the reference to BTS was useless and disrespectful.
The article was quickly shared on Korean forums like Theqoo, in which the Netizen reacted strongly:
- Congratulations to Rosé, but why add the “BTS also failed” line?
- This title deserves criticism.
- Why frame him like this? It only celebrates Rosé’s success.
- That title is terrible.
- There is no need to drag BTS into this. So insensitive.
- It seems that they are breaking down BTS just to raise the rosé.
Despite the recourse, the fans of the communities have continued to congratulate Rosé for its historical result.
Although BTS has never won Song of the Year, they built an impressive MTV VMAS record, including:
- Best K-Pop: 2019, 2020, 2021 (record shared with Lisa)
- Best group: 2019, 2020
- Best pop: 2020
- Group of the year and singing of the summer: 2021
With all seven members now discharged from military service, the anticipation for their return remains high. Bighit Music denied the confirmed times, but in a Livestream of July, the group revealed that they are working on a new album out for the spring of 2026.
For Rosé, the victory of the VMA represents a reference result for K-Pop. However, the controversy on the title of Chosun Ilbo shows how the communities of sensitive fans remain when it comes to comparisons between artists, especially when they involve BTS, one of the most famous acts in Korea.
Sources: Koreaboo
