The Inflation of K Pop: When Nominations Trump Authenticity As this year's MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) nominations are announced, a familiar pattern emerges.
HYBE x Geffen group KATSEYE has been nominated for Best K Pop alongside established acts like BLACKPINK and BTS. However, the meaning of "K pop" in today's music landscape is increasingly ambiguous.
The VMA's Best K Pop category, introduced in 2019, was initially intended to celebrate the global phenomenon that is K pop. But over time, this distinction has lost all meaning.