BLACKPINK Rosé’s Grammy Nomination Ignites Intense Discussion Over Historical Significance

BLACKPINK Rosé is facing controversy over her GRAMMY nomination and claims about making history.

The issue blew up after the large Twitter account @PopBase tweeted congratulations to Rosé as the “first Korean soloist” nominated for a GRAMMY. This sparked a heated debate online.

Soon after, many users pointed out that Jo Sumi was actually the first Korean solo singer nominated and who won a GRAMMY in 1993 for Best Opera Recording.

“This is incorrect @PopBase
Sumi Jo (조수미) was the first Korean solo singer and first to win a Grammy Award, which she received in 1993.
She won Best Opera Recording for her performance in Richard Strauss: Die Frau ohne Schatten, conducted by Sir Georg Solti with the Vienna…”
— Asian Entertainment And Culture (@AsianEAC)

Fans quickly pushed back, saying Jo Sumi was part of an ensemble when she won and that Rosé is the first Korean solo act nominated as an individual artist.

“Let’s set the record straight!
Rosé is the first-ever K-pop soloist to receive a Grammy nomination, and the first Korean solo act to earn multiple nominations in a single year!
Now about Sumi Jo (조수미) .. yes, she won a Grammy back in 1993 for Best Opera Recording. But…”
— BLΛCKPIИK GLOBAL FANBASE (@BLACKPINKGLOBAL)

Music journalist Kat Walcott backed this, clarifying the difference.

“@PopBase is actually correct. Sumi Jo was nominated and won her GRAMMY as part of an ensemble, not as a soloist. Equally amazing and groundbreaking, but not the same thing. This is causing a lot of unnecessary drama because people have a misunderstanding of how the GRAMMYs work.”
— Kat Walcott (@katwalcott)

The controversy deepened as the debate spilled over BTS and HYBE’s role. Many argued BTS had pushed the narrative they were the first Korean nominees, but some said it should have been specified as “first K-pop” artists.

“Then bts is not the first korean artist to earn a grammy nomination. We cheered!”
— Big Bad Rosie (@ARTISTROZEY)

“HYBE media play is crazy cause why is this just coming out when BTS members have been parading themselves as the first Korean act to be nominated?”
— Donda (@ssdonda)

“does this mean BTS fan accounts have been lying all these years because they’ve claimed their group as the first Korean artist overall to be nominated a Grammy Award and by taking this as reference that old statement would’ve been bullshit?”
— addison (@valentinamoures)

“It’s now proven by ratmys themselves that @bts_bighit didn’t pave the way for any Korean or Asians and that they weren’t the first Korean act nominated for Grammys”
— EYES CLOSED (@KIM_BLINKUE)

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions about K-pop and the GRAMMYs.

Watch the full breakdown here: