Jung-kook Among K-Pop Winners at Billboard Music Awards

Jung-kook

Jung-kook of Bangtan Boys, also known as BTS, won the award presented to the top global K-pop song with his single “Seven” at this year’s Billboard Music Awards held virtually in Las Vegas on Sunday.It was one of the four awards exclusively for K-pop that the annual American awards newly added this year — Top Global K-Pop Song, Top Global K-Pop Artist, Top K-Pop Album and Top K-Pop Touring Artist. The rest went to Blackpink, NewJeans and Stray Kids.But no Korean stars were given awards in categories outside of K-pop.Jung-kook’s fellow BTS member Ji-min and girl group Fifty Fifty were nominated for a couple of awards but failed to win.American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift claimed 10 awards including the top prize, becoming the night’s biggest winner.

NewJeans

There is still some controversy over the creation of a separate K-pop category. Some question whether the U.S. music awards are trying to recognize the presence of K-pop in the mainstream music market there, or to limit its influence by segregating it from major categories as a form of discrimination.