The Recording Academy will reportedly hold an Asian version of the Grammy Awards in Korea, according to a new report by local media.
According to an anonymous source close to the matter, speaking exclusively to The Korea Times, Recording Academy President Panos Panay and CEO Harvey Mason Jr recently visited Korea to discuss holding an Asian version of the Grammy Awards with local labels and industry insiders.
The two Recording Academy executives reportedly spoke with leaders from top K-pop agencies HYBE and YG Entertainment, entertainment companies Kakao and CJ ENM, and tech giants Naver and KT.
The duo are also said to have met up with local government officials from the South Korea cities of Seoul, Incheon and Hanam, which are the locations being considered as potential venues for the purported event.
The Korea Times reports that several officials from the companies and local governments have confirmed that such meetings did indeed take place, but declined to provide further details. The news outlet also did not reveal which companies confirmed or denied the meetings.
Last year, Mason spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about how the Recording Academy has been trying to “use music and our platform for good and for global change”. He added that they were “exploring what we can do around the world”.
The Grammys have been held annually in the US by Recording Academy since 1959, and is regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in the music industry. Meanwhile, a separate ceremony for Latin music, known as the Latin Grammys, has been held since 2000.
Notably, K-pop juggernauts BTS have received five Grammy nominations since 2021. Three times for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance – for the songs ‘Dynamite’, ‘Butter’ and ‘My Universe’ with Coldplay – once for Best Music Video for ‘Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)’, and as a featured artist on Coldplay’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ for Album of the Year.
