Choi Hwi-young, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, congratulated BTS and BLACKPINK's Lisa for their achievements at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) in the United States.
On September 29, Choi shared a message on his social media, stating, "The awards won by BTS and Lisa reaffirm the status of K-pop in the global popular music market." He added, "This is an achievement for the artists, the staff involved in planning, production, and performances, and all the fans who love K-pop." Choi promised that the government would support the continued success of this valuable achievement by expanding the base of popular music and ensuring a healthy growth of the industry ecosystem. He concluded with, "Once again, congratulations to BTS and Lisa on their awards, and I wish them success in their future activities."
Earlier, on September 27 (local time), BTS won the prestigious 'Song of the Year' award for their title track 'Swim' from their fifth studio album 'Arirang' at the MTV VMA held in Los Angeles. They also secured wins in the 'Best K-Pop' and 'Best Group' categories, achieving a total of three awards.
Lisa also triumphed in the 'Best Pop' category with her song 'Dream,' beating out strong contenders like Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift. This marks the first time an Asian solo artist has won a trophy in this major category.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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