BTS [Big Hit Music]
BTS [Big Hit Music]

BTS, reunited as a full group for the first time in four years, is in the running for Song of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards — one of the four major US pop music awards shows. Blackpink's Lisa earned nominations in four categories, the most of any K-pop act.

According to Billboard on Tuesday, BTS' "Swim" received two nominations at the 2026 MTV VMAs: Song of the Year and Best K-pop.

Song of the Year ranks among the VMAs' top prizes alongside Video of the Year and Artist of the Year. A win for BTS would extend K-pop's record in the ceremony's top categories.

"Golden," the theme song from last year's globally popular animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," also earned a Song of the Year nomination. The track previously won at both the Grammy Awards and the Academy Awards.

Lisa leads all K-pop acts with four nominations. Her single "Dream" is up for Best Pop, Best K-pop, Best Cinematography and Best Editing.

"Dream" is a B-side from "Alter Ego," Lisa's first full-length solo album released last year. The music video drew attention for featuring Japanese actor Sakaguchi Kentaro.

Other K-pop acts also made a strong showing. Cørtes received two nominations — Best New Artist and Best K-pop — while Katseye earned nods for Best Choreography and Best K-pop.

"Eyes Closed," a collaboration between Blackpink's Jisoo and former One Direction member Zayn, was nominated for Best Visual Effects. Blackpink's "Jump" and Le Sserafim's "Spaghetti" also landed Best K-pop nominations.

BTS first received a VMA nomination in 2019, when they took home two awards, and have maintained a consistent presence at the ceremony since. Last year, Blackpink's Rosé became the first K-pop artist to win a top VMA prize, taking Song of the Year and expanding K-pop's footprint at the show.

This year's VMAs are also generating buzz over the return of Madonna, the "Queen of Pop," who received 11 nominations in total, including Artist of the Year and Video of the Year.

Madonna delivered one of the most iconic moments in VMA history: her performance of "Like a Virgin" in a wedding dress at the inaugural ceremony in 1984.

The VMAs launched in 1984 as a music-video-focused awards show and are organized annually by MTV. They are considered one of the major US pop music ceremonies alongside the Grammy Awards, the Billboard Music Awards and the American Music Awards.

The 2026 MTV VMAs will be held Sept. 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.


sjy@heraldcorp.com