In July this year, BTS’ decision not to submit any works for consideration at the 69th GRAMMY Awards sent ѕнσ¢кwaves through the music industry. Even some Academy voting members stood behind BTS. Musician and voting member Adam Merter Birson argued that if BTS were only “rewarded” with an award specifically for Asian pop music, it would not reflect the group’s true stature. In his view, BTS deserved to compete in top categories such as Album of the Year.

Meanwhile, a number of major names both inside and outside the industry, including Hyundai Motor Company CEO and Vice President Diego Bluff, ιи∂ιαn music producer Salim Merchant, K-Pop: Demon Hunters director Maggie Kang, cultural critic Kim Sung-soo, Tablo of Epik High, Daniel Dae Kim, and even BAP leader Bang Yong-guk, immediately voiced their support for BTS’ decision.

However, the truth is that many artists did not dare to publicly support BTS’ stance at the time, let alone speak out against the GRAMMYs — especially among K-pop idols. After all, as The New York Times explained, “BTS, possibly the biggest act in the world since Jackson, is perhaps the only Korean recording act with the freedom & leverage to spark a reckoning”.

Surprisingly, several months after the controversy erupted, ATEEZ’s Hongjoong — the leader of one of the leading K-pop boy groups of the current fourth generation — boldly shared his own perspective in his latest interview with Variety!

At first, many people wondered why Hongjoong was being interviewed about this issue instead of focusing on his solo collaboration project, “ENOuGH (w/Bazzi),” or ATEEZ’s activities. Once the video was released, however, fans understood the context: Hongjoong was asked if ATEEZ would be sharing a similar outlook when it came to their music.

More notably, Hongjoong used the opportunity to offer his own reasoning for supporting BTS’ decision not to submit their music for consideration in the “Best Asian Pop Music Performance” category at the GRAMMYs.

“I think I little agree with what BTS did, because for me, GRAMMYs is a dream too and for ATEEZ to, but I think music has no boundaries and K-Pop, we do many genres in K-Pop. When I make the music and talk with many producers, we never think about кσяєαn music or αмєяι¢αn music or some UK music, these days. In the past, we can make some boundaries, but these days, there’s quite a difference,” Hongjoong honestly shared.

Hongjoong started with his own perspective on music: although the GRAMMYs remains a dream for both him and ATEEZ, he does not believe music should be confined by rigid geographical or genre boundaries. He pointed directly to his own experience as a music producer — someone who actually gets into the studio and works with international producers.

That perspective makes it easier to understand why he could relate to BTS’ decision. At the same time, it also made Hongjoong’s answer feel genuine rather than simply a polite or diplomatic response. His comments consequently received a strong response from netizens:

- Music is universal and cannot be divided by age, race or ethnicity. Everyone can enjoy it so therefore should not be categorized as such. My King 

- THAT’S MY CAPTAINNN SPEAK ON IT HONGJOONG!! Oh I love ult-ing both groups

- Not an atiny, but everyone can respect that he's sticking to his morals. Asian artists shouldn't be segregated. That category will be meaningless, & it will keep them in that box for DECADES. Grammys wanna pretend they have rep. Look what happened to Latin music

- Of course, it’s ATEEZ’s leader; I’m not surprised. Hongjoong is the only idol who can truly understand BTS—having been the first idol in KQ, a company on the verge of bankruptcy—and I applaud him; it’s especially great that he brings up BTS himself

- He’s got a point. A language in music doesn’t make it any less music. Grammys are ran by these old wнιтe men that don’t like the idea that western artists are major chart toppers no more and people like artists that sing in another language. If they weren’t so pissed by this

- This goes beyond about what both BTS and ATEEZ have done in their careers, it's about the RESPECT they deserve as much as musicians and HUMAN BEINGS. Well said captain 

- I'll take these as bangteez crumbs but thank you hongjoong for being on bangtan’s side