Why BLACKPINK Star Lisa’s Best K-Pop Award At VMAs 2025 Has Sparked Heated Debate
BLACKPINK Star Lisa’s Best K-Pop Award at VMAs 2025 sparks fan debate as many question if her English track Born Again fits the K-pop category.
BLACKPINK Star Lisa’s Best K-Pop Award Win At VMAs 2025 For Born Again Sparks Debate Among Fans And Raises Questions About The Category
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) lit up UBS Arena in New York on September 7 with electrifying performances, tributes, and unforgettable moments. But like most award shows, it didn’t come without its share of controversy. This year, the uproar wasn’t about a shocking performance or an emotional acceptance speech, but rather the Best K-Pop Award that went to BLACKPINK Star Lisa for her chart-topping single Born Again.
Lisa’s song, which features American rapper Doja Cat and British singer RAYE, has been one of the biggest hits of the year. Released as part of her debut solo album Alter Ego, Born Again was praised for its bold lyrics and captivating production. The track also enjoyed global success, peaking at No. 22 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100. For Lisa, this marked her third VMA win in the Best K-Pop category in just four years. However, instead of celebrating, the award ignited a storm of online debates.
At the heart of the controversy lies a single question: is Born Again really a K-pop song? Fans quickly pointed out that the track is entirely in English, features two non-Korean artists, and was released under a UK label. Although Lisa is best known as a member of the globally popular K-pop group BLACKPINK, she is Thai, not Korean, which added further fuel to the debate.
On social media, many argued that the VMAs blurred the lines of what K-pop represents. One Reddit user summed up the sentiment by saying, “The concept of a western song sung by a Thai, British, and American artist, released by a UK label, winning Best K-pop song. It was a banger, though, but I genuinely thought it would go to an actual K-pop song.” This comment resonated with many fans who felt that the award misrepresented the category.
Others criticized MTV directly for their choice. Another fan commented, “They’ve decided it’s the ‘any Asian affiliated with K-pop eligible’ award, I guess. I get fans ALWAYS want to support their faves, but they may have done her a disservice propping her up to this win with that song.” Some were more blunt, saying, “Sorry, but that’s simply not a K-pop song lol, ignorant of MTV to place it in that category.”
Interestingly, fans also noticed that most of the songs nominated for Best K-pop were in English, including Jisoo’s Earthquake, Jennie’s Like Jennie, Rose’s Toxic Till the End, BTS Jimin’s Who, and Stray Kids’ Chk Chk Boom. Only aespa’s Whiplash seemed to fit the traditional mold of K-pop, sparking more questions about how the VMAs classify entries.
Lisa’s supporters, however, argued that regardless of its language, Born Again is still tied to K-pop through her identity as a BLACKPINK member. For them, the award represents her global influence and the genre’s evolution beyond Korea. They believe K-pop has always been about fusion—mixing styles, languages, and collaborations—and Lisa’s success embodies that global reach.
The VMAs 2025 Best K-pop Award controversy highlights a broader conversation about how international award shows define and represent K-pop. While Lisa’s win shows her star power and ability to transcend boundaries, it also underscores the need for clarity when categorizing music. Fans are left divided—some celebrating her achievement, others questioning whether it was fair to the artists who released songs rooted more traditionally in the genre.
For Lisa, Born Again remains a milestone track in her career, showing her growth as a solo artist beyond her BLACKPINK identity. But as the dust settles from the VMAs 2025, one thing is clear: the definition of K-pop is evolving, and not everyone agrees on what it should include.
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