The Recording Academy announced the new category on June 16 for music from South Korea, Japan, China, and elsewhere in the region. “This category recognizes artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets, including but not limited to K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, with meaningful use of one or more Asian languages,” the Grammy website says. However, Mason said he wanted to clarify what he believes has been lost in the conversation surrounding the K-pop group’s boycott. “The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia. At the 52nd American Music Awards in May, BTS beat Taylor Swift and other major artists to win artist of the year, in addition to taking home two other awards.