K-pop lit up the VMAs with historic wins, eye-catching stages, superstar appearances, and plenty of fan chatter.
September 7 Was K-Pop Night at the 2025 MTV VMAs
New York City was buzzing as K-pop took center stage at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. From historic wins to viral performances (and a little fan drama 👀), the night proved once again that K-pop isn’t just part of the conversation—it is the conversation. Various K-pop acts including Rosé (duh!), Katseye, and the girls from “Kpop Demon Hunters” . Here are the highlights for this year’s VMAs that rocked New York city.
🏆 Rosé Scores Historic Win
The MTV VMAs was already on my radar since Rosé’s jaw-dropping 8 nominations were announced back in early August. While I knew that Rosé wouldn’t be able to sweep the awards, I was curious to see which awards she would win.
Fast forward to yesterday, Rosé appeared to the awards in a strapless sparkling butter-yellow Oscar De Le Renta fringe dress and a nude high heels.
Embed from Getty ImagesShe didn’t sweep (sadly), but she did walk away with two awards and made history as the first ever K-pop act to win a major award at MTV VMAs!
- Song of the Year for ‘APT.’ with Bruno Mars
- Best Group for Blackpink
Rosé was gorgeous and beaming with pride… but her acceptance speech? Sorry girlies… it dragged. I will say that I love her message about dedicating the award to her 16 year old self. But reading straight off notes made it feel flat, even though her message about therapy and self-appreciation was meaningful. Love her, but it wasn’t giving iconic. Still—congrats, queen! ✨
👀 Katseye Continues to Catch Eyes
2025 is clearly Katseye’s year.
The girls hit the VMAs red carpet, and while some outlets dubbed them “Best Dressed,” I’ve gotta be honest… I didn’t see it. The styling was all over the placed and leaned tacky 😬. If the girls want to raise the ranks, they better pay more attention to their styling. 😒
Embed from Getty ImagesOn stage, though? They redeemed themselves. Katseye performed “Gabriela” and “Gnarly,” and their “Gnarly” post alone racked up 880K likes. Viral queens! Still, I hated how cramped the stage looked—it stifled their choreography. 🤨
To top it off, they snagged Push Performance of the Year for their 2024 hit ‘Touch’. Kudos to the global K-pop-inspired powerhouse.
😎 “Kpop Demon Hunters” Spotted at VMAs
The girls of HUNTR/X (Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami) got to hang out in the VMAs as presenters! (Also, their song ‘Golden’ was nominated for Song of the Year)The girls matched in mostly black ensemble. Fans were quick to notice that Mira dressed up in the puffy sleeping bag look. 🤭 Fan service? Delivered.
🧨 Fan Drama Around the Wins
While it was mostly positive vibe for the K-pop girls in MTV VMAs (OMG, I just realized that there’s only girls in this years VMAs! 🤯), what’s a K-pop night without some fan wars? Let’s break it down:
Lisa Win Best K-pop (Again)
First up was “Best K-pop” winner Lisa, who won for her song ‘Born Again’ with Doja Cat and Raye. Lisa did not attend the show, but gave her acceptance speech via pre-recorded video:
But here’s the tea: According to online chatter, many fans argued whether the track even counts as K-pop. No Korean lyrics, no Korean songwriters, and collab-heavy with Western artists. On the other hand, other fans say Lisa is K-pop, so her projects qualify. fans of Lisa argues that Lisa’s root is in K-pop so naturally she is eligble for K-pop category. In fact, Lisa faced the same backlash as last year for her song ‘Rockstar’.
Personally? I don’t think the song deserved it—not because of the K-pop debate, but because the track itself was mid. Personally, I felt that Aespa’s ‘Whiplash’ or Jimin’s ‘Who’ should have won because these were songs had way more impact- and the songs are objectively better. 🙄 I also feel that maybe Lisa won the award because of her huge fanbase rather than the music itself. Because if it was just based purely on music, let’s just say that I don’t think she would have gotten her hands on the awards. 😏
But whether I agree or disagree, hats off to Lisa for winning her 2nd consecutive win for “Best K-pop”!
Best Group goes to… BLACKPINK
Another controversy was reserved for “Best Group” category. Blackpink beat other nominees for the spot, earning them two wins as the first and only K-pop girl group.
This one stirred the pot. BLINKs celebrated, but STAYs (Stray Kids fans) were not having it. Their gripe? BLACKPINK has been mostly inactive, releasing just one group track, while Stray Kids have been grinding nonstop.
My opinion? Despite the fact that I am not a Stray Kids fan, I actually agree —why reward a group that’s barely active? It screams power play or “mainstream bias.”
Song of Summer snub
‘Golden‘ from Kpop Demon Hunters didn’t clinch the Song of Summer despite its late-blooming virality. Disappointing, but hey—maybe the Grammys will give them the recognition they deserve?
👩🏻🍵 Kayla’s Thoughts
The 2025 VMAs weren’t just an awards show—they were proof that K-pop has officially hijacked American pop culture. From Rosé making history to Katseye going viral, to Lisa stirring up controversy, this night had it all: glitz, wins, fan drama, and a whole lot of KOREA power!! And honestly? I’m here for it.
So do you agree with my take? Let me know your thoughts down below!
