BTS sweeps MTV awards with Lisa taking best pop
K-pop artists walked away with several major trophies at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards in the US on Sunday, led by BTS’ three-award sweep and Blackpink member Lisa’s win in the best pop category.
BTS won all three categories in which it was nominated — song of the year, best K-pop and best group — despite not attending the ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
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The septet’s biggest win came in song of the year for “Swim,” the lead track from its fifth LP “Arirang.” The victory made BTS the first K-pop group to win the category, five years after it became the first Korean act nominated for the award with “Dynamite” in 2021.
“Swim” also took best K-pop against Blackpink, Cortis, Katseye, Le Sserafim and Lisa, and BTS added another best group trophy to a category it had dominated before its military hiatus.
The group won best group for four consecutive years from 2019 through 2022. Sunday’s victory marked its fifth win in the category and came in the same year all seven members returned to full-group activities following the completion of their mandatory military service.
BTS thanked fans in a statement released through Big Hit Music, describing “Arirang” as an album that marked “a new beginning” for the group.
“We sincerely thank Army (BTS’ fandom) for always sending us unwavering love and support,” said the members. “We believe we were able to receive such a major award as song of the year with ‘Swim’ thanks to everyone who has loved our music.”
The wins come as BTS continues its first full-group world tour following the members’ military hiatus, with a South American leg set to begin in Bogota, Colombia, on Oct. 2.
Lisa, meanwhile, delivered K-pop’s first win of the night with “Dream,” taking home best pop against nominees including Ariana Grande, Charli xcx, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae and Taylor Swift.
“Sawatdee kha, everyone. Thank you MTV for this amazing award,” said Lisa, greeting the audience in Thai before thanking those who worked with her on the track. “All those late-night dreams brought me here today, so thank you for the inspiration.”
She also thanked her fans, known as Lilies, saying: “I wouldn’t be here without you guys. Thank you so much for your love and support.”
The win was particularly notable as Lisa became the first K-pop solo artist to receive the best pop award. BTS previously won the category as a group in 2020 with “On.”
“Dream,” from Lisa’s first solo LP “Alter Ego,” had earned four nominations at this year’s VMAs, including best pop, best K-pop, best cinematography and best editing.
Lisa also took the stage to give the first live performance of “Sawadika,” a prerelease track from her upcoming EP “Press Play,” slated for release on Oct. 23.
However, not all of K-pop’s nominated acts left with trophies.
Rookie boy group Cortis, which earned three nominations for best new artist, best K-pop and best group, fell short in all three categories. The group had advanced in the best new artist race as fan voting continued into the live show, but the award ultimately went to Sienna Spiro. MTV had kept voting for the category open longer than most others, with Cortis among the finalists.
Katseye also ended the night without a win, though it was seeking a second consecutive victory after winning the Push Performance of the Year award for “Touch” in 2025. The Hybe x Geffen girl group was nominated for best K-pop and best choreography for “Pinky Up,” song of the summer for “Hootie Frutti,” as well as best group.
