BTS’s “IDOL” surpasses 1.4 billion YouTube views amid Grammy boycott
BTS‘s music video for “IDOL” passed 1.4 billion views on YouTube, Big Hit Music said on July 29, 2026.
The video is now the group’s fifth to reach the 1.4 billion mark. Big Hit Music highlighted the milestone as proof of the song’s continued global popularity.
“IDOL” was released in August 2018 as the title track of the repackaged album LOVE YOURSELF 結 Answer. The song mixes South African beats with traditional Korean rhythms and chants.
The song includes the lines:
“Eolsu jota, jihwaja jota, deonggideo kungdeoreo”
The music video pairs bold visuals with a variety of cultural elements. Viewers see tropical savanna landscapes, traditional Korean Bukcheong lion-dance elements, and a blend of Euro-Asian and Korean architectural styles.
Choreography in the video fuses African moves like the Guaraguao with Korean traditional dance, creating a cross-cultural performance style.
The video won “Music Video of the Year” at the 2018 E! People’s Choice Awards. “IDOL” is also a regular part of BTS’s world tour ARIRANG, which began in April 2026 and is listed as one of the largest K-pop tours to date.
On July 29, 2026, BTS announced they would boycott the 69th Grammy Awards, scheduled for February 2027. The group criticized the Recording Academy’s introduction of a new “Best Asian Pop Music Performance” category that places K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop together under a regional label.
BTS said they hope music will be judged without divisions by region or language and that it should be appreciated for its artistic value alone.
HYBE said that decisions about Grammy submissions depend on each artist and their respective labels, and that individual choices are respected.
Industry experts have suggested that groups such as BLACKPINK and Stray Kids could be strong contenders for Grammy recognition, given their major concert tours and appearances at prominent music festivals. BTS’s boycott has renewed discussion about representation and categorization in major Western music awards.