BLACKPINK's Lisa Grabs Best K-Pop Award for 'Born Again'

The MTV Video Music Awards went down at UBS Arena in New York, and it was a big night for K-pop. BLACKPINK's Lisa stole the spotlight by winning the Best K-Pop award for her track "Born Again," which features Doja Cat and RAYE. This is huge because she's the first solo K-pop artist to snag this one. She beat out some heavy hitters like BTS's Jimin with "Who," and her own bandmates from BLACKPINK—Jennie ("Like Jennie"), Rosé ("Toxic Till the End"), and Jisoo ("Earthquake"). Other nominees included Stray Kids ("Chk Chk Boom") and Aespa ("Whiplash").

Lisa couldn't make it to the show, so she sent a sweet video message. I’m so honored… Thank you for all the love and support.” she said, giving a shoutout to MTV and her fans. It's a moment to celebrate, right? Well, not everyone thinks so.

Key Highlights

• BLACKPINK’s Lisa makes history with Best K-Pop win at 2025 VMAs for “Born Again.”
• Fans divided as Lisa’s English-heavy track sparks debate over what counts as K-pop.
• Jennie, Jimin stans cry foul after “Born Again” beats viral hits at MTV VMAs.

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Social media, especially X (you know, formerly Twitter), exploded with backlash. A lot of fans are mad, saying "Born Again" doesn't even feel like K-pop. It's mostly in English with big Western collabs, so some are calling it straight-up pop. One user posted, "Nothing about this song felt like K-pop." Others argued that Jennie's super viral "Like Jennie" or Jimin's massive hit "Who" got robbed. And don't get them started on BTS—fans are salty that Jin's "Happy" and J-Hope's "Mona Lisa" weren't even nominated, even though they crushed the charts.

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Still, it shows how BLACKPINK is owning the game. All four members got nods in this category, and Rosé racked up eight total, including one for Song of the Year with her Bruno Mars team-up "APT." The VMAs aired on CBS and Paramount+, proving that pop culture is taking over the world. But this drama? It's got everyone talking about what "K-pop" even means anymore.

Jimin and Jennie stans are bummed, but many are still hyping Lisa up for the win. They just want fairer rules next time. As K-pop keeps mixing things up, Lisa's triumph is a game-changer—pushing boundaries and getting fans fired up.