BTS and Cortis earn three nominations each, while Katseye lands four ahead of Sept. 27 ceremony in Los Angeles
BTS, Cortis and Katseye have added new nominations for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, strengthening the presence of K-pop-linked acts ahead of this year’s ceremony.
MTV announced additional nominees Friday, with all three acts named in the Best Group category.
BTS is now nominated in three categories, having previously earned nods for Song of the Year and Best K-pop with “Swim,” the lead track from the group’s fifth LP, “Arirang.”
The group has a particularly strong history in the Best Group category, winning it four consecutive years from 2019 through 2022, the most wins by any act in the category.
BTS’ latest nominations come as “Arirang” continues its run on global charts. The album ranked No. 98 on the UK Official Albums Chart for Sept. 18 to 24, rising one spot from the previous week and extending its run on the chart to 26 consecutive weeks, the group’s longest to date.
The album also remained at No. 2 for a fifth consecutive week on Spotify’s Weekly Top Albums Global chart for Sept. 11 to 17, while “Swim” and side track “Normal” ranked No. 14 and No. 88, respectively, on the platform’s Weekly Top Songs Global chart.
BTS is also set to perform at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Friday, local time, marking the group’s first appearance at the festival since 2020.
Cortis likewise expanded its VMA nominations to three after being added to the Best Group category.
The five-member boy group had previously been nominated for Best New Artist and Best K-pop, giving the act three chances for a trophy just over a year after its debut.
Among the eight acts nominated for Best Group, Cortis is the most recently debuted. The category also includes BTS and Katseye, along with British girl group Flo and US band Fuerza Regida.
Cortis has also maintained a presence on Spotify’s global album chart with the expanded edition of its second EP, “GreenGreen_playextended.” The release, which added new tracks “Pack It Up” and “MoneyMoneyMoney,” ranked No. 185 on the latest Weekly Top Albums Global chart, marking its fourth consecutive week on the ranking.
Katseye, meanwhile, now has four nominations after being added to both Best Group and Song of Summer.
The Hybe x Geffen Records girl group’s “Hootie Frutti,” the lead track from its third EP, “Wild,” was nominated for Song of Summer alongside tracks by artists including Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift.
Katseye had already secured nominations for Best K-pop and Best Choreography with “Pinky Up.” The group is seeking a second consecutive VMA win after taking the “MTV Push Performance of the Year” award last year with “Touch.”
Katseye has also continued to perform strongly on global charts. “Animal,” a track from its latest EP “Wild,” remained at No. 18 on the UK Official Singles Chart this week, while “Hootie Frutti” ranked No. 48.
On Spotify’s Weekly Top Songs Global chart, “Animal” placed No. 38 and “Hootie Frutti” at No. 82, while “Iconic By Mistake,” Katseye’s collaborative single with Le Sserafim and Illit, entered at No. 161.
The group’s third EP, “Wild,” also recently topped the Billboard 200 for the first time and remained within the chart’s top 20 for a fourth consecutive week.
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will be held Sept. 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and will air live on CBS and MTV, with streaming available on Paramount+.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
