BTS withdraw from Grammys, a month after Asian pop prize introduced

• The Booker Prize announced a longlist of 13 semifinalists on Tuesday for the 2026 fiction award, which carries a $66,000 prize. • Notable contenders include previous winners Marlon James with “The Disappearers” and Douglas Stuart with “John of John,” as well as Pulitzer laureate Elizabeth Strout.

• CBC/Radio-Canada is refusing to disclose the potential financial costs associated with Canada participating in the Eurovision Song Contest. • The broadcaster's lack of transparency comes amid public interest and speculation regarding the feasibility of joining the international competition.

• BTS has announced they will boycott the February 2027 Grammy Awards, marking the first time the group will skip a Grammy entry. • The boycott follows the Recording Academy's June 16 announcement of a new "Asian pop" award category covering music from South Korea, Japan, China, and other regional markets.

• CJ ENM and Japan's Nippon TV have co-produced "Merry Berry Love," a global TV series scheduled for a worldwide premiere in October. • The cross-border romance stars Ji Chang-wook as Yoo-bin, a Korean spatial designer, and Mio Imada as Karin, a Japanese farmer.

• BTS has announced that all seven members will not submit their music for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards in 2027. • The group is specifically withholding their comeback album, 'ARIRANG', to protest the Recording Academy's new category for Asian pop music performances.

• Mercis and WildBrain CPLG have partnered to expand the "Miffy and Friends" brand into location-based entertainment (LBE) across multiple global regions. • The expansion targets the development of theme parks, resorts, and family entertainment centers in China, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

• The Booker Prize announced a longlist of 13 semifinalists on Tuesday for the 2026 edition of the prestigious fiction award. • Notable contenders include previous winners Marlon James for “The Disappearers” and Douglas Stuart for “John of John,” as well as Pulitzer laureate Elizabeth Strout.

• BTS announced on Wednesday that they will not submit their latest album, ‘Arirang,’ for consideration at the 69th annual Grammy Awards. • The decision comes just one month after the Recording Academy introduced a new category specifically for Asian pop music.

• Director Na Hong-Jin's film 'Hope' maintained its No. 1 position at the South Korean box office for the weekend of July 24–26. • The movie earned $5.5 million during this three-day period, demonstrating strong continued audience interest.

• Actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Alan Cumming, and Benedict Wong are urging the UK culture secretary to intervene and block the proposed merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. • The group warns that industry consolidation severely limits the breadth of creative work, citing a 50% drop in independent film acquisitions at Sundance between 2019 and 2025.

• GMMTV has issued a formal apology following a physical or verbal altercation between an event staff member and a Chinese attendee at the International Novel Festival 2026. • The incident triggered a widespread online dispute between Thai and Chinese fan communities, with the controversy expanding to include fans in Indonesia.