2025-12-08
On December 8, 2025, the ‘2025 Hitmakers Awards’ held in Los Angeles became a stage that once again proved K-pop’s global influence. Hosted by Variety, the leading American entertainment publication, this prestigious awards ceremony recognizes musicians who contributed to creating the year’s most popular songs. This time, BLACKPINK’s ROSÉ and Netflix animation OST artists took center stage.
🎤 ROSÉ Wins ‘Global Hitmaker of the Year’
BLACKPINK’s ROSÉ won the ‘Global Hitmaker of the Year’ award for the success of her mega-hit song 〈APT.〉 and her first solo full-length album 〈rosie〉. Attending the ceremony in person, ROSÉ received the trophy and expressed her gratitude to her fans, agency, and mentor producer Teddy.
In particular, 〈APT.〉 has been the defining track that expanded ROSÉ’s presence on the global pop stage between 2024 and 2025. Its traction on Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, sustained presence in the upper ranks of Spotify and Apple Music globally, and viral spread on TikTok and Reels have become evidence of not just popularity but “worldwide consumption.” Continuous success on Korea’s Circle Chart, Japan, and Southeast Asian local charts demonstrates love from the general public beyond just fandoms.
Connection to Grammy Nomination Possibilities
The Hitmakers award is not just another trophy for ROSÉ. It signals “hit-making capability” recognized by industry peers and professionals, sending a powerful message to Grammy voters (musicians, producers, engineers).
ROSÉ has potential candidacy in the following Grammy categories:
- Best Pop Solo Performance: The most direct category for singles with strong global consumption
- Record of the Year / Song of the Year: Requires persuasive narratives in both sonic/performance perfection (Record) and songwriting (Song), with campaign storytelling being key
- Best Music Video: If the music video stands out narratively and aesthetically, it can serve as a supporting axis for nomination strategy
If the momentum in media coverage, charts, and streaming within the same year as the Hitmakers win continues to be proven, the persuasiveness of Grammy candidacy will grow even stronger. As major media long-form features and live showcases between year-end and early winter directly impact nomination campaigns, ROSÉ’s future moves are highly anticipated.
🎶 Huntrix Wins ‘K-pop Demon Hitmakers’
The virtual girl group Huntrix from the Netflix animated film 〈K-pop Demon Hunters〉 also made headlines. EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Lexie Liu, who performed Huntrix’s songs, won the ‘K-pop Demon Hitmakers of the Year’ award, proving K-pop’s expandability.
Huntrix’s success in creating high-quality OST with real artists participating despite being a virtual girl group demonstrates that K-pop can be recognized in the global music market beyond real-life idols, extending to animation and virtual groups. This confirms the infinite expansion potential and global influence of K-pop content once again.
🏆 K-pop’s New Horizon
The 2025 Hitmakers Awards was an occasion that showcased K-pop’s multifaceted influence by simultaneously highlighting ROSÉ’s global solo success and the achievements of K-pop animation OST. ROSÉ proved her sophistication in the global pop mainstream and hit-making capability, while Huntrix showed that K-pop can cross the boundaries between reality and virtual worlds to pioneer new content territories.
We look forward to seeing how ROSÉ’s Grammy journey and K-pop’s global expansion will unfold!
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