SEOUL — BTS has returned to the MTV Video Music Awards spotlight with a major victory, winning Song of the Year for “SWIM” at the 2026 MTV VMAs.
The K-pop supergroup took home three awards at Sunday’s ceremony in Los Angeles, winning Song of the Year, Best K-Pop and Best Group. The wins mark a significant return for BTS following its nearly four-year period away from full-group activities.
“SWIM,” the lead track from BTS’ fifth studio album “ARIRANG,” claimed Song of the Year against a high-profile field that included Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Bring Your Love,” HUNTR/X’s “Golden,” Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need,” PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson’s “Stateside,” and RAYE’s “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”
BTS turns its comeback into a VMA milestone
The Song of the Year victory carries particular significance in BTS’ VMA history.
The group had previously been nominated for the category with “Dynamite” in 2021, but did not win. Five years later, “SWIM” delivered the group’s first Song of the Year trophy.
The achievement also places BTS among the Asian acts to have won the award. BLACKPINK’s Rosé became the first Asian act to take Song of the Year in 2025 with “APT.” alongside Bruno Mars, according to The Korea Times and Yonhap.
Three awards, one major night for K-pop
BTS’ VMA haul extended beyond Song of the Year.
The group also won Best K-Pop for “SWIM” and Best Group, giving BTS three victories from three nominated categories.
The results also underscored the continuing presence of K-pop across the VMAs. BLACKPINK’s Lisa won Best Pop for “Dream” featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi, while BTS competed in a Best K-Pop field that included several major K-pop acts.
BTS wins from afar
BTS did not attend the Los Angeles ceremony in person, with the group’s three victories coming in categories that were not part of the main televised portion of the show.
The ceremony itself featured a heavyweight lineup. Madonna led the night’s trophy haul with seven wins, while Taylor Swift took Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia” and other honors.
For BTS, however, the biggest headline came from “SWIM.”
The Song of the Year victory adds another major international award to the group’s post-hiatus return and gives “ARIRANG” a high-profile milestone on one of the world’s best-known music-award stages.
BTS’ three-award sweep now leaves fans with another question: Was the 2026 VMAs victory simply a comeback milestone — or the beginning of another major chapter for the K-pop supergroup?
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
