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LAS VEGAS – MAY 25: BTS at the 52nd American Music Awards, from the MGM Grand Las Vegas, on Monday, May 25, 2026. The 52nd AMAs airing live coast to coast at 8:00 PM, ET / 5:00 PM, PT on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. (Photo by Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images)
CBS via Getty Images
BTS won the Best Male K-P Artist Award at the American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas tonight. The global superstars beat out TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT), ATEEZ, Stray Kids, and ENHYPEN for the award. The group had won two awards during the live broadcast of the AMAs, having won for ‘Song of the Summer’ for “SWIM,” from their recently released full-studio album, ARIRANG, and for Artist of the Year.
BTS members RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook were all in attendance to receive the award, as they just completed the second of their four-night sold-out concert at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. While they went up to receive their two prizes in front of an audience, the group were told and handed their third award of Best Male K-Pop Artist backstage.
TWICE received the award for Best Female K-Pop Artist, beating out aespa, Blackpink, ILLIT, and LE SSERAFIM. Unfortunately, the group – members Jihyo, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu – were unable to attend the awards show due to their busy schedules. This marks TWICE’s first award with the AMAs. They had previously been nominated in 2022 for Favorite K-Pop Artist.
This is the first year that the Best K-pop Artist category was split into two to separate the genders – Best Male K-Pop Artist and Best Female K-Pop Artist. The AMAs first introduced the K-Pop Artist category, initially called “Favorite K-Pop Artist,” in 2022, and given to BTS. From 2023-2024, there was no Awards Show. It was changed in 2025 as “Best K-Pop Artist,” which was presented to RM of BTS for his solo work. He was unavailable to receive the award due to his mandatory military service at the time.
In 2018, BTS won their first American Music Award for Top Social Artist. Since then, BTS has won multiple American Music Awards, including Tour of the Year, Favorite Pop Duo or Group, Favorite K-pop Artist, Favorite Pop Song, and Artist of the Year. BTS has the most consecutive wins in the Favorite Pop Duo or Group category from 2019 to 2022.
After completing their mandatory South Korean military service last June, the group spent six months on ARIRANG, making their grand comeback in March – along with a documentary, and a World Tour featuring 82 shows across 34 cities worldwide, which began on April 9 in Goyang, South Korea. ARIRANG debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and Top Album Sales charts, spending three consecutive weeks at the top.
BTS continues their World Tour ARIRANG concerts at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas this week on Wednesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 28, before returning to South Korea to prepare for their concerts in Busan. After which, they will travel for their UK/European leg of their World Tour ARIRANG, and then make a stop in July for the FIFA World Cup Halftime Show in New Jersey before they return to complete their U.S. concerts.