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BTS fans slam Korea Music Awards judge for 'stupid' reason behind snubbing RM's solo album: 'This has to be a joke'
RM's genre-blending album Right Place, Wrong Person was excluded from the KMA 2025 nominations, sparking fan backlash over outdated award criteria and artistic snubbing. Read more!
BTS leader RM’s critically acclaimed solo album Right Place, Wrong Person was nowhere to be found on this year’s Korean Music Awards (KMA) nomination list, a surprising absence that left many fans puzzled and disappointed. Now, a member of the KMA selection committee has provided a reason that’s only added fuel to the fire: the album’s genre was deemed too ambiguous to categorize.
On April 21, KMA judge and music journalist Jo Hye Rim spoke in an interview with Ling Rong Dang, where she addressed the complexities that often arise during the nomination process. While highlighting the challenges of recognizing music that doesn’t neatly fall into a traditional category, she pointed to RM’s album as a standout example. According to Jo, Right Place, Wrong Person is one of several projects that left the judging panel conflicted, not due to a lack of quality, but because of its unconventional genre identity.
According to the English translation, “There are often songs that are not selected because the genre is ambiguous,” Jo explained. She added, “In the case of albums that aim for the alternative genre, such as those by RM or Balming Tiger, even though they are great albums, there were many internal concerns about selecting them because they do not fall into a clear genre. Sometimes, the distinction between music genres can actually be an obstacle.”
Jo’s comments, which were also shared via her Instagram, quickly made their way through social media platforms, where fans reacted with sharp criticism. Many questioned why innovation and genre fusion, both hallmarks of RM’s second solo release, would be overlooked rather than celebrated. Fans argued that Right Place, Wrong Person didn’t lack identity but rather embodied the very essence of contemporary music: fluid, layered, and boundary-breaking.
The backlash was swift and intense. ARMYs, BTS' loyal fanbase, took to Twitter, Instagram, and fan forums to denounce the KMA committee for what they viewed as a clear oversight of artistic excellence. Many fans emphasized that the album was an experimental fusion of alternative hip-hop, neo-soul, and introspective lyricism, a rare and bold move in the K-pop industry that should have been recognized.
Others criticized the KMA’s current evaluation criteria, arguing that clinging to rigid genre labels only discourages innovation. Some even questioned the committee’s credibility, pointing out that award shows should evolve alongside music trends rather than hold artists back.
Meanwhile, RM, born Kim Namjoon, released Right Place, Wrong Person on May 24, 2024, marking his second solo album following 2022’s Indigo. The album received critical acclaim for its introspective narrative, poetic songwriting, and genre-spanning production. While RM himself has not publicly responded to the controversy, fans continue to rally in support of his artistry.
For now, RM’s Right Place, Wrong Person may be absent from the KMA nominee list, but it has certainly not been forgotten. If anything, the controversy has only amplified appreciation for an album that dared to defy convention and reimagine what Korean solo music could be.
