JYP Entertainment says 20 artists and executives, including J.Y. Park, TWICE, and Stray Kids, have joined the Recording Academy as voting or professional members.
JYP Entertainment has added a large new group of artists and executives to the Recording Academy, marking another sign of K-pop’s expanding role inside the institutions that shape the global music business.
According to a July 14 report citing JYP Entertainment, 20 people connected to the company have been selected as members of the Recording Academy. The list includes founder and artist J.Y. Park, all nine members of TWICE, all eight members of Stray Kids, CEO Jung Wook, and chief strategy officer Shin Hyun Kook, who also heads JYP America.
The announcement is notable because Recording Academy membership is not simply honorary. Voting members are eligible to take part in the Grammy Awards process, including voting on nominees and winners. For K-pop artists whose careers increasingly operate across Korea, Japan, North America, Europe, and other markets, membership gives them a formal place within one of the music industry’s most closely watched award systems.
Who received voting membership
JYP said 18 artists were selected as voting members: J.Y. Park, TWICE members Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu, and Stray Kids members Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. Voting membership is generally aimed at music creators such as performers, songwriters, producers, and engineers, reflecting the Recording Academy’s emphasis on peer participation.
That creator-focused structure matters for K-pop, where artists often balance performance, songwriting, production, choreography, multilingual promotion, and global fan engagement. Stray Kids in particular have long been associated with self-producing work through the group’s internal creative team, while TWICE have steadily broadened their discography and international profile across multiple languages and markets.
Jung Wook and Shin Hyun Kook were selected as professional members. That membership category is designed for music-business professionals who support creators and participate in the Academy’s broader industry programs, community activities, networking, and Grammy submission ecosystem. Their inclusion places JYP’s executive leadership alongside its performers in the same institutional network.
Why the Grammy connection matters
The Recording Academy, founded in 1957, is best known as the organization behind the Grammy Awards, which began in 1959. While the Grammys are only one measure of success, they remain a prominent symbol of industry recognition, especially for artists trying to turn global popularity into long-term cultural and professional influence.
For Korean pop companies, Recording Academy membership can be read as part of a broader shift from overseas promotion to overseas participation. K-pop is no longer only exporting albums, concerts, and fandom culture; its artists and executives are increasingly entering the voting bodies, business forums, and professional networks that affect how international music is evaluated and discussed.
JYP’s latest membership group also arrives during a period of visible momentum for both TWICE and Stray Kids. TWICE have continued to build on their reputation as a top girl group, with the report highlighting the long chart performance of Strategy on Billboard’s Hot 100, recognition at the 2026 American Music Awards, and the conclusion of a large-scale THIS IS FOR world tour that expanded through major arenas and stadium-level venues.
Stray Kids have likewise become one of the most commercially powerful K-pop acts in the global market. The report noted their run of No. 1 entries on the Billboard 200 and pointed to their upcoming release THIS & THAT, scheduled for August 7 at 1 p.m., as well as sold-out Seoul concerts at KSPO Dome tied to the group’s RUN IT world tour.
A wider industry signal
The move also fits JYP Entertainment’s recent push to present itself as a global music company rather than a Korea-centered agency with overseas branches. The same report noted that J.Y. Park, Jung Wook, and Shin Hyun Kook were named earlier this year to Billboard’s 2026 Power 100 in the multi-sector category, and later to Billboard’s 2026 Global Power Players list.
For fans, Recording Academy membership does not guarantee nominations or awards for JYP artists. Grammy outcomes are shaped by submissions, eligibility rules, genre fields, campaign strategy, peer voting, and the competitive field in any given year. But membership does mean more Korean artists and executives can participate directly in that process, rather than remaining outside it as observers.
That distinction is increasingly important as K-pop’s global growth becomes more institutional. Chart records, streaming milestones, and stadium tours show public demand; membership in bodies such as the Recording Academy shows how Korean artists are also gaining standing among industry peers. JYP’s 20 new members give the company a larger voice in that conversation at a time when its biggest acts are already operating on a worldwide stage.
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