BTS, BLACKPINK, Jennie, Rosé and KPop Demon Hunters have earned nominations at the 2026 Kids’ Choice Awards, according to the list of nominees announced on October 8, 2026. The nominations put K-pop at the centre of one of the year’s most fan-driven awards shows.
Organised by Nickelodeon, the Kids’ Choice Awards celebrate popular stars and productions across music, television and film, and the 2026 nominations show just how global K-pop’s reach has become.
BTS chase a fifth group trophy
BTS received nominations in three categories: Favorite Music Group/Duo, Favorite Album, and Favorite Song, according to KbizoOm’s report of the nominations. The group previously won Favorite Music Group for four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023, setting the record for the most wins in the category, and with another nomination this year, the group is aiming to secure its fifth trophy.
The group’s album “Arirang” is nominated for Favorite Album, while “Swim” is nominated for Favorite Song, according to Koreaportal’s report. Both fields have eight entries, with Taylor Swift appearing in each, so BTS faces Swift in two categories.
BLACKPINK has also been nominated for Favorite Music Group/Duo, placing the girl group in the same category as BTS, a head-to-head that has K-pop fans splitting their votes between two beloved groups.
Jennie, Rosé and KPop Demon Hunters shine
BLACKPINK member Rosé received a nomination for Favorite Female Artist, while Jennie earned a nomination for Favorite Music Collaboration with “Dracula,” her collaboration with Australian musician Tame Impala, according to the reports.
KATSEYE, the Korean-American girl group formed through a joint project involving HYBE, was nominated for Favorite Female Breakout Artist/Group, while Netflix’s animated film KPop Demon Hunters, which became a global sensation, secured nominations across multiple categories.
Ahn Hyo Seop and Arden Cho, who provided the voices of Jinu and Rumi, were nominated for Favorite Male and Female Animated Voice from a Movie, while the film’s fictional girl group HUNTR/X received a nomination for Favorite On-Screen Duo/Trio, and its hit soundtrack “Golden” was nominated for Favorite Song from a Movie.
A ceremony fans will decide
The ceremony airs live on Saturday, November 14, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Nickelodeon, with Alex Warren hosting, according to Koreaportal. CBS is presenting the show for the first time, and the Kids’ Choice Awards are decided by fan voting.
With BTS and BLACKPINK both in Favorite Music Group/Duo, K-pop fans will be splitting their votes in a field that also includes Jonas Brothers, Maroon 5, Twenty One Pilots and Weezer. Whatever the results, the nominations themselves are a victory for K-pop, and for the fans who have carried these artists to the top of global pop.
