The MTV VMA Best K-Pop category was first introduced in 2019. MTV added it to the 2019 Video Music Awards, making it one of that ceremony's new competitive categories.
BTS won the inaugural award for “Boy with Luv,” featuring Halsey. The nominees also included Blackpink, EXO, Monsta X, NCT 127, and Tomorrow X Together, reflecting the growing international reach of Korean pop music.
The category was created during a period when K-pop acts were becoming increasingly prominent in the U.S. market. It also drew criticism from some fans, who argued that placing K-pop in a separate category could keep artists from competing in major awards such as Video of the Year or Artist of the Year.
The category is distinct from older VMA honors such as Best Pop or Best Group. Later winners helped establish BTS and Lisa as leading names in the award's history, but the category itself begins with the 2019 ceremony.