Asia News: Recording Academy Eyes ‘Asian Grammys’; Macau: Government Eyes 50K-Cap Outdoor Venue

K pop's BTS singer Jin, finishes army service in South Korea
BACK TO THE GARDEN: Fans prepared displays all over Seoul, South Korea, marking the arrival June 13 of BTS member Jin, the first of the boy band’s members to complete his mandatory national military service. (Photo by Antonia Giordano/Anadolu via Getty Images)

KOREA

‘Asian Grammys’ Eyed By Recording Academy

An Asian edition of the Grammy Awards will likely take place in South Korea, an anonymous source has told the Korea Times.

The Recording Academy, which presents the Grammy Awards, wants to establish an “Asian Grammy,” and according to the source has narrowed its choice of location for the ceremony to Japan and Korea.

However, the source said that Recording Academy President Panos Panay and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. were recently in Korea to discuss the matter with music insiders and government officials. If Korea is chosen, the site of the ceremony would be in either Seoul, Incheon or Hanam in Gyeonggi Province.

Among the insiders that Panay and Mason visited were leaders of top music agencies Hybe and YG Entertainment, business corporations Kakao Entertainment and CJ ENM, as well as the tech giants Naver and KT.

When contacted by the Korea Times, representatives of these companies, as well as the municipalities where the ceremony might take place, confirmed that there were meetings with the Recording Academy officials.

Mason has said that the Recording Academy wants to extend its reach throughout the world. So far, the only Korean act ever to be nominated for a Grammy has been BTS.

MACAU


50K-Cap Venue Eyed By Government

The Macau government wants to build a 50,000-capacity outdoor concert venue on land next to the five-star Grand Lisboa Palace resort and casino, Inside Asian Gaming reports.

At a legislative assembly session last April, the chief executive of Macau, Ho Iat Seng, said he was looking for a site that would be capable of hosting large-scale concerts in the territory. The secretary for social affairs and culture said that the best place for such a venue would be near an integrated resort.

The land under consideration is currently undeveloped, according to local sources, but it has already been cleared in preparation for construction of a large structure.