BTS wins Best K-Pop Group at MTV VMAs

To no one’s surprise, BTS – one of the world’s most famous boy bands – won the MTV Video Music Award’s inaugural award for Best K-pop group for their song “Boy With Luv.” The septet didn’t attend the ceremony to accept their Moon Man trophy. While the new category appears to be a nod to the popularity of Korean music in mainstream U.S. pop culture, fans have been vocal that the category is suspicious at best and borderline racist.

Go Away With … Tablo of Epik High

Ten years ago, Epik High was in jeopardy when online trolls went on a malicious rampage to defame frontman Tablo. “I took my family to Tokyo and then to Hawaii to keep them away from the awe-inspiringly hellish thing that was happening to me,” he says. “I remember everything about that trip. It kept me sane for a little bit. Call it a sane-cation.”

Go Away With … Lindsay Price

“After 50 years of being in America, I took my mother back to Korea,” says actress Lindsay Price. “She had been adopted at age 12 and had never been back since. I was seven months pregnant with my first child and I wanted to understand where she came from in a deep and true way. It was the most profound trip ever for the both of us, but it was also no vacation. Talk about coming home exhausted. But I’ll say it will be the trip of my lifetime as far as meaning and transformation goes. And man, do I love Seoul.”

Go Away With … Eric Nam

“Traveling has been a really big part of my upbringing and I’ve been fortunate enough to travel for different reasons,” says singer Eric Nam, 29. “I’d like to think that it has had an impact on my character and personality, which ultimately affects my music.” Born and raised in Georgia, Nam currently is on tour promoting his Billboard World Top 10 EP, “Honestly.” His song, “Float,” also is featured in the film, “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation.”

Go Away With … Edward Lee

“I am always deeply influenced when I go to Korea. It is an endless source of inspiration for me. I have ties there, so it is special. But I also approach it as an outsider and learn new techniques and cooking traditions. I always look forward to going back again and again.” — Chef Edward Lee, star of “Culinary Genius” and “Fermented.”

Family bonds locked in time at Seoul tower

The main characters in K-dramas often demonstrate their love by attaching personalized padlocks on a fence on the tower’s observation deck. Tens of thousands of “love locks” can be found here. It’s a trend well established in cities such as Paris and Prague, but the tradition has taken on an added dimension in Seoul. While couples still attach locks to declare their love for one another, the fence has become a popular spot for adoptees and their adoptive parents to leave padlocks honoring the day they became a family.

Go Away With … Daniel Henney

Thanks to his striking good looks, Daniel Henney was cast in a Korean television series — despite the fact that he couldn’t speak any Korean at the time. Today, his work takes him around the world. With a resume that includes roles in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “Hawaii Five-O” and “Big Hero 6” (he was the voice of Tadashi), Henney is one of the stars of the new CBS procedural, “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.” Fans may follow him on Twitter and on Instagram, where he posts photos of his travels and his dog, Mango.