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The globally famous K-pop group BTS. (provided by Big Hit Entertainment)
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Group’s global success seen as moving beyond standard K-pop
An unusually large turnout appeared for the 24th regular conference of the Korean Association for the Study of Popular Music (KASPM, chaired by Sungkonghoe University professor Kim Chang-nam) on Dec. 8 at CKL Enterprise Support Center on Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon Road.
Among the attendees were some overseas visitors bearing travel carriers. The big draw that day was a feature session on the topic “Status and Prospects of the BTS Phenomenon.” The decision to focus on a specific popular music group was seen as an unusual move by a conference with a history of addressing topics like “The (Potential) Popular Appeal of Traditional Music” and “Popular Music and Gender” – evidence that the group BTS (Bangtan Boys) has become a significant enough phenomenon to become a subject of academic research.
“As recently as BTS’ debut around 2013 to 2014, the response at home was not that large,” noted Lee Kyu-tak, a professor at George Mason University Korea, in a presentation titled “Music Industry Issues as Witnessed through the Success of BTS.”
“Part of this was the limitation of being a group associated with a small company, but their hard work in the overseas market resulted in them drawing a more positive response than at home,” Lee continued.
“The press and public alike were stunned when they topped the Billboard album chart last May, but that didn’t come from out of the blue – it was something they have been steadily building since 2015,” he concluded.
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The 24th regular conference of the Korean Association for the Study of Popular Music (KASPM) at CKL Enterprise Support Center on Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon Road on Dec. 8.
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As factors behind BTS’ success, Lee pointed to its efficient use of media channels like YouTube, V Live, and social media, along with music and performances integrating “foreign” elements with ones familiar to Western audiences and the group’s personal communication with fans. In particular, he noted that the group has established continuity by successfully drawing a global audience of loyal fans from its early days, in contrast with the more flash-in-the-pan success of PSY’s “Gangnam Style.”
“BTS doesn’t say thank you to their fans – they thank their ‘BTS Army,’” Lee said.
“By referring to ‘those of you who support us and buy our albums’ rather than some general public, they are strengthening that sense of connection. Despite their small numbers, those fans show great strength working together and have had a major impact in a diversified digital-centered music market,” he added.
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A poster for the 24th regular conference of KASPM. (provided by KASPM)
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The horizontal relationship between BTS, their management and the BTS Army
In a presentation titled “The BTS Triangle: Power Structure and Conflict among BTS, Their Army, and Big Hit,” Yonsei University lecturer Kim Jeong-won noted the relationship between BTS and the group’s fan base.
“It was interesting to see BTS’ acceptance speech at the Billboard Awards in May 2017, where they mentioned their Army at the very beginning. BTS always talks about their Army first,” Kim said.
Kim stressed that the relationship among BTS, their management company Big Hit Entertainment, and their Army is not vertical but horizontal, involving mutual influence.
“After the 2016 Gangnam Station murder brought the issue of misogyny to the foreground, female Army members in their twenties began making accusations of misogyny regarding some of BTS’ lyrics. BTS and their company kept quiet for over a month and only apologized after it was reported on in the media,” Kim said.
“But when the Army objected to reports in September that they were collaborating with a right-wing, misogynist lyricist in Japan, they immediately canceled their collaboration and apologized. That suggests the fans’ influence has grown,” Kim explained.
Kim went on to note the “positive cooperation during the recent controversy over the National Liberation Day T-shirt and Nazi-logo hat, with the management company apologizing and the fans donating money to Japanese military comfort women survivors and atomic bomb survivors.”
“When we look at the relationship among BTS, Big Hit, and the Army, we should focus on the ways they each play their role in helping and checking the others rather than seeing it as a relationship among stars, their management, and fans.”
Transcending the K-pop frame
The subsequent discussion focused on whether BTS’ success could be viewed as a success for K-pop in general. Lee noted that BTS “would not have succeeded as much as they have without the past efforts of K-pop acts and musicians.”
“But right now, BTS seems to be transcending the K-pop frame,” he added.
Mi-myo, chief editor of “Idology,” said the overseas fans “liked K-pop for its attractive and dazzling choreography, but were put off when they learned about the human rights issues, including the brutal training from a young age.”
“As an act, BTS has turned that around. That’s why they’re seen as almost the antithesis of K-pop.”
Seoul National University professor Hong Seok-kyeong said it was “not right to focus exclusively on the ‘K’ [in K-pop].”
“The Korean Wave itself was formed in the environment of East Asia, including Japan and China. The BTS song ‘Idol’ includes African [musical] elements as well as Korean ones,” he noted.
“We shouldn’t be too limiting in our perspective.”
By Seo Jeong-min, staff reporter
Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
