Selling over 1.3 million albums in the month following the release of their newest mini album ‘Love Yourself: Her’, it’s easy to see how BTS has become such a successful group. However, the effects that the korean group has had on their fans internationally isn’t as clear.
Formed in 2010, BTS (방탄소년단 or Bangtan Sonyeondan) went through numerous changes in the years leading up to their 2013 debut. As a solely hip-hop group, BTS was considered to be somewhat of a gamble with their company, Bighit Entertainment, and in the industry in general. Not deriving from one of the ‘Big Three’ companies (JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment), nor being formed through an idol talent show, such as Produce 101, the sheer success of BTS is one that has confused many fans. Going from performing small shows and producing music that fit with their ‘hip hop’ look to sold-out international tours and music that told a message in a variety of forms, BTS is a rags-to-riches story that owes their success to one thing: their fanbase.
Known as A.R.M.Y. (Adorable Representative M.C for Youth), the focus on interaction between the members and their fans even before their debut has always been extremely important, with frequent member logs in the early years of their career to now live streaming to millions of fans on the VLive app. BTS frequently shows their appreciation of their fans by posting on their joint twitter account, hosting the aforementioned live streams and their own variety show (known as Run! BTS), and constantly pushing themselves to improve for the sake of their fans. Their dedication to their fans is just as strong as powerful as ARMYs dedication to BTS.
So what has allowed for BTS to gain such a strong fanbase? The obvious answer would be their music. Filled with lyrics discussing controversial topics, such as mental illness and the Korean education system, the group is renown for writing lyrics that share a message that is applicable to whoever listens to it. The universal topics that are presented by their music is applicable to anyone, regardless of if one knows Korean or not. After all, that’s what the internet is for. With members suffering from illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, along with the pressure that Korean society can put onto its members, when one reads their lyrics they are able to feel the raw emotions that come from personal experiences with the topic. For example, in their 2015 EP ‘The Most Beautiful Moments in Life, Part 2’, their song Butterfly explores the fear of losing a loved one as seen in the lyrics: “Please stop the time, if this moment passes (if this moment passes), This will become something that’s never happened and I’ll lose you, I’m scared.” Regardless of majority of the lyrics being in Korean (it is called k-pop after all), one is still able to experience the given message.
BTS doesn’t just serve as role models through their music, but also through their actions. The group has collaborated with UNICEF to start their ‘Love Myself’ campaign with the aim of pursuing love and an overall better place for all. Working alongside the #ENDviolence campaign, the members have used their global influence to shed light on the hardly spoken topic of violence in teens. Inspiring fans internationally to give back to their local communities, the group has raised over $560,000 USD through different sponsorships, sales of merchandise dedicated to the campaign, and a large donation by Bighit Entertainment and each member which is not included in the $560 thousand. By kick starting this campaign, the conversation around domestic and school based violence, sexual assault and education has greatly increased thanks to their fans. They are one of few groups in the Korean entertainment industry who are willing to speak out about controversial topics, and thanks to this, many other idols and entertainment personalities have began to follow suit. Topics such as mental health are stigmatised in Korean culture, with many ignoring their health in fear of seeming ‘weak’. By continuously bringing up these topics, BTS and other influencers have greatly helped reduce the stigma.
BTS’ dedication to both their music and their fans has allowed them to go further than any other group before them, being the first K-pop group to be nominated for a BBMA (and win said BBMA), the first group to perform on the American Music Awards stage with their single ‘DNA’, and the first group to be nominated again for a BBMA and perform at the event. With universal messages that they are able to share internationally and a fanbase that supports the group in all of their efforts to improve, it is clear to see how BTS has become an international phenomenon.
Sources used:
http://the-bangtan-boys.wikia.com/wiki/BTS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hit_Entertainment
https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/7966116/bts-socially-conscious-woke-songs-go-go-list
https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/8055084/bts-butterfly-lyrics-translation-english
https://www.love-myself.org/post-eng/about-love-myself/
Featured Images:
‘Driving car’, Worldoro, Tumblr.com
‘BTS performance’, Billboard, Billboard.com
‘Love Myself campaign’, Love Myself, Love-Myself.org