BTS turned millions on to K-pop. But now it's caught between Korea and the world

## Summary
But now it's caught between Korea and the world 4 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Yuna Ku BBC Korean, Seoul Getty Images L-R: J-Hope, Jin, Suga, RM, V, Jung Kook and Jimin after a recent appearance on the Jimmy Fallon show "BTS 2.0 is just getting started!" J-Hope declared as he stood alongside the other six members of the world's biggest band. Getty Images BTS in 2014: Jung Kook and Jimin dancing in the front, as Suga, Jin and RM watch The members have always said their music grew up with them - now, mostly in their 30s, they sing about the unflinching pressure of fame as weary adults in Normal: "Wish I had a minute just to turn me off". "There wasn't any other [K-pop] group quite like BTS," says music critic Park Hee-ah. "No-one else leaned into authenticity in their music to that extent. Fans saw them less like distant pop stars, more like talented, awkward and goofy boys - and feel like they watched them grow up. "I've been watching BTS's social media content since early 2010s, when their Twitter followers were less than 1,000," Park says. "They were the leading figure in the K-pop scene to make aggressive use of social content, perhaps as an alternative, as it was difficult for idols from smaller agencies to secure TV appearances." Getty Images Fans at Yeouido park in Seoul during "BTS Festa" 2023, to celebrate 10 years since it was formed As their fandom grew, BTS sold out venues everywhere, including Wembley, where they wept as tens of thousands of fans sang Young Forever in Korean: "Even if I fall, get hurt, and it aches, I keep running towards my dream." By the time they released their fully English singles - the catchy, bubblegum-esque Dynamite and Butter - they were ready to bet on the bright, disco-inflected departure from their hip-hop roots. These passionate fans are continuing to push forward the BTS legend and popularity." Getty Images With a massive fanbase in the US, BTS has redefined K-pop and its reach Sometimes that image frays under the unforgiving glare of South Korean celebrity life, where there is rarely room for vulnerability.

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BTS turned millions on to K-pop. But now it's caught between Korea and the world
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Yuna Ku
BBC Korean, Seoul
Getty Images
L-R: J-Hope, Jin, Suga, RM, V, Jung Kook and Jimin after a recent appearance on the Jimmy Fallon show
"BTS 2.0 is just getting started!" J-Hope declared as he stood alongside the other six members of the world's biggest band.
It was 21 March and, after a long break, J-Hope, RM, Suga, Jin, Jimin, V and Jung Kook had taken to the stage again - silhouettes against an arch of LED screens framing the historic gate to the royal palace in Seoul, as screaming crowds stretched for blocks.
Tens of thousands turned up to watch and more than 18 million people live-streamed the one-hour show - a slick teaser of the upcoming BTS world tour, with the group's easy camaraderie on display, almost as if they had not spent much of the last three years apart, doing mandatory military service and releasing solo albums.
And yet, in the days that followed, a more complicated story emerged, partly fuelled by a candid documentary about the making of the new album, showing members disagreeing with their powerful agency, Hybe, over the direction and identity of their music.
The group finds itself being pulled in so many directions: Between fandoms, old and new, Korean and global, between artistic identity and commercial expectations, between the creative instincts of its members and the broader strategy surrounding them. And then there is the small matter of being the face of South Korean soft power.
It boils down to a single, loaded question: Is BTS straying too far from K-pop in trying to woo the world?
Getty Images
Tens of thousands turned up for the comeback show on 21 March
At home, some fans are debating how Korean the new album Arirang really is - despite being named after a beloved folk song, which is sampled in the hip-hop laden opener, Body to Body.
This heroing of rap is what those defending the album love - it reminds them of an older BTS - while others see the very Korean roots that so many argue are missing.
Still others question that very heavy use of English and the eclectic producer credits, from American DJ Diplo and Australian songwriter Kevin Parker to Spanish musician El Guincho. They blame Hybe and BTS for chasing a lucrative Western market at the expense of originality.
Abroad, however, fans seem less divided, while critics have largely welcomed what they see as an experimental turn.
The BBC's review
found the rap-heavy Hooligan audacious, the Jersey club-styled FYA "deliciously dark" and the album itself "a genuine return to form".
Arirang - and its lead single, Swim - climbed the charts swiftly, breaking streaming records and dominating Billboard. Hybe's PR game has been in overdrive, with BTS performing at the Guggenheim, cooking up a popular Korean noodle dish on GQ and appearing to rapturous applause on Jimmy Fallon's talk show - despite only RM speaking English comfortably, and the rest mainly sticking to Korean.
But language has never been a barrier for their global fandom. And they know it. "I am the only one who speaks English but that's how we kill," RM raps in the cheeky Aliens, switching between English and Korean.
That tension defines where BTS stands today, as they kick off the biggest world tour in K-pop history - 85 dates across five continents over the next 12 months.
What lies ahead is a high-stakes balancing act even for a band as polished as BTS, with more than 10 years experience of rarely putting a foot wrong.
Missing the Dark & Wild days
Starting on Thursday, the opening concerts in Goyang are estimated to draw more than 120,000 fans over three nights. They sold out almost instantly.
It's a staggering rise for BTS since 2013 when they began as seven very young men - three of them teens - assembled by a then relatively unknown company, far from the limelight of South Korea's top entertainment agencies.
Their early music, often represented by their first full album Dark & Wild in 2014, leaned heavily on hip-hop, set to the tune of intense beats. The punchy Korean lyrics that spoke to young people's frustrations, pressures and dreams resonated with fans trying to make it through highly competitive and exhausting lives.
Getty Images
BTS in 2014: Jung Kook and Jimin dancing in the front, as Suga, Jin and RM watch
The members have always said their music grew up with them - now, mostly in their 30s, they sing about the unflinching pressure of fame as weary adults in Normal: "Wish I had a minute just to turn me off".
"There wasn't any other [K-pop] group quite like BTS," says music critic Park Hee-ah. "No-one else leaned into authenticity in their music to that extent. They've consistently told their own story - writing and producing their music, and sharing the journey that brought them to where they are today."
When Dark & Wild was recorded in a makeshift studio in LA, BTS was an up-and-coming band, shooting a documentary abo

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- South Korea has embraced their success as a form of diplomacy, with the group frequently positioned as national or even global ambassadors, from appearances at the White House and United Nations to high-profile state events.

### Areas for Consideration
- Fans saw them less like distant pop stars, more like talented, awkward and goofy boys - and feel like they watched them grow up. "I've been watching BTS's social media content since early 2010s, when their Twitter followers were less than 1,000," Park says. "They were the leading figure in the K-pop scene to make aggressive use of social content, perhaps as an alternative, as it was difficult for idols from smaller agencies to secure TV appearances." Getty Images Fans at Yeouido park in Seoul during "BTS Festa" 2023, to celebrate 10 years since it was formed As their fandom grew, BTS sold out venues everywhere, including Wembley, where they wept as tens of thousands of fans sang Young Forever in Korean: "Even if I fall, get hurt, and it aches, I keep running towards my dream." By the time they released their fully English singles - the catchy, bubblegum-esque Dynamite and Butter - they were ready to bet on the bright, disco-inflected departure from their hip-hop roots.

### Implications
- Arirang - and its lead single, Swim - climbed the charts swiftly, breaking streaming records and dominating Billboard.
- While the new album "is great in terms of sound quality… the overarching message, such as Love yourself, of [earlier albums] doesn't come through as clearly," says Park, the critic. "That may be why Korean listeners are finding it hard." The Love Yourself albums, which centered on self-love, mental health and personal growth resonated across cultures.
- That inevitably places them under enormous pressure - and it may be why some feel they've lost a sense of identity." For loyal fans like Park Su-bin, the opportunity to watch them again is exciting enough. "Honestly, I wasn't that into the title song, Swim.
- As BTS takes to the stage again, and returns to Weverse, their fandom and their powerhouse performances will determine the verdict on their comeback.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers bts, pop, korean topics. Notable strengths include discussion of bts. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 2224.