The Rise of BTS

 

I know these boys never expected to be interviewed by the Grammys or even step foot in a Grammys event. It seems so much like a pipe dream for anyone, especially a foreign band. 

BTS’s rise is so incredible that fans and scholars alike are studying them and the fanbase that came with it. Because they are right to study the two together because, without the other, I doubt they would've lifted each other up to greater heights. 

Let’s start at the beginning: BTS was not famous overnight. They were simple kids who dreamed of debuting and living out their dream as a singer. They were literally in one part of the Korean music industry that tried their best as early as the late 1990s. Those ventures failed beyond one-hit wonders. The only hit that did make it for all the right and wrong reasons is Psy and Gangnam Style; I’m sure people know about it for its catchiness and the memetic video and that’s it. The best example I could think of for Psy's Gangnam Style's reputation in the West is what Todd in the Shadows did putting it on both his lists of Worst and Best Hits of that year, well, honorable lists but still, a love-hate relationship. When people see another language that isn’t English or even Spanish, they won’t even bother and see it as a dance craze meme. When someone like Todd in the Shadows isn't bothering to look into the lyrics of Boy with Luv, then it's unlikely though it's great to know Anthony Fantano goes out of his way to see the lyrics. Like, people, the West is unlikely to read translated lyrics with all the nuances even with the whole BTS and BP. BTS basically represented Korean musical artistry while BP isn’t.  

So BTS did not intend any of this global fame. They were kids in one part of the world in an industry that wanted mainstream fame. It just happens that they were the ones that crossover due to the help of their huge enthusiastic fanbase. 

They were literal kids when they debuted. At the time, they worry about disbandment because they were from a small company. They were a little boyband from a small company seemingly having no chance of getting the resources necessary for the easy exposure. When they do get that exposure, it’s easily cut from broadcast and/or edited heavily to make them look bad because they’re basically nobodies in a sea of idols. The best they got without editing out was ISAC. 

So these kids with the collaboration with their boss and company just decided that they could use social media and be self-sufficient. They have free content via YouTube and later Vlive. They produced their own reality shows in order: Rookie King, American Hustle Life, BTS Run, and Bon Voyage. Maybe throw in the Comeback Specials and the Musters when you’re at it. 

Pretty inadvertently they revolutionized the Kpop world. All because they were broke and can only borrow loans and work with JYP, for now, to keep afloat. While Kpop stars do have their SNS, they don’t use it like the Western celebs do, primarily just controlled for the sake of their image. And the image is a strong part of celebrity culture in Korea. Sure there are selfies but that doesn't make fans close to them. 

Every time I see the ‘manufactured’ narrative pushed on the Asian idols, more often Kpop ones, I want to ask them about the western music industry’s own issues and the very fact people like to make fun of the Disney child/teen idols factories to the point those stars just went overboard trying to present themselves as edgy after they left Disney. Just look at Miley Cyrus. At least Todd in the Shadows didn't forget that because he's been avoiding the topic of Kpop for years. Of course, people neglect that while narrowing a so-called regimented system that could be called factory-like that even the ordinary citizens in Korea see it as dolls instead of serious artists and does have its problems but more human conditions have been met due to the sheer criticisms against it. Because they like to narrow down the suicides of stars like Goo Hara, Sulli, and Jonghyun when the reasons for their deaths are far more complex. Amber Liu, stop spreading it’s the 'dark side of Kpop' when Sulli died because of sexism and cyberbullying. Sulli long since left f(x) and I'm not even the biggest Kpop fan so why do I know this? Because I only kept a half-ear on news whether it is the theme parks to K-pop to anime. 

The Korean general public is starting to like Kpop at least just a tad. There is such thing called poptimism & music production and the idol companies finally marketing them as artists though still with the ideal gf/bf thing going on still. There’s the fact while previously the Kpop groups used to be known for B-grade aka rejected western songs but no active collaborations or visual-based groups that have no control over their musical identity or destiny in the music industry. There are few groups who write and produce their own work, just not known. The music industries are tough and brutal. Ya think the American music industry is tough, imagine the Kpop idol industry. There is only a handful that can make it big or at least moderately successful. 

And somehow BP got a pass for those who love to hate on BTS and calling them fake when BP literally came from the same system and of course perpetuated that insipid 'dark side of Kpop' by telling their own trainee troubles. Is that it? Just because BP said their own trainee troubles and suddenly they’re not fake. Never mind that the trainee system is a symptom of SK’s strict survival of the fittest educational system and all of SK’s issues with beauty standards and image as a whole - this is universal for every country as they have their own beauty standards baseline; SK might be the mecca of plastic surgery and looking good is so there that it's okay for men to wear makeup and do skincare routines - and the whole idol stigma. The stigma that I think idols simply don't care anymore as they know they're not dolls and will work damn hard for their music. Double standards and lack of research for these people who think they have all the knowledge to know about Kpop when they just knocked on the door of it. 

There is no talking BTS without ARMY. There's a reason why BTS kept making fan songs and songs dedicated to them. 

Why the fuck ARMY is the most controversial Kpop fandom ever when it's just like every other damn fandom in this world?! ARMY's huge size and its organization propelled BTS to such great heights is so bad based on the actions of a few bad apples. Every fandom has its bad apples that are only 1%. Every time I see ARMY is put as this 'controversial' fandom alongside the likes of Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who fandoms who have grown disgruntled with the current mishandling. These fandoms have good reason to voice their dismay or in ARMY’s case, got the blame for the actions of a few bad apples on top of having to deal with the stereotype of being a Kpop fandom. So, stop selling the narrative that ARMY is the worst Kpop fandom ever when it’s just a fandom who has a lot to deal with and just wants people to understand! I’m looking at you, Asian Theory, Anthony Padilla, Rolling Stones Podcast, and Dave Disci Vlogs. 

Kpop fandoms are so stigmatized that people hid their liking for it lest they want ostracism! It's the same thing with the YouTube Beauty community where the topliners are mainly the disrupters yet their actions are blamed on everyone else in the community. The beauty community dramas got so synonymous people can't unsee them. 

And do you know what's worse? It's because boybands = screaming teen girls when screaming teen girls is not only okay but also makeup just as part of fandom as you can imagine. Stigmatizing girls' likings for anything feminine is why when something similar to how men react like say the sports world is okay but girls liking boybands is bad. Please, it's not the sports world fandoms are the peaceful sort. I heard stories of fighting and tears. 

ARMY is pivotal for BTS’s success alongside BTS and BH’s accidental usage of social media to promote themselves. However, there are threads that make this a special case.

Typically K-fans and I-fans either don’t get along or neutral because apparently the I-fans historically never bought the albums or done much to help the group or that group spending more time overseas causing jealousy regardless of the J-fans and C-fans do have money to spend unlike the rest of the I-fans; maybe streaming was not yet the standard for any Kpop fans yet despite K-fans doing it. Streaming existed before the idea of streaming became associated with Kpop; have you seen ID fans and Fifth Harmony fans doing it with MVs first? Streaming is not a new thing, it’s just Kpop became associated with it due to fans wanting to grant their idols prizes and to help them chart at all. 

A music show win might not mean much in comparison, especially when we’re talking about the Big 3, to getting a Top 10 award or a Bonsang (maybe a bit much for a rookie group to aim though Blackpink could still be considered a rookie group due to their hiatus that the ladies got so antsy) but to a struggling idol group who haven’t won one in years like BTS (2), EXID (3), U-Kiss (6), and Monsta X (2) with three years being an average since Victon won one after close to four, it’s enough. These groups explicitly told fans they wanted their first win to be a music show win and these fans will give it to them dammit. For a small company or even a less promoted band from the Big 3 or a debuting soloist, it might mean a lot since for many people it’s gonna take years before they can get one of the major awards or a daesang, the most coveted by all Kpop groups. Even with the criticisms towards Korean music award shows for quite some time, it doesn’t take away these idols want a daesang or a music show win. BTS got to have heard all the criticisms already as far back as trainees - Epik High, one of their idols, refused to perform there anymore - yet they still want that daesang. Monsta X and EXID got to have heard how meaningless a music show win was yet they wanted it. Seventeen explicitly stated they wanted a daesang for so long in their first daesang acceptance speech. I wouldn’t want to destroy the hopes and dreams of kids who dreamt of these awards for a long time. These idols got to hear all the criticisms lobbied at these award shows yet as much these shows are doing it for clout and ratings from the fans, these groups just wanted their first win. 

It was once this for about a year in the ARMY fandom too until 2014 where the K-ARMYs and I-ARMYs just decided to appreciate and work with each other after the hardships BTS went through. I just heard that it's around 2014 that the I-fans and K-fans just started to unite and trust each other. I have no clue what happened to make K-ARMYs and I-ARMYs unite as strongly as they did. The only things I could find that could bridge the gap were the hardships BTS went through, the I-ARMYs breaking their backs hyping BTS, a fansite Peachisoda translating the letters of thanks from both sides, and the 1004 Night. I have no clue what happened around 2014 and it’s only until 2017 we got the K-diamonds and I-lovelies nicks. 

As a result of this new strange system that is so unlike what other Kpop fandoms have internally with the Korean/International fans rivalry, K-ARMYs with their trust and appreciation inadvertently planted a seed that would see BTS rise into the international music scene while I-ARMYs proved themselves valuable and not to be taken by granted by protecting and loving K-ARMYs. 

This is no more seen after the 2019 People's Choice Awards fallout. 

While the real-time translating for everything BTS had gone on since 2013, it picked up the pace with the fans just appreciating each other and just created a symbiotic system that the fans basically feed off each other, creating a united fandom dedicated to BTS. This union was a domino effect coupled with BTS and BH’s usage of social media that led to BTS’s rise in global superstardom. 

With all the free content translated in real-time across the world, the fans felt a strong bond with each other and the band to the point due to the sheer size organization is a necessity though humanity has always been organized in their nature unless you’re Fyre Festival or Dashcon or any scamming thing through a large event. 

This organization can be seen in the microcosm of Twitter. Not every fan will use Twitter as other social media is useful. Just make that very clear, I don't have a Twitter account, preferring Tumblr. 

These fans will make damn sure to trend BTS and gather the army to vote, stream, buy, you name it. Especially, the buying since every ARMY regardless the social media encouraged buying and whatever methods just to put BTS on the charts as they put money where the mouth is in order to support BTS every way possible. 

Because of this organization, ARMY essentially became a new beast unseen before in Kpop. 

While still having the trappings of fandom like intersections and subsets, ARMYs are united by their love for BTS with vindictive fierceness and ambition. All they wanted was to give their boys their dream success although never a global success because it's neither the intention of the fans nor BTS to throw them into the spotlight like that, just...success. Global success for a little-known group from a small company seemed so farfetched it's ridiculous. Even Psy achieved access due to his association with YG and nobody expected him to blow up. 

That's the thing about the western music industry. Not only it has a difficult entry barrier for anyone outside because even the British musicians have a hard time breaking into it outside of Adele, Ed Sheeran, and who else more I can't name at the top of my head right now and even independents like India Arie and Liz Phair, nobody would know what will blow up over here. Nobody saw Despacito coming. Nobody saw BTS coming. Nobody saw One Direction coming...kinda since the world likes having an immensely popular boyband. 

The boys on the other hand want success and do want to make it. It’s just they are fine with moderate success the same way Cube’s acts are enjoying. I Need U was the moderate success they wanted. Of course, that song and album ended up being the launchpad for greater success. 

There were things involved: Timing and luck - the fans’ decisions to unite, fans’ real-time translations, fans’ vast promotions & devotion, the Western media noticing the passion to the point they invited BTS to attend BBMAs 2017 because they nominated them due to said passion, the serendipitous grouping, usage of social media where they basically used it like Youtubers, the universality of literature/philosophy/pop culture they use in their lyrics, the social consciousness that can be universal - are basically once-in-a-lifetime lightning in a bottle band that will make history. 

They grew steadily since then. The boys probably already knew about it as their followers on social media and sales increase. 

But never in their wildest dreams, they would find themselves in Wembley Stadium. That's far out of the realm of possibilities. 

BTS has every right to thank their fans. They literally wouldn’t be at BBMAs and AMAs if it weren’t for their fans’ great efforts. 

Big Hit has no connection to the entertainment giants that have such including IU's agency so they basically have their work cut out for them. When the Korean local media having no hand in BTS's success because it's all on the fans, American media noticed the fans' passion for BTS and the steady rise BTS has so they invited BTS for the BBMAs. 

BTS never expected this. They never thought they would see any of the stars they spent admiring from afar, very afar from another country. It’s not like Vietnamese celebrities from Vietnam could stand side by side next to American celebrities. 

Reportedly, fans were surprised too when BTS was announced as a BBMAs nominee for Top Social Artist. After that, the fans just went nuts. 

If the fans were the ones that made the Western media caught interest to the point interviewers bought it up in their first interviews on the carpet for BBMAs 2017, then the Western media unwittingly lit the fuse in waiting for a passionate fandom waiting to explode. 

And BTS was mid-tier at least, nowhere near Exo’s popularity, growing surely but fairly moderate like around the popularity of at least NCT’s success in the West. That was where they were by 2017 and treated as such a surprise when they made it to BBMAs 2017 until AMAs where they were then treated like celebrities. They overtook Exo by 2018 in Korea with 2017 Spring Day being their harbinger of things to come. I mean it kept charting in the K-charts and increasingly the longest the more it stayed on... The reason why she's called Queen is because of that charting history, it doesn't matter what number, just as long as it stays on is why she's queen. 

Though they have released classic songs that the Korean general public loves such as Fire, Save Me, Boy in Luv, and more. I giggle about this because JYP tried so hard to get into the general public's ears with hits and misses while BTS doesn't even try, just wanting to make music and earning critical acclaim from the general public without realizing it. While I don't think JYP isn't envious of his pal Bang PD, I'm sure he's shocked that his friend's band just kept making hits all because they love music and don't even care much about the general public's opinion on their music since they don't care much about musical taste, just wanting to create music. Spring Day kept charting! Blood, Sweat, and Tears are heard whenever there's a dancing quiz on a variety show! 

Oh boy, after that, BTS just skyrocketed. Faster than the speed of a bullet, they are notorious for their insane popularity not unlike Seo Taiji & Boys’ popularity. 

BTS can never expect this level of success. Because once upon a time they were kids living in a small apartment who worried their dreams might have been dashed when it's hard to even get funds outside of getting loans. 

While ARMYs have good intentions in their desire to make BTS heard, quite unthinkingly they also have to deal with the brutal sexism, racism, and homophobia that a boyband and Kpop band that has a female-skewing audience that also deliberately ignore the POC and LGBT fans and reduce girls as just teenage girls without considering that there is nothing wrong with having a female-skewing fanbase and having teenage girls as fans. As the largest known Kpop fandom, ARMYs are forced to endure the terrible misconceptions about Kpop and its fandoms. All because they drove BTS to international fame. Gee, thanks for reducing my interest in pretty men to nothing as a Demi-bi woman.  

BTS doesn’t think they’ll be in this conversation at all or in contention with other big-name Western artists. All they wanted was to make music so ARMY took it upon themselves to make damn sure the misconceptions about them are taken care of, one person at a time. They aren’t asking you to like BTS, just to understand them and their vision. 

BTS and ARMY are so connected I doubt anything can shake it. Though considering Taekook’s fears about ARMY leaving them in their songs make me raise an eyebrow so...I think Taekook has something that they fear would make their fans leave them. 

Ugh, I don’t know if any Kpop member with lots of clouts would come out unless they are aware of their status as super-powerful people that it might either break them or make them. It could just validate whatever misconceptions about these idols being supposedly gay just for wearing makeup. I...Makeup isn’t a vacuum. It’s only been a few years since the embrace of femininity as part of intersectional feminism with the whole calling out the ‘not like other girls’ misogyny.

With BTS being a household name, then change can happen. They already are in Asia but in the West, it took Dynamite for that to happen. It took Billie Eilish's Bad Guy for her to become a household name. On an aside note, it’s really easy for Western artists to have household names to some degree. Chainsmokers and John Legend certainly are despite problems with the Grammys racism issue. People wrote BTS was not yet a household name back in 2019. 

Because of BTS becoming a household name, it’s unlikely moving forward with enlistment can damage it. When Exo got nominated for AMAs, it’s pretty unlikely BTS would stop their success no matter how many members. With the whole gone for one year and a half, I doubt it’s gonna dent. When people worry about enlistment hurting careers do have a point as BigBang has been dented a little but suffered far more from their scandals to the point that right now G-Dragon is having a comeback while Taeyang is busy making a home with his beloved wife.

I’m getting off-topic but you get the idea BTS and ARMY are so connected it’s unlikely anything can damage it barring coming out. Given how passionately dedicated and loyal the Kpop fandoms typically are, it’s pretty unlikely to dent any progress when BTS precisely rose to international fame because of their fans. ARMYs will literally move mountains for BTS just to achieve their success that both BTS and ARMYs are equally surprised they even got this far. 

Besides any solo careers for BTS can do well, seeing the successes of the solo mixtapes and the potential of them performing alone for a venue. BTS can be OT7 and go do solo careers. When they’re basically achieving Psy’s level of success just by themselves as in solo, when they are together, it’s huge. I mean Got7 is still Got7 regardless of solo activities; they made it clear that while they are focusing on solo careers right now, Got7 is not disbanded but on hiatus, only getting together and producing music together on their own accord when they find the time. I have no clue how Mark is gonna do it as he’s in the States to start a solo career. 

I can't believe I have to say that. Solo careers won't destroy any group activities. Kai and Chen from Exo have done well for their solo careers while still being a part of Exo. It wouldn't hurt their careers. Companies have their ups and downs but I doubt BTS would leave Big Hit even during enlistment. G-Dragon and Taeyang certainly didn't leave YG despite problems including the controversies that nearly blackened the YG's name and the two of them have incredible solo careers regardless. 

Anyways, BTS is huge because of ARMY and BTS always made it clear the honors of this award also the fans, treated the fans not like monoliths but as active participants in the shared glory. Talking to the fans like Youtubers basically is how BTS managed to connect them and inspired loyalty because they have no prejudices. 

I’m no academic scholar but this level of engagement is unprecedented even by Western celeb's standards. Not so much if we're talking about Asia, but even the level is global when it comes to BTS. 

BTS wouldn't have made it here in the West if it weren't for ARMY. BTS kept moving up the ladder of the BB200 and BB100 since 2015. 

This means BTS's success does not rely on the industry standards. Y'know the bigwigs and reporters that have connections to one another. An example of this could be seen in the Big 3's line of business where they have connections. I'm sure Bang PD witnessed the connections firsthand as he used to be with JYP. 

BTS and BH don't have that. Not even Bang PD's connections to JYP help any. 

So, for BTS, it must be illuminating that their names are on BB100 and BB200 as a group and individually. I'm sure it was shocking for BTS when their mixtapes were on the Billboards. I would have fainted that the mixtape I released for free on my SoundCloud is somehow on the Billboards. 

This is a success never imagined by kids in a little country who wanted success...just not to this level. 

Again, do you think kids in the middle of nowhere, especially in a sea of idols, ever thought they'll be the most decorated idol group in Korea? They flat out acknowledged their past selves would find their current success as global superstars preposterous. 

These fans are fundamentally a grassroots movement but set to a band that these fans are incredibly loyal to. Just by talking to them and interacting as much as possible, the fans felt validation for their own achievements and desire to make BTS heard. The fans are the reason why BTS is so huge and why people kept commenting on it because Kpop is niche and if it wasn't for the efforts of ARMYs in an effort to make people hear BTS without prejudice, BTS wouldn't be in the international music scene. 

BTS never expected to be at the very center of the global music industry which is in the West. Huh, what if the global music industry was in the East instead? I know Japan is the second-largest music market in the world. 

How were they supposed to know that the passionate response at KCON 2014 and the early readings of support from foreign fans before their debut are the small flaming matches ready to lit a fuse in a few years that will drive them to global success? I would shrug it off too because I know the industry has international fans. Heck, I know there aren’t enough international fans to get continuous stamps on the charts as only G-Dragon and BigBang got two each, Taeyang one, and these guys are considered living legends. 

The West never had a fan economy in the likes of the East, especially in China where its well-known fans are intensively organized. I scoff when D'Angelo Wallace said that it's a bad thing that Kpop fans and especially ARMYs are organized. It shows his ignorance as he certainly never thought to think that the East is used to fan economy funneling a lot of business...even politics, especially in China, where there are fans of the CCP. Yes, that's a thing. Not to mention, that organization is part of human nature for a long-ass time and necessary for things to even work. Without organization, we'll get things like Dashcon and Fyre Festival, infamously known for their lack of organization and scamming. 

It’s simply Kpop that the West is getting the first taste of a fan economy. Maybe anime could be considered as a fan economy because fans will buy merchandise and dedicated to studios and/or creators if they’re doing well. Usually fan economy stays in Asia but a global fan economy is BTS and ARMYs. Blackpink is still trailing behind and unlikely to pull the records outside of YouTube records and having more followers? They’re big but not big enough. 

Well, thankfully, my first steps into BJYX and later Taekook because I'm apparently cheering for these two. My brush with the Chinese and Korean fanbases, I'm heading to the Japanese fandoms if only I can just find a good jumping-on point in fandom even though I consume Japanese media like no tomorrow. Yes, I witness fannish behavior in Japan like the whole otaku and all the merchandise and promotions, just not observations into the inner workings beyond just a basic fandom with all those intersections and subsets. I spent half a year and nearly a month into knowing how the fanbases work and still learning in the context of another culture. As an observer of fandoms, I can detect where to jump on as I did well with the Chinese and Korean fanbases. I dipped a little with Thai fanbases with my brushes with the BL fanbases there. 

Yes, it’s eye-opening to see how different the fannish culture is over there. The fan economy, where it revolves around the fan and having that fan buy up merchandise to show their love and support, is an amazing system that I wish I could see up close and examine. After being part of the western fanbases for nearly a decade, I’m here for the Eastern fanbases that I feel ready to dive into.

This is a new thing as BTS is here in the West because of their fans and their organization. The west never had that fan economy before. They are used to passive fans just buying songs and concert tickets sometimes. I heard Drake wasn't able to sell out tickets and why Western artists resorted to bundling and now special editions of albums after the bundling got destroyed. 

With this fan economy in the West, we aren't gonna see BTS lose any kind of popularity barring a coming out? Maybe? Eh, if they did get a Grammy win, it's pretty unlikely that even coming outs can destroy that credibility as there is potential for BTS in consideration for more Grammys in the future. When we got Lil Nas X coming out as gay and he's black, he's still a name in the industry. 

The world is new to this grassroots Asian fan economy-driven phenomenon, especially on a global scale. It's to the point China's own fan economy analysts tipped their hat to Big Hit. These fans literally shot BTS center stage with maybe Blackpink coming close in second even though Blackpink only achieved the Youtube records albeit average and they were only used to singing in smaller venues with other bands like Monsta X and Got7. Technically BTS did the same as they used to sing in smaller venues before transitioning from medium-sized arenas to stadiums. Blackpink will not come close to BTS's records. If BTS is still not yet a household name although a Grammy win would change that, then Blackpink would need more work. A lot of work. Interviews with a US talk show host is not how the Grammys work, Big 3. 

YG, already in suspicions of buying off PCAs 2019, has left something of a stain on Blackpink when the girls are unlikely to know of the manipulations just as SuperM has that stain of bundling - that were part of the rules at first until the board decided to change that after the backlash - after gaining the debut album of a Kpop band. I mean Blackpink was not yet nominated at the bigger American music award shows while NCT and Exo did so...BP gotta have more exposure and work if they want to get nominated. I don’t hate Blackpink or the other groups trying to make their marks over here; it’s just distressing they are too busy savoring BTS’s unintentional crossover and break they never consider that BTS works hard for all of this. It’s difficult to even debut at no.1 in BB100 and BB200 with the Grammy nomination the hardest to ever get nominated for. Even the big-names in the Western music industry will say how hard it is just to either climb on top of there or debut there. 

When Big Hit and BTS understood how the western music industry works to the point critics point out Dynamite was pure cleverness on how it shows they know how to play the game and break the Western industry, then the other bands under their label and even their subsidiaries are gonna know how the hell it works. Seventeen didn't even try to get nominated for a Grammys unlike JYP's Got7 and SM's SuperM. GFriend didn't even try getting a Grammys nomination, unlike YG's Blackpink. 

The rise of BTS began with only a small batch of fans unable to fight off the hate and now don’t care about the hate as they are used to being the so-called most toxic fandom ever right next to Star Wars and Star Trek. When only the minority is the one truly being vicious and loud, it's gonna take a while that only a small portion of fans will be loud be known to everyone. 

With BTS and ARMY’s success being so unusual and do deserve study, we should take to understand their rise is still connected to Hallyu while at the same time not at the same time as the reason BTS became famous was because of fans. BTS never intended this level of success as they never expected this massive fandom at all who will move mountains for them and bring them to the top. 

Look, I know Kpop is a contentious topic in regards to its origins in Black music, the need for success overseas, and the Western validation thing when as early as the 90s they tried - to be clear, anything outside the West does not need validation from the West to be considered masterpieces. Heck, Hayao Miyazaki did just fine in Japan and really does not need the West for validation. Japan seemed to recognize that as they know anime and games are really popular all over the world and do not care much for Western validation. Heck, they recognized their Godzilla movie just fine without the Oscars. 

As much as the anime films that are well-regarded did get nominated and haven’t won for a while, I’m starting to think Japan just doesn’t care at this point. At least up to a point. They certainly like to point out BTS is Grammy-nominated as the second-largest music market and the first Asian country to dip into the West with both mukokuseki and Japanese cultural intent. Y’all as much as we are seeing characters with wild hair, they are also characters who look perfectly normal in a basic Japanese walk of life from Hikaru no Go to Inuyasha to Spirited Away to Demon Slayer to the Persona series to Shinkenger, the Japanese works that crossover here has the cultural slant. Because they are quite comfortable with sharing their identities and do not care much about what the West has to say. It’s mainly the localization that fans of the Japanese works have to fight as the extremely PC to fit the extremely progressive values here without considering context and culture and balance. I know my cousin doesn’t like the localization for Tokyo Mirage. 

South Korea is small and wants its power through Hallyu. They seek more power from the West than ever as they were incredibly influenced by the West. Kpop is basically an import due to the music acts from the nineties blowing into the scene, taking inspiration from the West’s Hip-Hop and rap. Is it imperialism when Hip-Hop is for everyone as intended but the roots of it were not respected? Look, I know about the American Empire, especially as I grew more worldly savvy. Yes, it’s a criticism I know about the US as much as the CCP and Russian Federation. The USA is stained in blood and ain’t pretty just like every nation. Yeah, it’s frustrating to live in this politically volatile world.

Korea does not need Western validation. They dipped into their version of mukokuseki with Kpop basically not doing any Korean identity in any form until Idol destroys that mentality. They are currently deep into cultural intent with the Hallyu wave yet their relationship with the West is complicated. Like Japan, it had been westernized to some extent and still kept that identity. SK is all about the image from beauty to movie posters firmly plastered with faces or full bodies. It’s gonna take a while to see that while these accomplishments mean a lot especially to a small group who simply wanted a Grammy - think BTS as the more hopeful form of Hayao Miyazaki, that cynical old man - SK is gonna become like Japan now with their relationship with the West, caring to some extent as they are aware of their audience but not that much they need the validation, pretty happy they got a global audience or interest in their culture. I mean in the 90s, anime was and is extremely popular with Sailor Moon and Pokemon. 

If BTS is basically the Sailor Moon of the 90s or even the Hayao Miyazaki as I compared in another post still undergoing changes, then it’s gonna take a few decades for SK to become like Japan’s pop culture relationship with the West. Aware of global popularity yet still prides itself in tackling their issues in their pop culture with their cultural lens. 

However, did anyone expect an Asian act to blow up in the West? Even as far back as the 90s, Kpop wanted to break into the western market. That is not western validation then and it isn't now. Really, the music industry worldwide is hard to break into and it's a damn miracle BTS broke in. It's less western validation when it comes to Asia as it's more of an effort to spread their culture. 

Okay, I know I want BTS to win a Grammy, make that multiple Grammys. Despite people saying that it's either western validation or a regional award that BTS is so big they don't need it, I say give it to them to make it clear they are artistic musicians wholly deserving and it will make them a household name. Those are the two reasons outside of just giving the boys their dream Grammy that they have been hoping for when they realized the award is within grasp. Heck, I would've realized the same when I see my records and charting unprecedented territory. 

The point of BTS crossing over successfully and breaking all kinds of records and sales is not western validation as BTS never intended to gain such a large fanbase worldwide that was the tipping point for them. BTS was dragged over here due to sheer demand. Wings were never promoted here as their albums kept debuting in BB200 since 2015. The Kpop industry threw in the towel after not finding success beyond a niche audience. BTS never wanted western validation as much as they just want success and made it clear many times they never expected this level of success. To them, a Grammy is a success, getting worldwide stadium tours are a success. 

Their rise is unusual yet it’s perfect with its synergy. Nobody, even the boys, expected this level of success. As people said, they're global superstars. 

BTS does deserve to be taken seriously and necessitate the best of awards and success. They do deserve their history-making triumphs even if right now the conflicting status of Kpop and its complex relationship with the West. 

ARMY does deserve to be taken seriously as more than denigrated sexism. It doesn’t have to be old white men to do it, it could just be people willing to understand. As a huge Sound Horizon fan, I know this where Revo is respected in Japan. 

That’s all I want. For these guys to be taken seriously as their rise is unusual and driven primarily a fan economy that existed in the East but grew exponentially as more people learn their name and people certainly know their name. 

BTS needs to become a household name, to be remembered in the history books alongside legends like the Beatles and Queen. If anything, they are heading there. When people say they’re not yet a household name in 2019, they must do what it takes to be a household name. If it takes multiple Grammy wins and nominations or even just one win for it to happen, then so be it. 

BTS and ARMY are here to stay. 

When there are websites dedicated to research and specific things like funds and all this, I don’t see them going away when this is a global fan economy. I don’t think people realize that a fan economy is in Asia, simply spread all over the world because BTS is primarily a fan-driven musical phenomenon by a large enthusiastic niche audience. Their name is being reached out with their much older fans who have jobs and money who provided organizations to help fans who don't have the money to spend for albums or buying on iTunes and more. 

I think BTS's ability to draw in fans, especially fans from all ages and walks of life, is one of the reasons BTS will have longevity despite people saying the military could stymie the success but considering how the fans are basically a grassroots movement in its own right complete with all those arms, I doubt BTS is gonna go away when their name is placed in history and do need literally everyone not online to know their name to the point that it's necessary they must win the most prestigious award in music just so their name could really be solidified beyond just being the first Korean act to do anything.

BTS and ARMY are here to stay. They ain't going anywhere. Not with BTS's name being known to everybody. 

To end on a happy note, I can give ya a couple of the songs I really like from BTS. Just to be clear, I haven’t gone through the entire discography. In no particular order:

• Spring Day
• Truth Untold - I adore the fairytale story which is right up my alley for anything myths and fairytales
• Black Swan - a work of art and pop genius and it hits my classical music heart. The orchestral version is beautiful and I always love it when BTS employs classical music. Then again I love it when classical music becomes involved with pop. 
• Sea - Yes, I love this. A lot. It’s probably one of the darkest songs BTS has in their roster. 
• Stigma - This is my interpretation only as an out-but-not-out Demi-bi woman, 
• Dionysus - As a lover of myths, this is a well-researched song that combines what Dionysus was the patron of with the synthesis of what BTS has in their overall mythic persona of fame and occupation. The 2019 MMA performance was magnificent. 
• Idol - A no-brainer. 

That’s all I could think of for now. Now while I'm not the type to think of any existential thoughts though I do have an interest in philosophy, I do love art, literature, myths, and fairytales. BTS does share those common interests with me as it's really interesting when I'm used to Sound Horizon doing something similar to them. For example, Marchen used Fur Elise. 

Huh, while I can listen to all sorts of music from Nicki Minaj to Jay-Z to India Arie to Adele to Sound Horizon to Queen to Lotus Juice to Disney musicals to Broadway, my taste leaned on the emotive aspect but not too sappy though I do like the happy energetic bops and strong rhythms. My major preference is still Jpop. I love classical music since I was a child when my parents usually put on a classical music disc for my brother and me to sleep.