BTS: The story of South Korea’s K-pop legends and the ‘soft power’ they yield

The trailblazing boy band—Bangtan Sonyeondan, popularly known as BTS—consists of seven handsome members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Park Jin-Min, V and Jungkook. The boyband has been ruling over people’s hearts across the globe and became the first Korean pop group to dominate US and UK charts and build a truly global fanbase. The iconic band is credited with transforming the global music industry. However, June 14th was the saddest Tuesday for their fans- the ARMY- when the group announced that they were taking an extended break to focus on their solo career after 9 years of their association. 

The South Korean celebrities have been described as diplomats and activists who not only represented their country but also campaigned for causes and wielded soft power. See their journey as a band that emerged from a cut-throat competition and went on to become legends with a global influence. 

One of the most popular bands in the world on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter, while announcing the hiatus, said they were "exhausted" and would take a break.

Referring to South Korea's notoriously hard-driving music business model, 27-year-old member RM said: "The problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don't give you time to mature."
 

Like many other K-pop groups, BTS was also formed by Big Hit Entertainment, which selected them through a combination of direct recruitment and auditions. The group went through intensive training ahead of their debut in 2013, according to a local report. Leader RM was already known in the South's underground hip hop scene for his rapping skills, while Jimin had been enrolled in an arts school in Busan, majoring in contemporary dance.
 

The band has spoken at the United Nations. They recently met US President Joe Biden, appeared at the White House, and spoke about racism against the Asian population. There is "no one with greater global cultural power or soft power than BTS," Linda Hasunuma, a political scientist at Temple University, told AFP. They have more power to influence culture than any other celebrity or politician, given their popularity on social media. 
 

The group has twice been nominated for a Grammy and has staged a string of sold-out shows in cities including London, Paris, and Los Angeles. Their song lyrics are socially conscious and they consistently and candidly engage with fans at home and abroad through social media. They became an icon of progressive globalism by taking part in anti-racist movements, donating $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement, and seeking awareness of anti-Asian racism in America, a phenomenon many blame on fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.
 

Under its glitz and glamour, South Korea's K-pop industry is known for its cut-throat competition and relentless public pressure to maintain a wholesome image at all times and at any cost. In Tuesday's YouTube video, the members of BTS, credited with generating billions of dollars for the South Korean economy, candidly shared their struggles within the industry.

RM said they don't have time to grow because they have to keep filming and keep doing something, referring to the team's busy work schedule. Though the group is on the peak of their success, they don't know what kind of group they were any more. Member Suga confessed he's not had much fun writing lyrics since their debut in 2013. "It was always painful, always hard, and I had to squeeze something out," he said.
 

Local media say the band could be on hiatus for up to seven years, given the members' upcoming mandatory military service in South Korea. But experts claim that the group will not be forgotten. 

"Beyond their music, they've woven a multi-faceted story... bringing their message and story beyond just the elements typically associated with K-pop," author Tamar Herman said, adding that what BTS does is immensely relatable and resonates on a personal level with many across the world.