MAKE WAY! THE WORLD ISN’T GOING TO GET TIRED OF BTS ANYTIME SOON By Jessica Carvalho In this article, Jessica Carvalho explores the success and the power of one of the biggest music acts in history in the face of increased Asian discrimination, and how their impact is reshaping the industry as we know it. Often, living beneath a rock serves as the perfect excuse for a pop culture reference flying under the radar; but I am certain that even then, the easygoing, disco-pop melody of “Dynamite” would find its way through the cracks, and make itself known. BTS is quickly becoming a household name in every corner of the planet, the seven-piece boyband serving as a beacon of hope for integrity, honesty, and passion in the music industry. The group consists of leader RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, all of which hail from different areas of South Korea. Their paths crossed sometime in 2010, fully merging in June 2013 – specifically the 13th, the day in which their debut songs “No More Dream”, and “We Are Bulletproof pt. 2” were released as a single album. Bulletproof was not only an ode to the meaning of BTS in Korean ( , which translates to Bulletproof Boyscouts), but a way of living for the group, clad in sleeveless tops, heavy chains and an undying perseverance to make a name for themselves and BigHit Entertainment, their music label, which is currently known as BigHit Music. It was a hard-hitting first impression, they now realise, laughing and cringing as they reacted to one of their very first interviews after their debut. “We couldn’t get a lot of shows. If a show was full, we couldn’t get a full slot,” reported 25-year-old lead vocalist Jimin, reminiscing on the difficult beginnings of the team.
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The difference between the Korean and Western entertainment industries are stark, but some require further attention; success is highly dictated by the status of the entertainment label an act is signed to, and to this day, many fail to gain traction after debut and go unknown for most of their career. At the time, BigHit Music was a speck amidst the hundreds of other companies, but over the past seven years, it was catapulted to the top by the success of BTS. Newly rebranded into HYBE Corporation with its multiple subsidiaries, it is now South Korea’s largest entertainment company. Furthermore, BTS’ debut concept was a gamble. “No More Dream” was a hiphop track that tackled the lack of
passion and dreams amongst young people – a dig at South Korea’s emphasis on academic success, which has proved lethal when paired with immense pressure and the fear of failure. Social commentary in the K-Pop industry was rare at the time, and BTS stood out from the rest, mostly in a positive light. “Those days made today possible,” 27-year-old rapper j-hope commented after watching their debut interview video, hums of agreement following his words.
