Don’t Sleep on BTS
photo courtesy of @bts.bighitofficial Instagram
South Korean boy band BTS's new album, “Map of the Soul: 7” received over 4 million pre-orders worldwide and continues to top the charts. Despite the album’s success, many remain skeptical of the group’s talent. Did we mention the 4 million pre-orders? Yeah, we don’t understand the skeptics either. In the same fashion that the Oscar-winning Korean film, “Parasite” had trouble winning over the American audience, people are not giving BTS a chance simply because of the language they sing in. What’s up with that?!
By now it’s definitely safe to say that BTS has reached the status of ~ international superstars ~. In the United States alone, the band has performed for huge shows including the Grammy Awards, “Good Morning America”, the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music Awards and “Dick Clark’s New Years’ Rockin’ Eve”… you get the idea.
BTS has sold out the Staples Center in Los Angeles four times just in 2018, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey twice in 2019. Additionally, BTS has received multiple AMAs, BMAs, People’s Choice Awards, iHeartRadio Music Awards, and (hundreds) more since 2017 alone. What more do they have to do?!
BTS has reached their success by remaining true to their culture and who they were before stardom. Personally, we don’t understand how anyone can hear all of this and not become an immediate BTS STAN.
Not only is BTS defined by their beautiful lyrics, extraordinary dance moves and mixture of voices and styles, but also by the message they work to spread to their fans. Love yourself, accept yourself and be there for those around you (like come on, how are you not obsessed with them by now?).
The relationship that BTS has with their fans (strengthened by many live streams, twitter responses and powerful speeches) has helped thousands of fans to start learning how to accept who they are and appreciate the things that make them unique. Adorable, right?
BTS’s loyalty to and passion for Korea has even led thousands of fans to go as far as to learn Korean and even travel to Korea themselves. We’re ready to book our flights right now!
As BTS continues to break walls by experimenting with different musical styles, planning the launch of an app for fans to learn Korean with them and doing more regular appearances in the United States, they have shown the world that language is not a barrier, but an opportunity to learn more.
If a bunch of teenagers can hear past a language barrier and appreciate true talent and passion, then so can you.