Seven Boys Rewriting History

By JULIE LEE ‘22

BTS, also known as Bangtan Sonyeondan in romanized Korean, is a widely-known K-pop group consisting of seven members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, V, Jimin, Jungkook, four of whom are singers, and three of whom are rappers. Probably less than 5% of the people who knew them before their ascent had thought that they would become this popular. Even BTS themselves probably didn’t anticipate that their songs would be played all around the world. 

Their success goes back to May of 2015 when they aired their song “I Need U.” This song helped them win numerous trophies in Korean music shows, and to say that this song greatly contributed to who they are now would not be an exaggeration. But, the songs they aired after “I Need U” became even more popular. And suddenly, BTS was the most popular male group in Korea. It was just a matter of time before they became popular in the US and in other countries worldwide. 

Their success was unbelievable. They spoke at the UN about how to love oneself and telling one’s story and participated in the Billboard Music Awards, the Grammy Awards, and so much more. Koreans were excited because BTS, consisting of seven boys who dreamed the same dream, was expanding the extent of K-pop groups’ influence. No other group had been able to reach such heights. 

However, their success wasn’t a walk in the park. Their intense practices, often held very late at night (as Jungkook mentioned in one of his interviews), and their dieting to stay fit for their debut stage are just a few of the hardships they had to go through. Yet, as their popularity increased, they did not become arrogant; for example, the good manners BTS demonstrated at an award ceremony were widely circulated in the news. Also, when they were presenting their most recent song, “Boy with Luv,” they thought of the staff first and made sure that everyone in the audience could see. Another factor in their growing success was the positive message their songs carried. Their songs included lyrics such as “You’ve shown me reasons I should love myself” from “Answer: Love Myself,” “Go on your way/Even if you live a day/do something put weakness away” from “No More Dream,” and “Tell them that you’re strong/ Tell them you’re enough” from “21st Century Girls.” People feel better after they hear BTS’ songs, and some even described the lyrics as a source of hope. 

People wonder how much BTS more will grow from here. Although it will be harder for them to tour around the world or continue their music as a group (due to their required military service in Korea), fans look forward for what they will accomplish next.

Image courtesy of change.org