In September this year, when appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, BTS was introduced as “the biggest boy band on the planet”.

Previously, in November 2017, when announcing the appearance of BTS on his show, Jimmy Kimmel also called this idol group “the most popular band in the world”. ) on his official Twitter account.

This has even sparked controversy, because the title “world’s most popular boyband” is inherently associated with the band One Direction.

Private jet, 40,000 audience concert night

In the article, The Guardian summarized the flashy successes that the band from the land of kimchi achieved after only 5 years of debut.

This May, BTS made history by becoming the first K-pop group to top the US Billboard Top 200 chart thanks to their latest album Love Yourself: Tear .

Next, in September this year, BTS was invited to the United Nations headquarters as UNICEF ambassadors to speak about the importance of believing in yourself and not succumbing to social pressure. festival.

BTS at the United Nations headquarters – Photo: AP

“To be at their first shows in the UK, BTS flew in by private jet. They also used a private jet to go to the US, part of their world tour. Show on the 6th -10 peaked with 40,000 spectators filling New York’s Citi Field stadium,” The Guardian wrote.

According to analysis by The Guardian, although BTS has performed many shows with audiences similar to Citi Field in other countries, however, the US market is still considered by K-pop artists to be the last “front”. They also need to conquer to affirm their reputation.

Until now, only a few K-pop representatives have penetrated the US market such as Big Bang, EXO, 2NE1’s leader CL, and BTS with 40,000 Citi Field tickets sold out in less than 10 minutes. minute.

“On this tour, we performed in very big venues, and it made us see that people really love us,” said Jimin happily crying on the Citi Field stage.

BTS performed at Citi Field, New York on October 6, 2018 – Photo: BigHit Entertainment

We know that fame is not permanent. So we enjoy the journey on this “roller coaster”, when it stops, it means it has completed its journey. We fly in private jets, perform in stadiums, but I don’t think this [glamour] is mine. It feels like we are ‘borrowing’ someone’s money

Grammy dream

According to critics, social networks are the reason for BTS’s success in the US market.

In 2016, BTS became the most retweeted group on Twitter, before this group won the Most Influential Artist award on social networks for two consecutive years at the Billboard Music Awards in 2017 and 2018.

Currently, this music group has more than 13.7 million followers on Instagram and more than 7.4 million likes on Facebook.

BTS becomes the first Korean boyband to appear on the cover of Time magazine, scheduled to be released on October 22, 2018.

Some other factors contributing to BTS’s success include BTS’s hiatus, the growing interest in K-pop in the US, plus the series of visual content BTS continuously covers. broadcast (from behind-the-scenes videos to reality shows that these boys participate in).

The audience was gradually drawn into curiosity and from then on “stuck” in their love of this group.

BTS performed at the 2017 American Music Awards in Los Angeles – Photo: WireImage

Meanwhile, this BTS fan affirmed that music and lyrics are the factors that make them love their idol.

BTS’s music started out as old-school R&B and hip-hop tunes, then moved on to incorporate a variety of genres, from EDM to South African house.

BTS’s lyrics are also becoming more and more complex, becoming the voices of people who have experienced trauma, while also expressing concerns for society.

In many respects, BTS fits the stereotype of a “classic” boyband with excellent visuals and sounds.

But they are also grown men who know how to cry, who know how to accept and expose their vulnerable points, their failures in an extremely harsh world of love and hate.

Like many music stars with a large fan base, BTS is well aware of the line between love and the risk of being turned away by fans.

“Reputation is like a cloud, there is light and there is also darkness, it is something that will follow you all the time and you can hardly escape,” said Suga, the member called the most “serious” member of the group by The Guardian. stated.

Excessive admiration sometimes becomes a nuisance, but J-hope, born in 1994, sees it as an “expression of love”.

Members of the band BTS

BTS once sent a witty message to their over-the-top fans, through the lyrics of the song Pied Piper: “Stop watching and start learning, your parents and bosses already hate us.” “.

For many people, BTS is just a symbol of an industry that is no different from a candy production machine, because K-pop is inherently considered a cruel environment with a harsh training system and Management methods exhaust artists.

Meanwhile, K-pop fans are often equated with immature teenage girls.

“I find it pointless to argue about this. Frankly, I cannot understand people who want to downplay a certain form of music, whatever it is. It’s a matter of taste and understanding.” understand – there is no good or bad, no high or low here,” Suga countered.

Suga doesn’t bother arguing, because he and his teammates are busy trying for their dreams, even though they still sound far away.

Many times, Suga publicly expressed his “ambition” about the Grammy Award, and also set the goal of performing at the famous American Super Bowl football tournament with 71,000 spectators on the field and 120 million viewers at home.

BTS on the red carpet at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards – Photo: Getty Images

Who is BTS?

BTS is the “brainchild” of veteran producer Bang Shi Hyuk, who worked with “giant” JYP and then went on to establish his own entertainment company, Big Hit Entertainment.

Debuting in 2013, BTS consists of 7 members: Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook.

The group has released 6 studio albums, including 3 Korean albums: Dark & ​​Wild, Wings, Love Yourself: Tear; and three Japanese albums Wake Up, Youth, and Face Yourself.

Since its formation, the group has won many awards at famous awards ceremonies such as Mnet Asian Music Awards, Melon Music Awards, Seoul Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, The Asian Awards, American Music Awards…

BTS also appeared in famous American television shows such as Late Late Show With James Corden, The Ellen Show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon…