BTS vs. K-POP: a video essay

[@ronlim20]

Everybody's already complimented this for its depth and excellent research so I will just say that I LAUGHED at the height difference between stick figure Namjoon and stick figure Yoongi

[@monimuppet6132]

Me too!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@nevaladder]

Plus, Yoongi looked morose and Namjoon still had his dimples. 😂

[@simplymarvelousliving]

And the dimples 😂

[@LillianOglethorpe]

I echo every comment here!! And honestly, I loved the entire video but that was my favorite bit.

[@ll-vk2nm]

Me too tho 😂😂😭

[@DesmondaCathabel]

This feels like a better intro to BTS than every BTS intro video ever

[@ElwoodShort]

I would agree with that, this deals with most of the issues of definition very well. yes they are ‘Kpop’, but ‘Kpop’ is clearly a much more expansive definition than is widely assumed. BTS could equally be described as world music or fusion music, or of course pop music. I think Asian fusion hip hop would work as well. Probably fair to say that, Kpop is one definition for BTS, but certainly not the only one.

[@purpleglasses4511]

we should request this video first before the intro to BTS one bc this gives sooo much more context tbh

[@purpleglasses4511]

@ANNA M ROMEO nice. treat it like a movie night, eat snacks with it or smth. enjoy those 30 mins!

[@daeguboy8136]

I agree 100%

[@ginelle7]

Agreed 💜

[@nausicaa1442]

You are the most qualified to interview BTS honestly. Finally a rational person who would ask other questions than just ''What's your favorite food?''

[@jezzarte3587]

Lila Free this!!!!!

[@chanellh]

Lila Free omg yes!

[@JaxB93]

YES!!!!

[@hadassah6563]

But I have to knoooow Does jhope like hamburgers??? I'm still not sure😖😖😖 Lol

[@hadassah6563]

@@TheNinjutsuAlchemist ikr. I mean, how r we supposed to know??? No one ever asks the important questions😔

[@rvermillion8188]

Screw it, I'm attending this 30 minutes TED talk.

[@marinal.]

haha

[@Thethingummything]

Exactly what went through my head before clicking this

[@namjoonsrighttiddie3204]

Unfortunate most people who watch this video will already like BTS, and the ones who are uneducated will never see this.

[@ywluv]

*sigh*

[@emmajin622]

*sigh*

[@francaellerman2276]

I don't know BTS very well so this was informational

[@darao.4907]

I’m not a bts fan and I’m watching this

[@koosplatforms4063]

D O I’m proud of you, love. 🖤

[@parushapradhan7570]

Can we start recommending this to reactors and linking this everywhere? Guys? Can we all like unite somehow and make this viral.

[@-amel-9896]

YES YES YES

[@곤고-w3f]

Agree

[@jocelyn9744]

Absolutely!

[@nepenthe_1610]

I support multiple fandoms stop the hate yes pls!

[@luciagutierrez7879]

Okey👌

[@msl1689]

I think Namjoon would approve of this video.

[@esilenna8716]

I hope he could see that video some day

[@BeAG00dHuman]

I had the same thought. lols I imagined Namjoon saying this when asked to give a 30mins talk on kpop

[@saraszabo7749]

Yes

[@ayeshamohammed6414]

So does our Yoongi 💜🤗

[@celialusma4618]

Lol a 30 minutes essay the president would approved hahhah

[@vanessaives40]

I sometimes view BTS as a representation of modern trends: (self) acceptance, team work, multiculturalism, respect, intelligence, uniqueness, hard work, rise of social networks. They really brought together western individual-oriented and eastern community-oriented values in a very unexpected way. The group created a little bit of chaos in strict hierarchical structure of Confucian Korea AND among big international corporations. I can't even imagine the whole picture of their impact on or meaning for culture and society. Even the guys are confused haha. Btw, loved the cartoon story of pdogg, sleepy and bang-pd interaction xd

[@mounther7881]

Intelligence?

[@renelynfuentes7958]

@@mounther7881, BTS songs inspires in so many books and BTS members always recommend books to fans to read.

[@RyubearSaysGao]

Confucian Korea...sorry but, that's just complete and utter bullshit. At this moment in time, Korea is as capitalist of a country as it gets. Confucianism died in China when Mao Zedong began his uprise, and never quite resurfaced. You're delusional if you try to somehow romanticize Korea as a Confucian country.

[@classyrichwise]

@@RyubearSaysGao he's not saying it is. He's saying their history were heavily influenced with it/ derived from it

[@sarasaeed6349]

南雲Haruya he literally said they still carry some confucian ideals in the culture not that the country as a whole is still confucian, and where is the romanticisation??? you’re confused

[@mahikamihan]

this is amazing, entertaining, and so well-researched. also, i love how you draw namjoon as super tall in 15:07

[@bbygang]

that's Danae's work!

[@renoirrr]

Imagine soobin 😳

[@AREM94]

I laughed when I saw that.

[@papsgirl0000]

​@@renoirrrsoobin's never gonna fit in the screen 😂

[@michaellacaballes937]

THE WAY YOU NARRATED THEIR NAMJOON CASTING DSGHJDHG

[@chelseadgafx3]

I'm cackling.

[@ban_ana_bread]

I laughed way too hard 😂😂🤣

[@zbrewed]

“They represent a new horizon.” I like what you said here.

[@felixx3642]

Your analysis of BTS - Kpop it's better than many journalist who has the privilege of write to famous newspapers n sites with a lot of influence

[@forg_tful.]

it should be said that the only reason armys try to distinctly separate bts from kpop is exactly the stigma and bad reputation the genre has with the general public and the negative tags connected to it that immediately get stuck to bts as well. that's the takeaway of this video. thank you! (i'd like to add the added factor of other kpop fandoms trashing bts continuously as well)

[@Maria-ir1wq]

Kat and because kpop fandoms hate bts and they drag them with lies and get 17k likes every week

[@bbygang]

yess and soon i'll be aiming to tackle that very stigma and bad reputation as well because much of it is unfair! but thank you for this! i'm glad you took that away from this video as i intended

[@forg_tful.]

@@Maria-ir1wq oh i know, i'm on army twitter. army independence day is a thing.

[@Maria.S9]

So you think it's preferable to separate BTS from what they are, because some people are racist and prejudiced towards a genre just because it's from an Asian country? Instead of sticking up for it and properly promoting its good sides, while acknowledging the existence of its bad sides (bad sides, not necessarily the exact same ones in their entirety, that exist in the American showbiz too)?

[@forg_tful.]

@@Maria.S9 not just the racism. other kpop stans continuously ridicule the guys to this day and that is a major part of it as well. we don't want to be associated with them.

[@zagubionemysli]

I got into BTS because of Wings. I was really impressed with the artistry of the album that is not present in the works of many western artists. I don't think that BTS is inferior in any way to popular artists of today. I think they work harder.

[@laila1752]

they r superior. lol

[@kotasriveni7914]

Me : I stan bts Them : y? Me : maybe u should listen to pied piper!!

[@laceratedbythumbtacks]

wings was also what got me into them. that album is superior and nothing could ever top it, for me at least.

[@carinapena1589]

I honestly think that BTS is kpop but way more than that.

[@ilikehatecommentsmorethann5825]

Pls watch The rise of bangtan docu-series

[@michelle5900]

"We are very easygoing when it comes to classifying other people when they come from other regions but not recognizing that we are regional artists ourselves" 24:51

[@ruthlessrays9761]

Journalists need to know the difference between BTS being a KPOP group and KPOP is not the whole BTS. If BTS win a particular award in the west, it's only a win for BTS & ARMY and not the whole kpop industry.

[@slimeboy5626]

Their good as a group. Nothing more.

[@banabelle]

exactly

[@dragonrj1233]

@@slimeboy5626 yeah BTS is unique 💯

[@notificationoffbark.5089]

exactly !

[@notificationoffbark.5089]

i don't see ariana winning award makes pop Industry success like?? it her time only to shine same to bts

[@ksb9469]

Tablo is extremely smart and graduated with his Master's Degree in just a few months. Haters tried to destroy him by spreading rumors that he didn't.

[@layloo5244]

SK Angel its honestly so sad what happened to him. He lost his dad because of this.

[@xjpnfanx]

tru, he was even scared of loosing his daughter but his badass 9 month in labor pregnant wife drove herself to the hospital.

[@savannahnoname3250]

@@xjpnfanx what happened to him? I hope he’s okay🥺 (along with the rest of his family, of course)

[@Sam_70]

Fck blinks

[@ksb9469]

@@Sam_70 Why? They just as good.

[@btsjiminface]

A few of my friends used to be into kpop when they were teenagers. I was never into kpop, but now I am a fan of BTS. Whenever I speak about BTS, these friends have this unshakeable image of kpop. They feel that they know everything about BTS because they used to be a fan of kpop. They feel that they are no longer kpop fans and never want to go back to that part of their lives again. They have no idea how different BTS is different from those kpop groups they stanned back then, and they have lots of negative preconceptions of BTS because of that.

[@janejung7439]

I have similar experiences as some of my friends and siblings view kpop and BTS in that way--negative preconceptions are so difficult to break down. To break down why BTS is different, the person has to be willing to sit down for this deep conversation but most wouldn't because they don't take it seriously. Then they carry along their day continuing to believe they have the right idea...🤷‍♀️for those people, I take their actions with a grain of salt.

[@Ganhiwa]

They way you describe them gives me the feeling like they are the kinds of ppl that label BTS as 'just kpop' without bothering to look deeper. You know, the kind that makes degrading jokes and sometimes halfway racist remarks and when you get angry says stuff like: 'chill man, don't take it so seriously, it's just kpop'. The irony here is BTS talking about anxiety, self harm, suicide, domestic abuse, bullying, opression, self love and self hatered ++, and then ppl say it's just kpop... Some of these topics are pretty darn important and should not be dismissed.

[@denzelwenzel]

@@emilys2562 Maybe they have alot of great Qualitis, outside of their relationship with BTS....

[@denzelwenzel]

@@elsaz2673 But is that a good thing? The whole BTS saving peoples lives? It's definitely impressive, that music non Korean spearkers will never fully understand, can have that kinda emotional impact on people....i just dont know if it's healthy. This of course have nothing to do with boys themselves. more a comment on fandom culture i guess

[@annikastephan]

@@janejung7439 I'm not trying to be rude but generally curious as a person that likes many different groups and artist and finds that most of them are equally talented, what makes bts "different" ? (like in your comment above)

[@snowhibiscus]

I guess that's why I call myself a BTS fan yet not really a Kpop fan. I do see a difference between BTS and other Kpop artists. I've been around the scene since Shinhwa and Rain yet BTS pulls me in more. Never been the crazed fan before but starting now at my age and with BTS, I surprised myself too. Love your video, you show your true journalism by the homework you did.

[@zzzz44400]

Me too.

[@anuradhachaudhuri7314]

You speak facts sis

[@jins7633]

@@zzzz44400 lol me too... people ask me if I’m kpop fan and I say, no, I’m a BTS fan 😂

[@butterfly1649]

Trueee... I had seen some of Kpop videos also (second gen) but I only got more connected and hooked with Bangtan.

[@ilikehatecommentsmorethann5825]

Pls watch The rise of bangtan docu-series

[@sunayna4sho]

ARMYs, we will be forever tagging this under poorly researched and inflammatory articles!

[@terezatomazic6736]

yes!! plus sending it to family members ;)

[@nevaladder]

New plan! 👏

[@parushapradhan7570]

Amen!

[@deez3000]

Said Every 13 year old ever

[@sunayna4sho]

Xnii_ Chan loool if you really care then add 10 more years to that 😂

[@kaylarodrigues7892]

It's so interesting how western media views itself as the end-all be-all. I think the biggest thing i took from learning about BTS was that my lens was so much smaller than I realized. Being American (not to mention being born in the cultural hub that is Southern California) i grew up solely on western media, culture, and ideals. Until I was old enough to use the internet and seek out different things, I never really thought about other places in the world or their cultures/ideals in general. I knew they existed, of course, but I thought that their lives were exactly the same as us in the states, just with different languages. It's great to see that BTS really is breaking through that airtight media barrier separating the West from the rest of the world. It makes me hopeful for the future.

[@mimiandy1683]

This is how I feel, when I see American BTS fans try to disassociate BTS from being a part of Korean music culture. Just because of their popularity in the United States.

[@HarunaMaurer]

Also want to point out how incoherent the media is: They categorize BTS in Kpop to minimize their efforts and attribute their success to this industry/genre, but then also you see headlines that link the raise of the Kpop industry thanks to BTS and how it is taking over. Is it really that difficult to see that BTS came from a small company, so they had no privilege like big companies and them taking over the world doesn't meant the whole Kpop industry will too???

[@sezmonsta3229]

Fr tho anything associated with young women will get trashed on 👀

[@elscullens]

I also believe that critics think that [dance = girly stuff = silly empty fad]. I can elaborate. The "dance" part of BTS is one of the main factors that made the media diminish them and Kpop in general, (the fact that they dance AND make music you can dance to). I'm assuming that the majority of music critics and media magazine editors are male and althought they work with music, they don't "like to dance". I don't see them saiyng to themselves: "what a long week, I NEED to hit the dancefloor to decompress". But females love dancing and many artist that start catering to that experience change their style and suddenly critics "can" like them. I'm summoning the classics, Elvis started hip-dancing his way to female hearts and won over critics with time with more "serious" stuff. First Beatles, the 60's Beach Boys live recordings that are drowned by female screams, that Funk music is superior to Disco (that is easier to dance than, let's say, Prince), and all the "lets kill disco" thing that happened July 12, 1979, the fact that House music started in Chicago, died in the US, but is still thriving in Europe, all the hate EDM gets from the media in the US and how they are crazy for it to go away... Maybe they grew up in the 90's and the death of their beloved Grunge by Britney and the rest of the overproduced dancing boys is something they are still traumatized about. Anyhow, the dance part in BTS is not going anywhere, it is incredibly important. Kpop was conceived as an international export and the korean language barrier was instantly broken by dance. Seo Taiji and the Boys understood this perfectly.

[@ylee442]

This is seriously the best thing ive seen that explains kpop/idol music...and this is coming from a korean. Kudos to you. It was well researched and to the point. Everyone needs to watch this...esp some of these kpop writers.

[@YassinAdam]

Awesome video bro^^

[@bbygang]

KING!

[@yoongiswife6173]

I see you everywhere. Amazing.

[@robynfenty3626]

are you that adam from twitter

[@amirantogo9595]

Adam you here 🥰💜

[@taesmile.]

are u the adam of twitter?

[@monicawv]

i love the fact that you included namjoon's dimples in his drawing i-

[@siberiasian]

Idk why but it was so wholesome

[@mhl4023]

Ikr

[@DisneyxFan1]

when you said the people categorizing bts as kpop isnt the problem, its that that is the ONLY thing people choose to categorize them by, omg.. exactly. the k-industry is FULL of talented people, we dont want to completely separate them for it like ?? like you said, they have created a new horizon of kpop and we just want bts to be seen as such creators and more. people (especially fans of other k-pop fandoms) love to give past generations credit for things theyve achieved but dont want to give bts theirs and even tries to strip said achivements away from bts. its just not fair and we want that for them like they deserve.

[@me9981]

That's not true. Normal people who are fans of other groups or other groups and BTS don't discredit BTS' success. They just want ARMYs to understand that success of kpop is not only on BTS. Of course there are those annoying ones who discredit BTS too but like...that's kpop for you. Kpop has a lot of crazy fans. I'm a fan of a lot of groups from all 3 generations and let me tell you something - all 3 gens have groups that did a lot for kpop. Seo Taiji was one of the first kpop groups. SM created kpop trainee system (sadly). TVXQ and BoA did a lot in Japan. Shinee made dance practices what they are today and because of them people take kpop dancers more seriously. And don't even let me started with SNSD, Wonder Girls and Twice. Big Bang created lightsticks, they were huge and crazy famous and and they also had a similar path as BTS did (came from the bottom). EXO and SuJu still sell crazy amounts of albums even though they are not as big as BTS anymore. And then came BTS and made so much achievements that no one should discredit and now it's their time. Many groups did a lot for kpop and each of them lived and thrived in their own time. That's the thing many kpop fans try to explain to ARMYs you know...

[@bandotaku]

@@me9981 This, all of this!

[@melonlord2173]

@@me9981 Shout it for the people at the back! Like, op said that armies don't actually want bts separated from kpop but there definitely are some that do. There are many kpop fans that like to discredit bts and reduce their achievements but there are also armies that refuse to accept that other kpop groups have been successful. We are all complicit in hate culture, every group has been attacked by stans of other fandoms and every fandom has attacked another group for no reason before.

[@me9981]

@@melonlord2173 Omg I love your comment! It's perfect! I have this one friend who told me that BTS transcends music. I was like - no, we all have different music tastes and that's it lmao. I love her to death but when it comes to music our rule is 'we don't talk about BTS when we're together ' lmao. I'm a big fan too but she's like....she needs to chill and leave people to have their own opinions. That's why I commented that. I always want to be polite and explain to people how the other side feels. Other side being people who listen to BTS and other kpop groups too.

[@taetae678]

@@me9981 can I say don't say worldwide say America in my Continent the first kpop group to be heard is BTS paving the way is not making genres of course that's black artists thing paving the way meant seeing beyond psy was called chinese in our continent but after bts everyone was surprised there was a country called korea its not about popularity its about impact some groups could have never got the chance like they have now

[@donnal.padilla4336]

You aren't acting smart as you are smart! You grasp BTS perfectly. You should apply for the forums that are popping up every where as critics or experts in music try to grasp how & why BTS have become so huge ...& keep growing. You are an intellectual. Wonder how you & Namjoon would hit it off. Would get a kick out of seeing you do an interview with them. This video was journalism at its high finest level. Thank you. Blessings 💜 By the way you have a new subscriber. I found you thru Twitter. Glad I did.

[@gong0407]

This is just one point of difference between BTS and the current kpop groups - so many forums online are onto BTS in S Korea, and even in the US (universities).

[@megmug8288]

20:35 "When you simply label BTS as a Kpop group, or as a boyband, and then paint their fanbase as sex-crazed young women whose attraction to the group stems from physical attraction and general excitement and hysteria, you not only are sort of painting a bad image about young women in general and their tastes, but you're also missing a key component of why the group is successful." THANK YOU! As an aroace, people are always shocked to find out that I love BTS. They just can't wrap their brains around the fact that I enjoy them without feeling any physical or sexual attraction to them. I'm not here because they're pretty (although they definitely are). I'm here for their personalities, their music, their messages, their unapologetic way of being entirely themselves. They encourage me to love myself and to also be unabashedly myself. Plus their music just sounds nice, there's no denying it. Find me seven more talented people, I dare you.

[@qabasalkharusi]

exactly im aroace too!

[@mamejoe2043]

Find me seven more talented people 💜💜💜💜💜facts. BTS saved me and because of their music I keep going

[@Peertje304]

I'm aroace too! I recently discovered Taemin (i like learning about other artists in the industry hence I'm watching this video) and i'm bracing myself for whatever reactions i'll receive from random people in my life 👁👄👁

[@alexandralee138]

"Or don't be nice. F**k it, I can take it". So you're intelligent, measured AND brave? Elliot, you're seriously making me regret my entire dating history, istg. On a more serious note though, I'm very, very interested in this topic. Western media's embarrassing coverage of BTS, that is. I had to quit twitter some time before I became army (the toxic, inescapable talk of politics was legit giving me anxiety issues) so many of the most offending articles and reports never came to my attention. That infamous Hollywood Reporter article even you quote was actually the first piece from a non-kpop oriented source I ever read in its entirety. I was offended on so many levels (mainly by the unapologetic lack of professionalism from someone who calls himself a journalist) that I did some reasearch and stumbled upon a talk by philosophy professor Jiyoung Lee. She gets invited to talk in a lot of places because she wrote a book about BTS, I'm sure you must've heard about it. Prof. Lee was highlighting the way army responds to this kind of articles; screenshoot and distribute them in social media so that the bulk of army doesn't have to click on them and give them views. But while prof. Lee finds this way of fighting prejudice in western media fascinating (and it is), I couldn't help but think that it wasn't nearly enough. This kind of lazy, unfair and ingorant reporting needs to be called out and boycotted, sure, but there also needs to be more availability of quality content that analyzes the BTS phenomenon in a more serious, less mocking way. Such a huge portion of western mainstream media haven't remotely clued in on the fact that BTS is not just a fad. It's embarrasing, predictable, but embarrassing. I'm with you, we're going to be discussing BTS for a long while. And kpop too. Kpop is indeed a part of them, as they themselves acknowledge, so an honest, serious examination of kpop is necessary. Even if some armys would prefer to disassociate BTS from that label. My point is, you're putting out the kind of content that's needed in this conversation. Please, keep it coming!

[@dnikkithatsame5990]

So true. I grew up in the 90s, reading Rolling Stone Magazines that gave “legitimacy” to new artists through thoughtful reporting on them. I’ve been waiting for that a-ha moment with BTS. The moment when the members are asked about song creation ... shit, about choreography. But it’s seems right now no one is doing that article and as per usual, 15 years later, when someone gets around to it, there will be all this backpedaling about how they new how important these artists were.

[@therearenogirlsontheinternet_]

What do you think of BTS performing in Saudi Arabia?

[@sarahbts4592]

@@therearenogirlsontheinternet_ what about bts performing in saudi arabia???

[@eileencritchley4630]

@@therearenogirlsontheinternet_ I think good for the fans in Saudi Arabia why should they be discriminated against, told they can't see BTS perform in their country. The people of Saudi Arabia should be able to hear the powerful message BTS sing and Rapp about, just like anyone else.

[@RN_2000]

Idk why ppl still fight over this didn’t RM himself said that in N.O intro “ the revolution just started again “ , they are kind of revolutionary movement that changing the kpop scene so rather than separating them just think of it as the changing point of kpop , but again tbh even tho there’s some kind of change they made like the concepts rookies groups have now is revolves around self-acceptance/love and such , I’m afraid that those companies gonna present those concepts so poorly that ppl would get tired of them so rather than a revolutionary movement that makes improvements to the industry bts will be just a one kind revolutionary group that’s ppl will forever try to copycat, i think i just mixed two point into one but Idc

[@yel5783]

YES EXACTLY!!! finally an intellectual

[@anzalaaiman9971]

So true :/

[@caperclaw]

K-Pop is to music as anime is to animation. Both are just words used in the West to segregate it and devalue it. It brings to mind a certain set of idea/themes/stereotypes/etc but both are deep and vast oceans of expression. This is an excellent breakdown of both K-Pop and BTS and will be recommended.

[@notaspeck6104]

Anime is literally the Japanese word for animation. Chill tf out.

[@astrawwberri]

@@notaspeck6104When people hear the word ‘anime’, they don’t think of Japanese animation as a whole, but the cringey over sexualised badly written and infantilising animations that are made by Japan. Nobody but the anime community even cares to recognise that animes refer to all animated films in Japan and not just that one stereotype of it. Not saying that that stereotype is untrue but it is untrue when used to generalise the whole anime industry

[@kdavis162]

Thank you for taking on this topic. I’m a 45 year-old white American woman and I love KPop. All of it. BTS happens to be my favorite because they do bend the idea of what KPop is. And in turn, have become globally successful, a phenomenon I find truly remarkable. The diversity of KPop is somewhat similar to the diversity of American pop music. Thank you for pointing out that Lizzo is as different as other American pop music. That is exactly why music lovers always have something to listen to, no matter where they are from. I also recently read something RM said in an interview about how he is a Korean singer and that’s part of his identity. I can get behind someone who knows themselves (no matter how much that may be). Again, thank you for your opinion.

[@kalina1871]

this video is truly amazing

[@AlexaOleksa]

I like Suga's description of Kpop that it is an integrated content that contains: music, performance, makeup, visual, and amalgamated visual-auditorial content

[@namu7868]

Perfect representation of what really Kpop and BTS are. It's time for people to see the artists as artists not just part of genre/industry/institution

[@natalyab5055]

Very interesting video! Thank you. And that very realistic depiction of the argument between Bang PD and Pdogg over RM made my day!

[@ThemperorZir]

Every journalist who writes about BTS should have to watch this.

[@phoenix8854]

I was trying to be very serious about the kpop history then BangPD and Pdogg came up. But wow. This is very interesting and informative.

[@muyou6589]

I feel kpop is like the anime of Korea, in the sense that they're defined in a different way in western countries. They basically have the same dilemma, for example: Is "Avatar: The Last Airbender" an anime? Is EXP edition a kpop group? Some will say: no, they were not created in Japan/Korea. Some others will say: yes, they have the same vibe. But that only matters to westerners because for Koreans, they don't have a distinction between pop and Kpop, for them kpop is simply pop (yeah, I don't know how to explain this part clearly). Right now kpop for them is more like what foreigners like, rather than Korean pop (aka the music that Korean people like). The same happens to anime, for Japanese people every kind of animation is anime, even Disney movies. However, they still can understand the kind of animation western people refer to when they say anime.

[@TiinkerBells]

Koreans do have a distinction between kpop (idol) music and regular pop music though.

[@yel5783]

I feel like fans saying bts is not kpop is like saying "naruto is not an anime". I can't believe how many people here hates kpop but loves bts like...same thing as "i hate anime but i love naruto🙄"

[@muyou6589]

@@TiinkerBells This is the part that was hard for me to explain😅 Yes, I agree, they consider kpop equal to idol music, but they haven't really used the term "kpop" to be an equivalent until recently, when the hallyu thing got bigger, and it gained more international attention. So, I feel like the term "kpop" is a imported foreign word that was first used outside of South Korea to define music from there. Kpop has lost it's literal meaning of "Korean popular music", and changed into something like "Korean music that foreigners like which just happened to be idol music". In the end, foreigners are the ones that feel the need to define/defend it, not them.

[@muyou6589]

@@yel5783 I think you CAN'T say that BTS isn't kpop in the sense of music from Korea, or even in the sense of boy band music from Korea. However, you can perfectly like them, but not the whole kpop thing because of whatever reasons. Kpop is getting bigger, and there are different groups with different characteristics and concepts. Most of them might just not be your cup of tea, and the industry indeed has some pretty toxic/dark stuff.

[@deen_771]

@@yel5783 PERIOD

[@lauranmackenzie4068]

I see it as: kpop isn’t a genre, it’s an industry. Not both. The genre is mainly POP MUSIC, it really just seems like they put the K in front of pop because it’s coming from Korean artists. But as we can see with a lot of groups, including bts, they do dabble into other genres as well. So technically no group necessarily has to be deemed as “kpop” but if all they’re putting out is pop music then I find that label quite fitting for them. Again that’s just always how I’ve seen kpop, I’ve never really paid any mind to the idea that it’s representative of “popular music in Korea.” And I find that phrase very confusing mainly because international songs can be VERY popular in Korea but they would never be labeled as kpop. Let me know what you think!

[@Tae_Vear7]

Sad that people who are not ARMY'S WILL NOT click on this video, because the clarification is on point. All that they will ever click is when people talk bad about them. What a shame. This videoessay has to be played in podcast, radios (lol) and TV. It's really informative and crediting BTS as they have to be credited.

[@samantha4638]

I was really hesitant to approach this every time you would tweet about it coming out soon but this is a perfect explainer! Great job Elliot!! Thanks for really taking the time to actually go through all the nuances so many people often miss (even actual ARMY). Now we just need more media reps to see it.

[@ParallaxHearts]

Amazing video!! I remember becoming friends with a South Korean transfer student in middle school, MANY years ago, and she introduced me me to H.O.T. No one in America called it "Kpop" back then, as almost nobody here knew about them. To see the change today, where it's normal to like BTS in America - that was a huge amount of growth in a very short time. So proud. For me, the only time it's irritating to hear BTS lumped into the American idea of "Kpop" is when the conversation is about the abuse, plastic surgery, suicide, etc. Some people use that to attack fans of groups that don't fit the mold, or these tabloid buzzwords.

[@itsfine_txt]

"So BTS are really big. They're REALLY big." Me: lol I know that- "They're big beyond the imagined constraints that groups like theirs are meant to reach" Me: OH

[@mina4530]

Your opinions resonated with mine about the "BTS vs K-pop" discussion (which, if I remembered correctly, have been continually being brought up on twitter for a while now - it didn't just start when the # about kicking armys out of the K-pop community began, I see it was a gradual branching out by some ARMYs over the years as BTS began to gain momentum in popularity). BTS has been on the rise, but they're K-pop, generally speaking. However --- it is indeed important to point out how they're an aberrant case. On twitter, or other platforms such as fb with a number of active stans, you see other stans fight over this "BTS vs K-pop" thing. I'm not eloquent enough (or patient with a lot of time in my hands) to reply to people why I did think so, without whipping a long as$ essay - lest I get the brunt of angry stans both from the fandom and from other fandoms... At the end of the day, bts has accumulated success and will continue to do so. They still have a wall to overcome, which is the xenophobia. As someone who lives in SE Asia, where there's differences in culture and language from South Korea, I've more or less encountered a lot of xenophobic remarks towards bts. However, I often let these remarks be. The only way I found that can counter these remarks is to "help" and contribute to BTS's success and good image which is how ARMYs have come to familiarize with since our grassroots campaigns a few years ago, and the message that bts spreads. I'm not very vocal on twitter, but I also know that BTS gets affected by the negativity. That's when I realized that those things couldn't be removed or mitigated immediately... 'Fan power' is an amazing and scary thing IMO. It's just sad how we tend to abuse it to the point we just want to make our opinions "right", instead of being understanding. Anyways, I have written this long comment 💦💦💦 but I appreciate this video a lot. I hope this gets more views!

[@harinimarchadi1204]

this is the best explanation of the industry i've ever seen

[@Meeekuuuu]

My friends are big Kpop fans and they stan so many groups which isn’t a bad thing but they tget annoyed that im only an army. Whenever i say Bts are different to me they say that I’ve never heard other groups. Im serious when i say I’ve heard about every Kpop group. Txt, twice, bp, big bang, svt, skz, monsta x, got7, RV, 2ne1, enhyphen, mcnd and way more. And I haven’t just heard the title tracks. No groups appeals to me other than bts. Im not hating on other groups but BTS are the only group i love in the matter if unique lyrics, personality, music, content and more. Its not that I haven’t given other groups a chance, they just don’t click with me. BTS are something else

[@strawberry_buns]

same I feel like my standards raised to high after staning Bts xd they’re really different from other groups. I gave other idol groups a try but I just ended up casually listen to their songs and nothing really more, no one got me like Bts 😂

[@00lilsunshine]

Its weird how a lot of people have the same sentiment because I feel the same way too

[@Meeekuuuu]

@@strawberry_buns i completely agree, it's not a bad thing to stan a small amount of groups because for some people only 1 group fits their standards and bts raised mine to the point i cant stan other groups

[@Meeekuuuu]

@@00lilsunshine yup

[@gwenmloveskpopandmore]

@@strawberry_buns for me it’s the opposite. I used to be a huge army but got tired of them and moved on to other groups

[@bett1138]

This is just amazing. You said everything. Everyone should see this video to understand what kpop and BTS really are. Also, BTS brought korean culture into America and Europe. I wouldn’t be watching this video if it wasn’t for them and this just makes them kpop. When we say “BTS paved the way” we intend this. I think that they also aren’t tho. They changed kpop, they brought a new idea of it all over the world, even in Korea. They’re unique but they also aren’t. Idk maybe I’m just stupid lmao

[@snisa92]

BTS really worth to do a case study. Like movie parasite, everytime people take a look again, they find something new. Its very mindblowing. I hope BTS stay active and stay long together until when more medias finally recognize their achievement, talent, etc and no longer lump them again to kpop achievement. They deserve those respect and recognition.

[@idontreallycare152]

@@snisa92 Amen to that😭😭

[@maritareads5229]

Maybe the case could be made for America but not necessarily Europe because Super Junior was the first group to gain popularity in Europe specifically France

[@JaserKing123]

@@maritareads5229 I am French. I never knew Kpop before BTS.

[@ilikehatecommentsmorethann5825]

@@maritareads5229 pls watch The rise of bangtan docu-series (it shows what makes bts different)

[@lemplatinum]

I think the conclusion is that yes, BTS is k-pop but k-pop is a hard thing to describe and doesn’t fit in really any category, same with BTS but in a way BTS is more things than just k-pop

[@MinSugaCheonjae]

This video has been popping up on my home page for a while now and I'm so glad I took the time to watch it. As someone who has been a BTS fan for 5+ years, I completely agree with what you said: BTS is k-pop, but they are not just k-pop. They are so much more and it's unfair to both BTS and the other k-pop groups to lump them in the same category. Thank you for this well researched, eloquent video. You have a new subscriber!

[@VenusAD]

This is one of the best pieces on Bangtan I've ever seen. As an ARMY since before they blew up, it's been hard to see Western media undercut their individuality and how they've had to work even harder than better funded idols in the industry. The worst part is when they demean the fans and paint us all as young teenage girls only interested in their looks and flashy moves, ugh. Anyway, excellent work! I'm sharing this everywhere. Also can I just say that the animated section was great lol, and I appreciate the little mention of Seventeen, who indeed are also a unique group that puts a ton of their own creative process into their work and does much of their own writing and producing. Again, great job!

[@rmtakhe6398]

I always find it hard to understand people's expression when they ask me Iam a Kpop fan and then I go 'no, IAM BTS fan'. It's clear as day what makes BTS different for me but I guess once you have a name for a genre it's hard to leave out the unique for most people.

[@denzelwenzel]

So what do think makes them different? Cause they obviously differ in some ways, i just dont see the differences as being impactfull enough, to warrant this distinction

[@denissegp91]

@@denzelwenzel Well that depends on the perspective of each person, what you find different doesn't mean that other people find it different. For you there is not much difference between BTS and the other groups out there, but this person (and many other Armys) saw something different in them that makes them only like BTS and not kpop in general.

[@denzelwenzel]

@@denissegp91 Yeah I get that. Musically BTS is my favorite group. And their world building through videos and short films is really cool! But there are groups with similar concepts, and lyrical content. So I ask again, what makes BTS fundamentally different enough, to separate them from k-pop?

[@denissegp91]

@@denzelwenzel That also depends on the definition that everyone has of kpop. in my opinion, I think it's a definition that fits in them, but I also think it's unfair to typecast them just for that (like many other artists, but here we're talking about BTS) besides they've mentioned that they don't want to be just labeled as kpop. This person considers himself only a BTS fan and not Kpop fan, because doesn't really like all kpop and that's fine. Many people get angry or offended when Armys mention that they only like BTS and not kpop, because they have the idea that if you like a kpop group (in this case BTS) you have to like other groups or be a fan of kpop, when it is not. For example, I like some clasic music songs but because I like these songs doesn't mean I'm a fan of the genre or because I like Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi doesn't mean I like all Japanese animated movies. There are times when an artist, song or movie like it even if it's not what you usually hear or see. I know some Armys say it in an offending way, but the majority don't say it with the intention of doing less to other groups or thinking that BTS is not kpop. It's a personal decision to consider BTS kpop or not, as long as they don't offend anyone I don't see any problem.

[@eileencritchley4630]

@@denzelwenzel The fact they have complete creative freedom. They don't follow the rules that other kpop groups have to follow eg they do as they please hence all 7 of them having at least one tattoo. Jungkook being the member who show's his off with Jimin some times showing his off on stage. That's not only a taboo in Korean society it's a big no no in kpop. Their Rappers are real Rappers not 'Idol' Rappers even Idol Rappers themselves have said that BTS are real Rappers not Idol Rappers. Yes they have a foot in kpop in that's they used a modified training system, they get attend, perform, win all the major kpop awards and they dance. They have one foot in the kpop industry but they are also on the fringe of the kpop industry. They are also global artists mainstream artists, they are Song Writers, Composers, Producers, vocalists and Rappers.

[@burningshadows01]

This is a very well though out, laid out video essay and I appreciate how much effort you put into everything. Unfortunately my comment is probably going to be long, rambling and all over the place and I am so sorry in advance about that! I think I agree with others who talk about how people call BTS K-pop in a very dismissive way or treat the fact that they are a group of men who sing/rap/dance as being 'just another boy band/group'. One example I can think of is when they did their UN speech there was an anchor man who basically made fun of them on the news, he acted flabbergasted that BTS would not only be allowed to speak at the UN but be asked to and listened to and to get a warm response from their speech. He at one point said the phrase. "They spread their legs for a living." (that is slightly paraphrased cause I can't remember exactly). That is incredibly frustrating. I'm 39yrs old, I have a 10yr old son. My best friend who is male (and 5yrs older than I am) introduced me to BTS, and I watched Dope then Fire with my son and we both became fans. I have met so many ARMY/fans who are not what people assume the 'targeted demographic' is. I just wish that western journalists would GET it, that BTS isn't here because Kpop has become big or the Hallyu wave got big but they got here on their own merits. Out of all the interviews I have watched them do when in the US, The Zach Sang Show is the one person that asks them questions in regards to their UNICEF campaign and actually told them, please don't release music in English, I don't think you should have to. He wanted to get to know them as people, as a group, as artists and he wanted to understand the message they were trying to give to their audience and why they wanted to and where they would like that message to go. People talk about how Social Media and other things influenced their success and that might be a small part of it but like you said it isn't THE reason. They saved my best friend's life. Their music, their message pulled him out of a really dark time in his life. Their music has also helped me a lot. It has also been something my son listens too when he is upset or scared, etc. A lot has happened this year in our family and BTS' music is something he likes to listen to when he wants to feel better and the fact that they can give my son, myself and my best friend comfort through their music when we are all three dealing with completely different issues is a beautiful thing. Also how much they honestly care about their fans is a wonderful thing, and that they are very humble when it comes to a lot of things. That I think is the beauty of BTS.

[@lovenothate9813]

YES! So much this! I’m 37 and have struggled with various mental and physical health issues throughout my life. The last 3 years have been some of the hardest, but BTS and their music gave me hope in a way no other music or artist ever has, more self-acceptance and perseverance, and so much laughter and joy! I really see them as angels sent to earth to help so many of us survive these difficult times! 💖

[@tylavidal1481]

Well done commentary on BTS, thank you for your insight. I was introduced to BTS while writing a research graduate school paper on k-pop and k-dramas (watched over 60) in December 2020. I fell down the rabbit hole and landed in ARMY after watching a BTS practice dance video and just wanted to know their names. The rest is, as we say, I 💜 you, history. As a 50+ yr old African American wife and mother of 2 teenage girls, I am proud to be ARMY for BTS. I live in New York City and wish more of the U.S. news outlets covered them in a positive and intelligent light as you have. These guys have inspired me and I love their message, videos, dancing, singing, looks, and quirky, weird personalities. My girls and I spend hours watching BTS Vimeo and KZbin videos, BU webtoons, vlogs, Weverse, RUN BTS Episodes, and listen to the 260+ songs on Spotify. These amazing 7 individuals that make up this outstanding band are remarkable and I am all the richer for having found them. I agree with Namjoon and Yoongi - BTS is not a k-pop genre - it is simply BTS.

[@ComedianReacts]

it was gr8 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@mondkindL.L]

Found ya! :D

[@martynakucinskaite]

Came right after your reaction video to check out this comment. Nice 👏

[@em5522]

Like others, also came to find and like after watching your reaction 😅

[@djguidopolese]

Same lol 😂

[@ComedianReacts]

@@mondkindL.L 😱😱😱

[@dirt9081]

THIS. BTS as a “worldwide band” is so much bigger than we understand and it really is so impossible to categorize them even in daily conversation because saying they’re a “k-pop group” just undermines their impact and saying they’re a “phenomenal boyband that revolutionized and changed the music industry as we know” just makes people think that you are, as you put it so well, a “sex-crazed” delusional fan. I’ve never met a single fan or ARMY that liked BTS just for their looks. This video is amazing and I hope it reaches a great amount of people. Thank you for wording this so well and also, your illustrations took me out.

[@bangtan_moonchild]

I think BTS is not only under-represented in the west, but also in Korea itself. People need to start acknowledging BTS for what they are doing.

[@bluekatz101]

I watched this to help me understand why my little sister loves BTS so much...thank you! I get it! I'm very happy she is part of this diverse and progressive community!

[@user28221]

Wow... as a former academic, I say you have a talent to be a great instructor (should you decide to go into the academic field one day) 😊. Your 'report' is well-researched. The subject matter is quite heavy but thank you for presenting it in such a fun way, making it easy to follow 👍.

[@forbtssuga3843]

This is probably the best video I've ever watched about this issue even though it has been covered thousand times. After watching your video all I can say is 'Wow, this is exactly what I wanted to say'. Thank you for your hard work!

[@jjh8367]

I just want everyone to appreciate your executive decision to draw 16 year old Namjoon tall af.

[@prodawgy]

This video kept getting recommended to me by KZbin’s algorithm but I kept putting it off. I am so glad that I watched. I felt like I was in church and being preached to in the choir. I left feeling relieved that somebody out there has understanding about BTS vs. KPOP …. But I felt saddened at the same time because like you mentioned its so nuanced that most ppl don’t care. Our society is full of ppl who are non-critical thinkers and don’t analyze things…they just consume what is easiest. I’m a 40+ year old person who truly respects BTS as the artists they are and I am not ashamed of being a hard core fan of them and their work. Also as a person of color, I find myself constantly in judgement from others for why I like them. It is truly unfortunate that so much is ascribed to the classification of KPOP and some ppl can’t wrap their minds around the fact that like Namjoon says “music can be transcending”. Their music has touched me personally and I am grateful that I have come to know them & their story. This video should be mandatory for all media outlets in the West so they can “get it together”. BTS deserves to be seen as the artists they are and gain full recognition for their work and positive influence they project around the world. Thank you for making this video. 👏 👏 👏 💜.

[@m1r__]

i believe BTS is K-pop at its very best and they are an example of what K-pop can be when its genuine and not manufactured, imo.

[@KimberlyEdwards1228]

Great video. I should be asleep, but I wanted to finish watching your video because it was totally fascinating. People look at me weird when they find out I'm a BTS fan...I'm a 51 year old black woman from Oklahoma. I've noticed that western media treats BTS and K-Pop in general as a fad, as if one day we will all wake up and realize that they're singing in Korean and slap ourselves upside the head saying "what was I thinking?!?" And that is their failure, they don't take them seriously as a musical act and they should.

[@jessie6243]

You had me with your well researched and well delivered explanation of BTS, but you double had me at your support of Tablo’s college issue

[@Ahjusshi_Brown]

Oh Jesus not that “kpop college” guy/clip again 🤦‍♀️😭 the war flashbacks are intense rn 😭😭😂

[@kentokim]

After a year, I'm back at this video with an answer more for myself. That answer is why does it matter if BTS is K-pop or not. It all just seems like a way for the west to label or put foreign artists in a box. It doesn't matter what BTS is they are ♡

[@socho6281]

Kpop did not bring me to BTS If that is the truth, then the assumed reverse may be implied? But BTS did not bring me to Kpop BTS brought me to BTS Nothing else compares to them

[@timomira6162]

As I say, art is art wherever it comes from. It should be treated as it is. Let's take Fullmetall alchemist brotherhood & Aamir Khan's films(any some other films) as example in BTS's position. - Journalist can't write FMA sexualizes women or Dangal is a bollywood film where people use extra power effect and dance all of sudden. Because it is not true! Just because stg goes on in the mass, that doesn't mean everyone should follow it. Exceptions always exist! - Also whatever goes wrong in anime or bollywood world, journalists shouldn't use their achievements or name in the article to write about those things. It is in some way ignorance at the same time it is big dirty media play. Defamation that doesn't look like one! Media knows how general public's mind work! Also just because I love 3 Idiots that doesn't mean I am a bollywood film fan. I don't even know what is released this year. I didn't know many bollywood film use extra power effect. And I don't care. I just love good art! Just like that just because I love BTS, that doesn't mean I'm a Kpop fan. Just because I listen to BTS' music that doesn't mean I am obligated to listen to Kpop songs. But also just because I'm not Kpop fan, that doesn't mean I can't listen to Kpop song.

[@sruticranjith5194]

Also the whole not kpop discourse was first started when other group fans had a “kickbtsoutofkpop” party on twitter. This lead to an “army independence party” and the rise of BTSPOP. I would love BTS to not be associated with the stigma of kpop, and the kind of disrespect they got from the kpop industry and its fans. Loved your vdo so much😘 keep up the good work!!

[@btsawayoflife2532]

👏👏👏

[@bellasong5541]

Also the term BTSPop was coined by K-media because they could see how BTS' music was so different from idol music. It gained traction with Army's when kpopies decided to kick us out.

[@sruticranjith5194]

푸른곰팡이 exactly! Older critics who have analyzed bts songs have said bts songs have “han” that most kpop songs lack.

[@HarunaMaurer]

the whole not kpop discourse was way beyond that moment, almost since the beggining of their debut.

[@annabellesage]

You can never dismiss the fact that bts become this huge because their teacher, sunbaes started hallyu wave. Because Tvxq were named as the rising god's of the asia, bc rain carried the whole kpop in his shoulders back in 2004, bc h.o.t g.o.d shinhwa, saotaiji started what kpop is today . Bc SHINee changed the whole clothing style of the kpop and brought in new music genres. After all of these improvement bts came and started to walk in the way the pioneers prepared. You can be huge be better and you should be but you can never forget the way you walk in. Bc that is what you are.

[@rurublu9614]

"God bless me for acting like smart person" this will be the ending sentence of my master thesis thank you.

[@crstph]

u mentioned it but a huge reason i see people want to distance bts from “kpop” is it feels hugely unfair. they received a truly abhorrent amount of backlash/hate/sabotage (most of which new armys/journalists dont even know about bc there was SO. MUCH.) FROM kpop industry & fans & interviewers & tv hosts, and now that they’re massively successful, suddenly kpop as a whole is associated with them and can ride off the coattails of their success? im not knocking other groups: theyre talented & doing their own thing & the newer groups usually look *up* to bts. but its not a superiority thing, and it never was. *kpop* didnt want *us,* and a lot of the groups army want to distance theirselves from were either a part of the problem or inadvertently had fans who were part of the problem. THAT BEING SAID i still 100% agree w u, but so many people truly do not understand the level of vitriol they had to endure, aside from just being underfunded. they should have never succeeded-but they did, through the sheer amount of fans who saw the value in their music becoming so massive that they couldnt keep being ignored.

[@karma1999]

Legend

[@lovenothate9813]

This comment deserves more likes! Super on point!

[@lisapang1943]

I find your oral narration, research, analysis, body & conclusion excellent. It's like listening to a oral grad thesis. It is well researched, thought out, written with broad vocabulary range & narrated. You are very articulate when you speak. Thank you for presenting BTS in such eye opening & profound way.

[@soph1097]

'Sad white boy folk pop' is the best description of Lewis Capaldi's music I've ever heard and I love his music lmao

[@thedorkaboogirl7955]

Can we just appreciate how stick-figure RM is just towering over everybody?

[@henmaydostuff8338]

"THE GENRE IS BTS" -KIM NAMJOON (I don't mean this as a criticism to this video lol, I love this video, very well crafted)

[@OzeroCa]

Really informative! I'm not typically one to be on top of trends in music, (shut up, leave my 90s CDs alone!) but by the end of this vid, I almost feel like a BTS fan. Haven't heard any of their stuff yet. :P Yeah, guess what I'm searching next?

[@inhim05]

Many older Korean males treat kpop with more respect now because of bts. That was one of the hundreds hurdles they had to over come

[@canuckpagali]

How have I not discovered this until now? It's amazing!

[@Milk95Tea]

Great job, I'm going to share it everywhere with everybody because I really need to see intelligence in the BTS and KPOP conversation. Thank you so much for your hard work on this.

[@katekursive1370]

I've been raking KZbin for a month in search of this video without knowing it. Thank you, everyone who took part in making it!

[@sawsan6982]

Part 1: ELLIOT!!!!!!! thank you for making research about what many choose not spend a second googling. But most importantly, I thank you for taking your time in doing this. Part 2: love the narration lol (also suga~) Part 3: the music industry will always have you think that each and every artist must produce the most profound of music when at the end of the day, the purpose is entertainment and personal enjoyment. And as a result we have a lot of fans of pop music having to be shamed and always thinking they have to justify themselves. While bts create immensely unique music, the way the media or non fans think of it is: if it's popular amongst young girls, it's probably because it's sexy (which is sooo creepy let me just say that) Whether bts are kpop or not will not affect the music they make (in a way) or the love they get from fans. However, it does affect how they get treated inside and outside Korea. The other day, I saw a kpop fan discussing whether bts should participate in korean end of year awards since they are overwhelmingly taking over the shows. And to that I say of course, because the artists participating are making popular korean music and bts is no exception. But as you said, I think bts can be categorized by themselves. To be fair, I feel like other kpop fans are now pressuring groups to be just as good as bts. And while I think every group is hard working and successful in their way, I think we shouldn't hold everyone to the same expectations. This doesn't mean others don't stand the chance. It just means that each group is unique to its own journey and there shouldn't be a precise map to bts' path. This was bs. Sorry. You're video was great in every way and I'm very impressed and you should be proud of yourself because if I could shove this in the face of anyone trying to write a word about bts, I would. Thank you. Heck! You deserve a borahea 💜

[@rvermillion8188]

Did you sublty said that 'kpop fans' wants their idols to be on par with Bts? What I saw that they tries to pull Bts down at their faves level. Sorry if anyone feel offended, i only said what I feel it is. Cmiiw. Music Industry doesn't like it when Army take all Bts discography on BB chart, it was very unusual...I think that's why some people started the 'bots issue'.

[@danaeclean1328]

i found this through a random reactor. i left right away to come watch it on my own. now that i'm finished i wonder how the hell did i not get recommend the video itself all this time, but got this random reaction vid thrown in my face instead. stupid reason to get mad really, but i think i'm just at awe of how well done this was. it's like you spoke every thought i ever had about bts and their identity, but like, actually made it sound educated and coherent. easily one of my top video essays on this topic, maybe even the best i've seen so far. so much truth was spoken, that i want to make all of the people who i KNOW have these misconceptions & prejudices about bts, sit down and watch the whole thing, and then write an essay on it. seriously, bless you for making this. i'm definitely watching the rest of your videos on the boys and the K-pop culture. you've gained a new subscriber, i guess :)

[@inmyformalsweats]

why did this excellent video take forever to get into my recommended?

[@bbygang]

the algorithms!

[@NanciBK]

This is awesome! It does such a great job for clueless Westerners to gain a basic understanding of Korean popular music and “K-pop” and to understand how and why BTS are different. Thank you so much!

[@dasha5019]

great work, everything is on point, it needs to get viral so that people understand everything and don't miss their chance to appreciate and accept bts as a legends and artists themselves right now. the only reason why i regret watching this video is that when i see someone being unfair about bts, it would hurt me much more than it did later. bc i am so sensitive about them, and when i try not to show myself being " a crazy fangirl" by explaining seriously bts, those people who don't get them seriously don't get me seriously either by saying some mean clueless things, jokes. this really hurts. that's why i stopped those heated conversations with my family members about them, but still they can't resist recalling them in stereotype-relating situations. and i need to keep silent and show that i don't care, but inside it's like pieces of glass thrusting into my heart. SO now it will be a lot harder to force myself not to care about the bad comments towards bts edit: I NEED TO GET ATTENTION FROM RUSSIAN SPEAKING PEOPLE, i am russian(as you can tell by my poor english - sorry) and i would appreciate if someone could make russian subtitles for this video. no, i think every country needs to know so yeah, the video needs the subtitles.

[@svogel6459]

what bothers me so much about this entire "kpop is popular korean music!!!!!" argument is that a lot of so-called kpop groups... aren't popular at all. But no one would think of not calling them a kpop group bc of it. Obviously the categorization works on other factors but for bts people suddenly pretend that it doesn't :-/

[@JohnLee-kn9ii]

I don't think 'popular music' means that the groups are popular... It just means that the style of music in general is popular in Korea.

[@shuyuanwang4548]

The argument is really well-articulated! This 30 minutes watching this video is truly well spent :) Labeling and tagging really dominates the common sphere of discussion, and viewing them from a deconstructive lens trying to get rid of prejudices is really deserves appreciation.

[@pprincess9823]

Hello. I just got into BTS and this was one of the vids recommended to watch to understand them in a nutshell. Thank you for this intro! I never knew I would enjoy watching them as much as I currently am, but here I am wanting to know more about who they are. They are a truly different bunch and some of these artists are a rare find; hence why we can't determine where they fit. 😊 Thanks again!

[@clarasousa1836]

I'm a bit late, but I want to contribute to the conversation as well. I, too, ask this question to myself. Why? Why BTS? Why not other group? I've been researching and seeing some content nowadays of other k-pop groups and asking myself what does BTS have that is so different. I would answer to myself: their personalities. In fact, they make me laugh so so much, I love their "crack" videos and stuff. Their performances, their participation in composition and production, I think all of it is important. But, to be completely honest, I think that the key to their sucess is, first, their marketing. They simply were put in front of us and as international fans, we probably had never seen nothing like it. When I heard about them, I thought it was some weird thing that my 16-year-old cousin liked like in the past there was One Direction, or even The Beatles. But then I got to one of their songs and felt curious, searched for performances and quickly wanted to know their names and started watching to meme videos, and that was it, I was in love with them. Maybe other groups have members that are as hard working, funny, spontaneous, I don't know, but BTS' marketing allowed them to get to me, a then 22 year old girl in Brazil. I found out about their theories, all of their eras and curiosities of their journey, but nothing of it would be possible if I had not found a dance cover from a dance group. To be fair, I wouldn't have gotten to them if it wasn't for BLACKPINK. I discovered them once in my Instagram's Explore and the coreo made me curious. I used to watch videos of them and got to dance covers, till I gave a chance to watch a BTS' cover. Again: it wouldn't have happened if their marketing, their fans, I don't know, didn't propell their stuff to a audience who never in a million years would think that would like anything related to k-pop. So, I think it's a mix of: they reached me + they looked different from anything I'd seen in western music, even the boybans, with their coreos + their personalities and hard work, which is completely and 100% theirs. So, maybe if it was another group, from another label, I would see them, get curious and search, but I don't know it another group would be able to make me as smitten as I am for BTS, with their lovely and funny personalities.

[@candidealki1225]

This was such a good video, I feel really lucky that I found this because I just recently found BTS. There is so much contrasting information about K-pop and I feel like I can now understand various opinions and information with a more open mind.

[@minimon636]

For me, I'll approach it in a more psychological way. Let's talk about their lyrics. Modern youth are really facing a fast-paced society while having to carry heavy expectations from a generation that expects them to succeed. This generation grew up in an interconnected world, so it seems they're more open to things the previous generation might not be, including ideologies. Challenging the status quo is a BTS trademark. Aside from that, their music gives of a feeling of acceptance and belongingness. When you put ideas like that in a song with a bomb MV and fascinating concept with hardworking performers, of course it's gonna blow up. Also, seeing them interact with each other and the ARMY like a family is just touching. That's just an opinion OK bye.💜

[@ariyuna1991]

Wow! You did such a great job! It's informing and makes you think about the question what kpop is and where BTS stands. I also think that you can put them under the "kpop" label even when they are quiet different. What I dislike is that it's so important for many people to categorize them. The western music industry acts differently towards them because of it. Their achievement get downgraded and generalized as the archievement of the whole kpop industry. Also the fact that apparently BTS are automatically seen as kpop fans and kpop fans automatically as BTS fans. Like...no, I'm not a kpop fan. I'm a BTS fan. No one say mentions "pop fans" when you say that you are a Taylor Swift fan (as an example). So why is expected that someone is a kpop fan... In general I'm curious what the future brings for BTS and how the keep changing the boundaries of kpop. :)

[@ooin_otaku4282]

I agree with you!! There are so many kpop groups(I want to say 200+ since the beginning of kpop) how are they all going to be the same?? Most people probably think that there's only like 5 groups or something. Also, I like how you said that you're not a kpop fan, but a bts fan. For me it's the other way around 😂 I'm a kpop fan but not a bts fan.

[@GoldenKim]

👏👏👏👏👏. As ARMY I still appreciate the K Pop journey. South Korea and its recent history along with the internet was ripe for many genres and artists. As a topical video essay your subject matter was challenging yet you so eloquently broke it all down for someone like me who knew so little about Sth Korean history, let alone K Pops beginnings. So as a Westerner ARMY, thank you 😊. Now that BTS own a 35% share in Big Hit, I’ve watched fascinated at how the boys (young men) are making their marks as Billionaire Artists. This chapter I suspect will break more ground and reach all corners of the world with their wisdom humanity can only benefit from. BTS has become a “Movement”. It’s a joy to witness. Well done 🙋‍♀️🌏💯💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@stanbtsburneracct7553]

one of the aspects i always tell ppl (locals) that differentiates bts from kpop is that (to my knowledge) they were one of the first groups to tell continued stories with their eras? like the bts universe and the young forever saga are some of the game changing things that stick out to me. they connected their discography in a way that wasn't done before, since groups would just use popular concepts and change w the trends. but also, i think u kind of touched on that when discussing the continued themes thing, since to me those stories were used to exemplify the themes of the eras. fantastic video btw, ive been thinking of making kpop video essays and you're a huge inspiration :)

[@ashington89]

This video explains everything so well! I wish people would understand BTS for who and what they are because they are incredible!

[@angelicaquintero8341]

i will write in my language to explain myself better but before that i just want to say that it was a great analysis on why bts are in their own category and are not just k-pop. Estoy en el fandom desde finales de 2016 y recuerdo claramente cuando la discusión sobre si BTS era K-pop o no empezó. Fue justo después de You Never Walk Alone (aunque la base por decirlo así fue desde la era de WINGS cuando más personas empezaron a notar la diferencia entre BTS y los demás grupos de k-pop, más que nada internacionalmente) cuando Spring Day salió y los coreanos vieron que SD no era la típica canción de k-pop, y claro que no lo es ya que como sabes SD transmite lo que es el Han (sin contar con el hecho de que hacia tributo al desastre del Sewol Ferry), salieron artículos de medios coreanos diciendo que la música de BTS no era música idol aka k-pop porque ellos eran diferentes, a pesar de tener todo el paquete del k-pop (las coreografías, el formato de los albumes, promoción en los shows de música, etc). Sus canciones eran y son más sinceras y auténticas, con mensajes que difícilmente se encuentran en el k-pop. Luego la popularidad de BTS creció en USA y en otras partes del mundo, por lo que ARMY tuvo que enfrentarse a medios racistas, xenofóbicos e ignorantes periodistas que descartaban a BTS por ser un grupo de k-pop sin siquiera molestarse a mirar más allá de sus conceptos preconcebidos. Yo sinceramente no pienso que el kpop sea un género, porque dentro de él hay muchas influencias de otros géneros de música, por eso creo que k-pop solo es un término que se acogió para englobar o generalizar la música de los idols que, a diferencia de los cantantes comunes en Corea, usan ciertos elementos que están arraigados en lo que se conoce como kpop. BTS es un grupo de kpop, sí, porque pertenecen a esa industria y usan los elementos típicos del kpop, sin embargo, pienso que ellos han cambiado el juego, han excedido los estándares y están haciendo cosas que ningún grupo de kpop o artista en general ha hecho jamás. Es muy díficil categorizarlos cuando ya han pasado esa barrera, las categorías te limitan y te obligan a ser solo una cosa, bts va más allá del kpop, eso no implica que no lo sean pero tampoco quiere decir que es lo único que son. Es verdad que el kpop en general tiene una percepción negativa por parte del público, tanto en Corea como en otros países, pero eso se debe a la forma en que las empresas han querido comercializar el kpop, la industria debe cambiar para que esos prejuicios no se sedimenten más en la mente de las personas y siento que BTS lo está haciendo (en cierta medida) porque tampoco es el trabajo de ellos ser los héroes y salvar a una industria que solo los ha tratado como basura, sin contar con el hecho que gran mayoría de la comunidad del kpop los odia, ya que en vez de apoyarlos solo los quieren hundir. Aun así me alegra que sea BTS quien poco a poco está cambiando la percepción de las personas pero no por la industria (las compañías coreanas como SM y JYP) ni por la comunidad del kpop sino por los idols que merecen el respeto de los demás hacia lo que hacen. Namjoon y Yoongi no sufrieron por todo eso para que yo haga lo mismo con los otros idols, los idols pueden ser artistas de verdad, que sean kpop no los hace menos talentosos o genuinos que el resto. En fin creo que divague mucho y no sé si tenga sentido lo que dije pero bueno espero que al menos se entienda lo que traté de decir. Gracias si leíste hasta este punto :)

[@arcie3716]

I have to say this channel has taught me to be more critical with the way media discusses any international subjects 👍

[@kittcath]

Points were made, great video. I want Western media to actually watch and learn from it and gain knowledge of what truly is Kpop. There's so many misconception of it out there and it's frustrating to see lol. btw I love the stickman figures lol

[@saturated3821]

:'D I love your stick figure Namjoon and Yoongi. I've been Army for a couple of years but I've never really been into other k-pop groups, except recently TXT although not to the same extent. I've said that while one might describe BTS as k-pop, for me they are way beyond what is usually meant when people talk about kpop. Oh and in IDOL they say you can call them an artist or an idol or whatever, they don't care, that they are first and foremost human beings with multiple facets to their personalities.