They call it Hallyu, the Korean wave. Hallyu has been exporting pop culture, music, entertainment, movies, and K-dramas for 2 decades but Korean pop culture popularly known as K-pop has been increasingly visible to the global audiences in the past five to ten years. When zooming in on this international success of K-pop, there is a Korean wave still expanding and getting recognition worldwide.
K-pop artists have taken the world by storm. Their ingenious approaches to creative and unique music videos, pure hard work, and outlook towards life and oneself set them apart from the rest. Most importantly however, beautiful Korean singers hook the audience with appealing tunes and spectacular dances. Not only are K-pop idols dedicated to delivering excellent visuals and perfection but also their vocals, choreography, acting, language skills, and appearances show extreme diligence. This is what makes K-pop not just a genre, but a global phenomenon.
The South Korean band BTS also known as Bangtan Boys, is a seven-member boy band that has broken boundaries across music, fashion, and culture and is manifesting change through their music, humanitarianism, and message of unity. At first, I was embarrassed to admit that I’m a fan of a K-Pop band because most of my friends either knew nothing about the genre or thought very little of it. They couldn’t appreciate the way K-pop idols present themselves. But truly, I didn’t care. They have been lucrative to the South Korean economy and account for $4.65 billion of South Korea's GDP and bring so much impact. They have invaded modern culture by the speed of light, shattering numerous records set by the most famous bands and artists around the world in years.
They support gay rights. They launched the Love Myself campaign with the belief that true love begins with loving yourself and also partnered with UNICEF’s #ENDviolence program to protect children and young people from violence all over the world. They inspire their ARMY to do good and help make the world a better place. They have made the line between men’s and women’s fashion and cross-dressing blurrier and blurrier while mainly focusing their work on self-love, troubles of school-age youth, mental health, and individualism. All in all, they strive for change.
Anyone still "embarrassed" of being a K-pop fan? Do you still care about what they wear and how they look even after all these great deeds for mankind.
What makes BTS a Sensation?
Their life may be comfortable now, but at the beginning of their career, all seven members had to share one bunk-bed room. They stumbled, lost hope, and wanted to quit at times but they didn’t give it all up. They had a vision and a dream. The love and support they gathered from their ARMY fans are exceptional and kept them going. BTS made history to be the first-ever K-pop group to speak at the United Nations. In their seven-minute speech, delivered in English by RM(a member of the band), BTS talked all about what it takes to practice self-love and acceptance. RM got personal by touching on his journey to self-actualization in the face of endeavour. “I tried to jam myself into the other molds that other people made,” he said. “No matter who you are, where you're from, your skin color or gender identity, speak yourself, find your name and find your voice by speaking yourself,” he added.
BTS' Map of the Soul: 7 broke all records as the 4th longest-running Korean album on US charts. Their song black swan has broken the 5-year record held by Adele for topping the iTunes chart in 102 countries. They have put an end to the toxic masculinity by redefining masculinity. They have moved on from the sexist notion of what men and women should look and sound like and their belief that fashion has no gender.
Why so much hate then?
Are BTS members girls or boys? Are K-pop idols gay? Are only girls attracted to bands like these for they look so feminine? Is it true that only 14-year-old girls are BTS stan? These are some of the most awful questions thrown at them and searched on the Internet.
People believe in clichés. It is difficult for them to adapt to such an unfamiliar and an unorthodox drive. There is always much criticism directed at people working with a different mindset and concepts, as we are not able to accept and cope with the unforeseen which is beyond our experience. A study shows that our brain responds more strongly to the figures and information portrayed in an unfavorable and contrasting manner. K-pop artists don’t believe that girls wear pink and boys wear blue. Girls wear dresses and the boys wear suits. They have abolished all the stereotypes kindred with fashion. They haven’t become conditioned to believing in the unrealistic standards of beauty and fashion trends set by the orthodox section. These artists have been constantly criticized by the mass for being feminine, putting make-up, dazzling accessories such as necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, and for not being voguish.
For those of you who didn’t know, it will be of great surprise to know that Korean men help drive the South Korean market for cosmetics which is much more than in any other part of the world. Makeup is more frequently included in men’s beauty regimes in South Korea, including eyebrow makeup and lipstick or lip balm. It’s considered important for making the right impression at job interviews and social events. Many men will also get beauty treatments regularly. The industry for men’s cosmetics is driven in part by idols from pop music and K-dramas. Their appearance is one of those factors that gained hatred. Their music and language have been another driving issue for people who believe that music has a language. After all, think about it. How many of you didn’t groove to the signature moves of the Gangnam style by Psy? I will be truly astonished to get even a single no.
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