[EAI Working Paper] The Story of BTS's Global Appeal: Introducing the Series: What is the Identity of BTS's Global Appeal?

Editor's Note

The East Asia Institute (EAI) launched the 'BTS Appeal Theory' research team in September 2019 to analyze the BTS phenomenon from the perspectives of cultural sociology, communication studies, and international politics. BTS and the global digital network they have created are presenting a new paradigm to the international community, which has been divided by nation, race, and language. BTS's achievements, such as winning three awards at the American Music Awards, two awards at the Billboard Music Awards, a nomination for the 2020 Grammy Awards, and reaching number one on the Billboard main singles chart 'Hot 100' with 'Dynamite' and 'Life Goes On,' have reached a level that Korean popular culture could never have imagined. The BTS phenomenon thus offers important clues for understanding South Korea's soft power and appeal, demonstrating the potential for Korea to become a wellspring of new civilization in the 21st century. Ahead of the publication of the book "The Story of BTS's Global Appeal," we are releasing the first working paper series, "Global Artist BTS and Macro Environmental Changes," as follows.

This study emphasizes that the purpose of the BTS Appeal Theory research team is to find Korea's appeal, that is, to create an attractive Korean identity, and poses the core question: 'What is the identity of the appeal that has captivated BTS's global fans?' As a middle power entering the mid-21st century, South Korea faces the challenge of not only adapting to changing times but also creating a new cultural identity that can lead the era. In this context, the author draws attention to the fact that BTS has stimulated the empathy, admiration, and aspirations of young people worldwide beyond temporary trends and illusions, and introduces the research team's work in finding BTS's appeal.

※ The following is an excerpt of the content. Please check the attached file above for the full version. We hope so.

Introducing the Series: What is the Identity of BTS's Global Appeal?

The BTS phenomenon is a new phenomenon not only in Korea but also in the global popular culture scene. BTS is a popular culture icon that started from the smallest beginnings and grew the largest, and is the most challenging and empathetic musician in global popular music. We are watching with amazement the overseas popularity of BTS, which differs in scope and depth from Hallyu as we have known it. Furthermore, we are even more surprised that this group emerged from a small to medium-sized entertainment agency in 2013, debuted internationally as an unknown hip-hop idol group, and achieved great success in the heartland of pop, the United States, before being 're-imported' to Korea. BTS's achievements, such as winning three awards at the American Music Awards, two awards at the Billboard Music Awards, a nomination for the 2020 Grammy Awards, and reaching number one on the Billboard main singles chart 'Hot 100' with 'Dynamite' and 'Life Goes On,' have reached a level that Korean popular culture has never experienced before. Why are overseas fans so enthusiastic about this group that we knew so little about? What captivates them? What is the identity of the enigmatic BTS?

It is universally acknowledged today that BTS is the most globally resonant and popular Korean musician and celebrity. The interest in their immense success has led to serious academic research, even to the extent of hosting international academic conferences. However, most studies seek the background and causes of BTS's success within the realm of popular culture or the cultural industry. Studies at the popular culture level tend to focus on revealing the excellence of Korean popular culture from a nationalist (or ethnocentric) perspective or on finding the success formula of Hallyu from a commercialist viewpoint. While some studies focus on the business strategies of popular music, the use of new media, and the role of the fandom called 'ARMY,' they often fail to pay attention to the comprehensive and fundamental issue of BTS's appeal.

In contrast, this series poses the core question: 'What is the identity of the appeal that has captivated BTS's global fans?' The reason for posing this question is that the authors' ultimate interest lies in finding Korea's appeal, that is, in creating an attractive Korean identity. As a middle power entering the mid-21st century, South Korea faces the challenge of not only adapting to changing times but also creating a new cultural identity that can lead the era. The authors feel an extraordinary fascination with the fact that Korean musicians, positioned on the periphery of the global popular culture order dominated by American pop, have risen to a significant position within the mainstream. Has there ever been a young person from the Korean peninsula who has shaken the world to this extent in history? Has there ever been anyone who has secured such a presence in the history of the world's cultural order? The search for BTS's appeal has itself become an appealing endeavor, given that the BTS phenomenon has consistently stimulated the empathy, admiration, and aspirations of young people worldwide beyond temporary trends and illusions.

The contributors to this series are not only composed of experts from various social science fields such as international politics, sociology, and media studies, but also varied greatly in their understanding and interest in BTS. Some are devoted fans of BTS and ARMY, while others have had limited exposure to BTS's music or videos. As the research progressed, each individual encountered BTS in their own way and from their own position, and through discussions about BTS's appeal, the differences in understanding and interest quickly narrowed. This is because it would have been impossible to research their appeal without acknowledging and becoming immersed in BTS's charm.

Appeal is felt before it is understood and analyzed. Before explaining why people are drawn to BTS, they are already captivated by BTS's charm. However, the reasons for being captivated by BTS's charm cannot all be the same. Yet, even if people feel the appeal differently, the source of BTS's charm can be shared. This was also the case among the contributors. While participating together in the work of finding and explaining the source of BTS's appeal, the perspectives of the authors in analyzing and explaining BTS's charm varied depending on their major. In international politics, BTS's appeal is closely related to the appeal of a nation as embodied in the concept of soft power. For an art sociologist, BTS's appeal lies in the artist's distinct identity and the manifestation of creativity that attracts popular acclaim. For a media researcher, BTS's appeal resides in the empathy derived from their songs and performances by fans and critics, and the meanings they ascribe to it. These differences in perspective based on academic discipline initially led to communication difficulties. However, over time, these diverse viewpoints served as a stimulus, enriching the thinking about BTS's appeal.

■ Author: Yeol SON_ Director of EAI, Professor at Graduate School of International Studies, Yonsei University. Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago. He has served as Director of the Graduate School of International Studies, Dean of Underwood International College, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development, and Director of the Institute for International Studies at Yonsei University. He was also a specially appointed visiting professor at the University of Tokyo and a visiting scholar at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and the University of California (Berkeley). He served as President of the Korean Political Science Association (2019) and President of the Association for Japanese Studies (2012). He has been a Senior Fellow at Fulbright, MacArthur, Japan Foundation, and Waseda University's Advanced Research Center. He has served as an advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, the Northeast Asian History Foundation, and the Korea Foundation, and as a specialist member of the Committee for Northeast Asian Affairs. His research areas include Japanese foreign policy, international political economy, East Asian international politics, and public diplomacy. His recent publications include Japan and Asia's Contested Order (2019, with T. J. Pempel), Understanding Public Diplomacy in East Asia (2016, with Jan Melissen), “South Korea under US-China Rivalry: the Dynamics of the Economic-Security Nexus in the Trade Policymaking,” The Pacific Review (2019), 32, 6, and 『한국의 중견국외교』 (Korean Middle Power Diplomacy) (2017, co-edited).

■ Author: Jun HAN_ Professor of Sociology at Yonsei University. He obtained a Ph.D. in Sociology from Stanford University. He has served as Director of the Korean Social Science Data Archive and as a civilian member of the Presidential Committee for Future and Vision, and is currently the President of the Korean Society for Quality of Life Studies. His major publications include 『4차 산업혁명, 일과 경영을 바꾸다』 (The Fourth Industrial Revolution Changes Work and Management) (2018) and 『커넥트 파워: 초연결 세상은 비즈니스 판도를 어떻게 바꾸는가?』 (Connect Power: How the Hyper-Connected World is Changing the Business Landscape?) (2019). His articles include “Recognition in Art World as Social Process: The Case of Oscar and Daejong Film Awards” (Korean Social Science Journal, 2017), “Complex Systems Research in Social Sciences: Focusing on Emergence and Adaptive Landscapes” (Saemulri, 2017), “A Study on the Value Analysis of Cultural and Arts Education” (2017), and “How Evaluation Indicators Change University Research and Education: Focusing on Sociology” (2017).

■ Managed and Edited by: Ju-hyun JEON, EAI Research Fellow

Inquiries: 02 2277 1683 (ext. 204) jhjun@eai.or.kr

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