[KC-News from SEOUL] 10 years since BTS' debut... Seoul Transforms into a Purple Wonderland... A new chapter in K-pop

Editor's Note:
 
Yongsan in Seoul, South Korea, is now recognized as a mecca for K-pop as it is home to BTS and its HYBE. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of BTS's debut, The Segye Times is launching [KCNews from SEOUL]. Located just 300 meters from the HYBE and a 3-minute walk away, The Segye Times will continue to deliver fast and diverse K-culture news to the world.
 
BTS is celebrating its 10th anniversary today. BTS debuted with the single "2 COOL 4 SKOOL" on June 13, 2013, and has become a global group in 10 years. Yongsan, where BTS's agency HYBE is located, has already become a mecca for ARMY. Let's take a look at Yongsan, which has become a new "hip place" for foreign tourists in Seoul.

 

A screen shows an image of K-pop band BTS to celebrate its 10th debut anniversary in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, June 13, 2023. AP

"BTS is the best in everything, including music, personality, humor, and chemistry among the members! Thanks to BTS, I discovered Korea and also learned the Korean language."

These are the words of a foreign fan who visited Seoul to commemorate BTS's 10th anniversary.

June 13, 2013 is a special day in Korean and global pop music. That's because it was on this day that BTS debuted, a group that has since become a phenomenon in Korea and around the world. Since then, BTS has grown to become a global group that is popular all over the world. They celebrated their 10th anniversary on June 13. This year is a special year for BTS and their fans, not only because of the decade, but also because of the group's temporary hiatus in June last year and the official start of their individual activities.

To commemorate the occasion, the '2023 BTS FESTA' began in earnest on the 12th, and Seoul was drenched in their signature purple. Fans from all over the world flocked to the city to celebrate BTS's 10th anniversary, and BTS's sculptures were packed with fans taking commemorative photos. After dark, major Seoul landmarks such as Namsan Seoul Tower, Dongdaemun DDP, Lotte World Tower, and Seoul City Hall were lit up with purple lights and media facades to add to the festive atmosphere.

Later that day, a BTS photo exhibition at an exhibition center near Bongunsa Station in Gangnam, Seoul, was packed with BTS fans from all over the world. From the 2030 fans who rushed from the airport with their suitcases to the 4050 fans who came to watch in a group, the overseas fans enjoyed the waiting time while holding BTS merchandise such as photo cards and dolls with both hands.

Tiffany (22) and Stephanie (25), who flew in from Belgium on a three-week summer vacation, said, "I've loved BTS since 2017, and their message of healing is comforting." "I wasn't interested in Korean culture before BTS, but now I love Korean songs, food, and dramas," they confessed. "I fell in love with leader RM when I saw him speak out for human rights, but it turns out he also has a great sense of humor," said MasARMY, 55, a Japanese woman who visited the exhibition with her daughter Kyoke, 22. "I fell in love with the chemistry between the members and now I'm an 'ARMY' (fandom) with my daughter."

Many overseas fans also gathered near Hive's headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. "When I was a wandering teenager, BTS changed my life," said Lucire, 25, from France. Despite the group's hiatus, BTS's 10th anniversary has become a new chapter in the history of K-pop and the Korean Wave, as well as the group's fans around the world.

Founded 10 years ago by producer Bang Sihyuk as a group of boys who would defend against teenage oppression and prejudice, BTS has built a passionate and cohesive fanbase, or "ARMY" by actively utilizing social media (SNS) such as YouTube. ARMY has spread not only in Korea but also overseas, making BTS's presence felt in the United States and the United Kingdom, two of the largest countries in popular music.

In August 2014, BTS made their name known in the U.S. mainland by performing on stage at KCON in Los Angeles (LA). The following December, they released "Hwayangyeonhwa Part 2 (pt.2)," which entered the Billboard 200 album chart at No. 171, and in 2017, "DNA" entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 85. In 2018, "FAKE LOVE" broke through the Top 10 barrier for the first time at No. 10 on that chart. In 2020, she became the first K-pop artist to reach No. 1 on the chart with "DynARMYte. The remixed versions of "Savage Love" and "Life Goes On" released the same year, "Butter" and "Permission to Dance" in June and July of the following year, and "My Universe," a collaboration with Coldplay, in October of the same year, also topped the Hot 100 upon release. In 2022, Billboard announced that "BTS has more songs at No. 1 on the Hot 100 than any other artist in the past decade." BTS has a total of 17 "Hot 100" tops with six songs. Including Jimin's solo release "Like Crazy" last month, that's 18 times with seven songs.

Their albums also set records. In 2018, he became the first K-pop singer to debut at No. 1 on Billboard's main album chart, the Billboard 200, with his third studio album "LOVE YOURSELF 轉 'Tear'" (LOVE YOURSELF 轉 'Tear'). Since then, "LOVE YOURSELF 結 'Answer'", "MAP OF THE SOUL : PERSONA", "MAP OF THE SOUL : 7", "BE", "Proof", and more have reached the top.

ARMY's influence didn't end with the music market. The world's largest pop music market, the United States, has made BTS a household name at various award ceremonies. Starting with the Billboard Music Awards in 2017, BTS has won every year since at the American Music Awards the following year and the MTV Video Music Awards in 2019. They also became the first Korean group to be nominated for and perform on the main stage of the Grammy Awards, the most prestigious award show in the United States, for three consecutive years. They made history by performing solo concerts at Wembley Stadium in the UK and Sofi's Stadium in the US.

In this way, BTS elevated K-pop from a subculture to the mainstream in the global popular music market. However, in June of last year, BTS announced that they would stop focusing on the group. Instead, in addition to their active solo careers, the members have been fulfilling their national defense obligations one by one, starting with the eldest member, Jin, in December and J-Hope in April. The group aims to return to full strength in 2025.

"It is impossible to discuss K-pop today without BTS," said Lim Jinmo, a pop music critic, who credited the group with conquering the United States and turning K-pop into one giant genre like British pop and Latin pop. "I'm looking forward to seeing what BTS will look like when all of its members return from military service and become whole again," said Kim Heonsik, a pop culture critic.

BTS also acted as a "speaker" to deliver social messages on behalf of the youth, not just as an idol, with the message, "Loving yourself is the beginning of true love. In 2017, BTS launched the "LOVE MYSELF" campaign with UNICEF, and in September 2018, BTS became the first K-pop group to address the 73rd United Nations General Assembly as a special speaker, delivering a "Speak Yourself" speech to a standing ovation. They followed up with two more UN appearances in 2020 and 2021. In 2021, he also spoke at the White House with U.S. President Joe Biden about hate crimes against Asians.

by Bokjin Lee and Nahyun Kim=bok@segye.com

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