“Saranghae”- this is a term that constantly trends on social media platforms in India. This means “I Love You” in Korean, a pop culture that has taken the nation by storm, especially its music scene. Not just India, but the global music scene in recent years has greatly changed, seeing the rise of Korean Pop music. And most of the credit goes to the South Korean boy band BTS. Although BTS is not the first K-pop act to become globally famous. PSY did it with his ‘Gangnam Style’ which became immensely famous in every corner of the world. It was hard to find a single person who was interested in popular culture and yet did not dance to the track. However, BTS did it in a way, especially for India that it almost became a separate culture for the Indian people.
Who is BTS?
BTS is a South Korean boy band that has now become a global sensation. Like the entire world, the phenomenon of BTS has also reached India and soon established its power in the country. The band was formed in 2010 and is also known as Bangtan Boys. The group debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment and since its debut, its magical music has spread all over the world. The group consists of seven members, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook who all have now become such loved artists in India. With the group’s impressive music, entertaining dance moves, and powerful messages, the boys have transcended the language barriers not just in the country, but the entire world.
How did BTS break cultural barriers?
Music is the oldest and truest form of art that can connect people from all over the world with just sound and notes. It has the power to unite people from diverse backgrounds. BTS’ success in India is a prime example of that. As a South Korean band, most of BTS’ songs are in Korean language, apart from their last songs as a group together which were made in English to appeal to their massive global audience base. So naturally, most of their song lyrics are not understandable for a person from India.
However, despite making songs in a different language, the Indian audiences connected with the raw emotions that these boys presented through their music. The Indian audience base resonated with the messages that the group promoted in their songs, such as mental health, self-love, and other social issues.
A lot of the credit behind the group’s crazy fan base in the country goes to the band’s admiration and acknowledgment that they have also shown toward the country. The members have previously shown a genuine interest in Indian culture, art, and history, which helped the boy band endear themselves further to the people of this country.
The power of social media
Social media has the power to spread news and information like wildfire in this digital world. If anything is on social media, there is a high chance people have already gathered much information about it. Likewise, behind BTS’ popularity in India, social media had a lot to do. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube played a major role in distributing the group’s music and other promotional material to Indian fans. Even in India, BTS’ fan group, otherwise known as ARMY, is one of the most organized and dedicated communities online.
You will always find this community tirelessly working to promote and spread the group’s latest music, photoshoots, interviews, videos, and other achievements on several social media platforms. So Indian ARMY members have helped in creating a strong and special presence of BTS in the Indian media and music scene. Fans clubs and fan-made materials have been true weapons in this journey.
The momentousness of resonance
One of the main reasons why BTS is extremely popular in India is because the Indian audience can very well relate to their music, despite the language barriers. As mentioned above, it is the messages of their music that give people comfort, something that listeners expect from their favorite artists and their music. BTS also has a massively diverse discography. Their music combines R&B and hip-hop with other electronic productions, giving the songs and their composition a different sound. On top of that, every member of the group has a different aesthetic that they carry throughout their musical careers. Additionally, every music video of BTS tells vivid stories, attracting millions and millions of views from India alone.
The millions of old and even new devotees are called ARMY, which stands for Adorable Representative MC for Youth. The BTS ARMY, especially the Indian ARMY has a “symbiotic relationship” with the group members that serves them emotionally, nourishing the solidarity even more. Many Indian fans find comfort in BTS’ music and even in the individual personalities of the group members. One such fan told Firstpost, “The way they carry themselves – they do everything for the fans. There is so much positivity that surrounds them, it almost feels like they wanted you to tell them you need them. That sort of validation was something I also wanted. It felt like a two-way street.”
The common charm
The Indian fan base of BTS is crafted based on diverse ages and socio-economic groups. However, the common thread that ties them is the undeniable charm of the BTS members. It was how BTS’ music directly spoke to their souls, making the members so much more than just mere fans.
“How they tell their story, how they speak about their own experiences, their own struggles…What set them apart was them being so honest about who they were. It resonated with me. In spite of not knowing them personally, I know that each of them are good people and would do anything for their fans, family, and friends. What brings you to them is their music, but what makes you stay is their personalities and interactions with the audience, said one fan explaining why she prefers BTS in an interview with HerZindegi.com.
The commonality was the fact that the fans could relate to the boys, not as stars of the biggest boy band in the world but as common human beings with emotions, genuineness, and even bad days. This is something that music is supposed to be for the listeners and seems like BTS knew how exactly to be that.
“BTS are always themselves, transparent and honest,” added MedhaDey, a 27-year-old Bangalore-based special needs educator, and a dedicated BTS fan in an interview with HerZindegi.com. “They worked hard to get where they are, and their struggle is evident in the efforts they put into creating the music they do.”
In the same interview, another fan explained how BTS’ interaction with fans made them even more charming, especially for the Indian audience who had not experienced anything of this sort before.
“I have never seen any celebrity do so much for their fans worldwide as much as BTS. They know how to give back to society and especially their fans,” felt another fan. “The effort they take in reading all the fan letters and at times replying to them is quite something. They never miss any opportunity to be grateful of everything they have and the love they receive from their fans. They do struggle in life, but they share it with fans too and you just realize they are as ordinary as we are.”
Bollywood recognition
Once a person of influence recognizes something, it draws attention from his or her followers. This is also what happened to BTS with their massive popularity in the country. As soon as BTS and their amazing music started getting recognition from Bollywood, people who were not into K-pop or the group previously started to take notice.
So the Indian film scene and the iconic Bollywood industry have helped raise the popularity of the band in the country. On several occasions, the group members have collaborated with Indian artists. They have also occasionally participated in musical crossovers and joint performances. These collaborations did not only excite the Indian ARMYs but also those Bollywood artists who were interested in this global sensation.
Several Indian influencers, celebrities, and even politicians have shown their support for BTS, further strengthening the group’s presence in the Indian music scene. From sharing content of BTS on social media feeds, to public endorsements, people with massive influence have always played a significant role in boosting the group’s popularity in the country.
A fight against stereotypical masculinity
K-pop groups, especially BTS, stand out in both the Eastern and Western parts of the world due to their style and aesthetic, most of them vastly different from stereotypical masculinity. The band members are always seen dressing in a non-confirming style. They also liberally use makeup and have porcelain skin, typically things that challenge the concept of masculinity in Indian society. India is a country where the testosterone-boosted strong men are quite different from these seven men who have now won the hearts of millions of Indian women.
However, this also subjected BTS to vicious trolls, making the K-pop idols face massive derogation online. One fan said, “There are so many memes about them (BTS) being gay, feminine, not being able to sing.” “Reactions (to the men in K-pop) have usually been ’they look feminine’ or ’they look the same.’ They cannot go beyond the fact that they don’t look like the men we are used to,” adds another fan.
So apart from their majestic music and astonishing dance moves, BTS as a boy band and as an individual has constantly challenged gender stereotypes, while taking down barriers of toxic masculinity, especially in Indian society. They have normalized men wearing makeup, which is still considered “girly” in today’s Indian society, but people are much more open about the idea. This also comes as a breath of fresh air for “desi” young people. To understand why BTS is such a phenomenon in the Indian music scene, and even in society, one needs to understand that they are much more than just artists who make music. With their personal style, messages, and aesthetic, the seven members have helped several struggling youth in India have a voice, giving them the challenge to break the gender stereotypes, which are usually molded into genre roles from pretty much the time they were born into Indian families.
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