Just 10 years ago in 2012, when singer Psy's "Gangnam Style" ranked second on the Billboard single chart despite the global sensation, the limit of K-pop seemed to be that far. I thought that 'Billboard Single No. 1', which means the most popular song in the world, was not up to Korea.
However, BTS (BTS) is the artist who cleaned up such pessimism and turned it into confidence and optimism at once. Singer Psy, who is a "Billboard senior," said in a recent meeting, "The current juniors in North America, such as BTS and Black Pink, are the opposite of me and people (not songs) have emerged. This is why I think continuity and continuity are long and going very well." It is not just a song, but a statement that shows the nature of the pop music world that artists have a long vitality when they gain popularity.
Interestingly, when it was formed in 2013, BTS was closer to the periphery than the center of the K-pop world. He was not from SM, JYP, and YG Entertainment, which was called the "three major agencies" at the time, but was a member of composer and producer Bang Si-hyuk's Big Hit Entertainment (now HIVE).
For this reason, BTS was also called "Dirt Spoon Idol." Musically, hip-hop elements stood out in the early stages. Lee Kyu-tak, a professor at George Mason University in Korea who published "The Age of K-pop," said, "If street hip-hop elements such as intense beats and rough performances were strong in the early days of debut, they showed flexibility and change in accepting various birds such as pop and rhythm and blues (R&B) as entering the world stage."
BTS's stellar performance is also evident in the Billboard chart records, which release the most popular songs and albums in the U.S. The first thing that came out in the U.S. market was not a song but an album. It topped the album chart "Billboard 200" for the first time with its third full album "Love Yourself T Tear" in 2018. Due to the characteristics of idol groups, it was natural to show a strong performance in the "Billboard 200," which is based on album sales. The remaining task was to top the Billboard Singles Chart.
In 2020, when the COVID-19 crisis began, BTS finally topped the Billboard single, the last remaining notice, with "Dynamite." He reached the top of the world with his first English lyrics song in an exciting disco style that cleans up all the depression of the pandemic.
Soon after, they regained the top spot on the Billboard chart with their Korean song "Life Goes On" two months later. It is the healing power of art that encourages comfort, relaxation, and courage to overcome when everyone is tired and exhausted. In that sense, BTS also showed another growth," said Professor Lee Kyu-tak.
It has topped the Billboard singles chart six times and topped the album five times. BTS was the first Korean singer to win the two categories, the two main pillars of the Billboard chart. So far, Korea has sold 32.78 million albums. There are no accurate statistics, but there are estimates that there are 72.5 million copies worldwide.
Immediately, BTS also challenged the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music Awards, and the Grammy Awards, which are called the top three awards in the U.S. pop music field. At the Billboard Music Awards, he won the "Top Social Artist" category in 2017, won four awards in 2021, and won three awards this year for six consecutive years.
Starting with the 2018 "Favorite Social Artist" award at the American Music Awards, it has also won three awards in 2019, two awards in 2020, and three awards in 2021.
The last remaining Grammy Awards is considered the only place BTS has yet to climb. They formed a relationship by participating as presenters in 2019 and were nominated for the "Best Pop Duo/Group Performance" category in 2021 and 2022 in a row, but the award failed.
BTS spoke on the U.N. stage three times in 2018, 2020, and recently visited the White House at the invitation of U.S. President Joe Biden. It has become a symbol of the Korean Wave beyond K-pop. With the announcement of a temporary suspension of activities this year, BTS is at a new crossroads.
Post a Comment