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seen from United Arab Emirates
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okay so i have a small theory that after looking a bit into this (and im gonna look even more), i think could fit this album….
so. about BTS wings. i, personally as a queer teenager, think it can be perceived as a queer metaphor (not to see that it is).
……let me know if yall want a more in depth explanation and I might make it in honor of pride month
BTS Solo Era: A Summary, Huh?
One day left until the official end of the solo era. And we have some hard data, don't we?
Albums and Singles
(I'll only be listing as singles and collaborations the ones that didn't appear as parts of their albums)
RM
Albums: 2 — Indigo (10 songs), Right Place, Wrong Person (11 songs)
Singles: 1
Outside collaborations: 4
Jin
Albums: 2 — Happy (6 songs), Echo (7 songs)
Singles: 3
Outside collaborations: 1
Suga
Albums: 1
Singles: 0
Collaborations: 3
j-hope
Albums: 3 (one of which completely dismantles the siege mentality around Jimin's solos) — Jack in the Box (10 songs), HOPE ON THE STREET (6 songs), Charm of HOPE (6 songs — and yes, this is the one that dismantles it)
Singles: 2
Collaborations: 2
Jimin
Albums: 2 — Face (6 songs + hidden track), Muse (7 songs)
Singles: 2 (plus Promise and Christmas Love)
Collaborations: 3 (though I'd really rather not have to count Angel, because as much as I love it, it's a little demeaning to show up just to sing backing vocals... Nothing like hitching a ride on BTS's popularity, right?)
V
Albums: 1 — Layover (6 songs)
Singles: 2
Collaborations: 1
Jungkook
Albums: 1 — GOLDEN (11 songs)
Singles: 3
Collaborations: 2
Okay. But What Does Any of This Mean?
Artistic output leads to awards and sales figures, my dears. And the numbers are not kind to anyone claiming Jimin underperformed.
Jimin went and collected records wholesale. But let's do this properly and in order.
Because honestly, the solo era was never about which of them did better. Though one could make the argument that Jungkook (in the mainstream sense) and Jimin (through fanbase strength and "consistently solid" material) left the rest pretty far behind — I'm going to stick with the position that the BTS members were simply given completely different assignments for this solo era. Each one different.
The Assignments
Jungkook: Crack the American Market
Take JK, his full promotional machine, and the strategy of betting everything on seasonal hits. JK wasn't supposed to make an artistic statement — because if that's his peak, then no thank you — but rather, dressed up under his own brand, to pave Hybe's way into international (primarily American) markets.
Partially successful, because JK genuinely became a radio voice, heard everywhere and not just on streaming platforms. Partially unsuccessful, because even though his material was tailored for American audiences (including a departure from the sugary idol image — god forbid he be modest, polite, or not vulgar!), it still didn't translate into anything beyond sales and reach.
Jimin: An Entirely Different Job
And here I completely understand the points made by Jimin Solo Stans — myself included — who argue he was treated as an afterthought. Because yes, fan meetings arranged like awkward elementary school Q&As, apparently saving money on balloons at lives, generally less push overall... Yeah, that wasn't great.
But also — Jimin didn't release an album to go commercial. Notice that he was only actively involved in the promotion of Face, and Face is an introspective album. By design, it was meant to feel close to the listener. By design, he was supposed to bare himself and shake off the whole aura of money and promotional machinery. Muse is something different, but do you really believe the release order was outside his control? I don't. And if he had control over it — or at least real input into which came first — choosing the far more personal content felt far more like Jimin than trying to slot him into what JK got and did, don't you think?
Beyond that, Jimin had a completely different set of tasks. First, he was partly meant to fill the gap in the Korean domestic market (his promotion was clearly tailored for Korea — even his solo stans can't argue against that, and if they tried... well. Just look at how little promotion j-hope got). Second, his success had to be organic, because he is Park Jimin, and we all know that whatever else you can say, Jimin's fanbase is the most disciplined part of BTS. Nobody expected it to go to the scale it did — I think Hybe itself was surprised — but that he'd succeed with minimal financial investment? Every market analyst in the building saw that coming.
The Rest: Protecting BTS's Identity as a Collection of Individuals
You might ask what everyone else was doing. Here too I can tell you:
Maintaining BTS's identity as a collection of individuals. Yes, we know they're different, varied, more or less artistic, more or less commercial. But we know that — ARMY, solo stans, OT7, OT6, OT-whatever-number-you-like. The person JK pulled in from the Western market? They don't know that yet. That mythical new listener arrives lured in by JK (and maybe stumbles onto Jimin by accident), and then discovers: rock, pop, poetic rap, furious rap, R&B, jazz, and literally everything — all wrapped in a very aesthetic package of seven quite attractive boys. They just have to dig long enough.
We can debate who balanced this task with their own break and their own identity better or worse, but roughly? That was the point.
Suga: The Test Case
Suga got his tour before enlisting. First, because as one of the "ready" members — those who had enough material for a full tour — he was the only one with time left to do it. Second, because he's objectively a litmus test.
Giving Jimin a tour wouldn't have answered the question of whether BTS member solo tours are profitable (because Jimin's disciplined fanbase isn't the same thing as ARMY, even if they overlap). Giving it to JK wouldn't have answered it either. Giving it to RM also wouldn't — his music is far more lyrical, more poetry than pop, and it doesn't reach Hybe's target demographic.
So Suga was the safe tester for j-hope, and the proof of concept overall. It worked — because after coming back from the military, both Hoseok and Jin got their own tours, right? Right.
Did Anyone Actually Lose?
Despite finding the solo era as a whole disgustingly boring with occasional bursts of fireworks — I don't think any of the BTS members actually lost anything here.
RM put out exactly the albums he wanted. Lyrical, a little more artistic, less pop, more poetry.
Jin proved himself as a solo artist. Presumably gave his ego a boost — though his ego is depressingly low, and he's a star, he should be a little more of a diva, he deserves it.
Suga — okay, the scooter incident probably hit him, but he got his tour, carved space above BTS, got to go back to the roots of what he does best — being a furious cat who talks about things heavier than teenage hormone problems. I got the sense that the K-pop genre started to weigh on him at some point.
j-hope and his experiments with content showed clearly that he did what he wanted. He proved he's more than sweet music videos and lots of colors — I'll never forget picking my jaw up off the floor at the Jack in the Box premiere.
Jimin gave us a masterclass in being a diva in practice. Because this isn't about being arrogant — it's about being exactly who he is. Simply a winner, and in my opinion the person who made the best use of these past few years. He came, gave us two albums, swept the awards circuit with both, and went back to being a slightly chaotic soft noodle in AYS or a good boy on variety shows. One who isn't embarrassed to wrestle a bandmate on camera (or maybe not a bandmate, but that's another story), or just be funny — because he has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Not in the slightest.
V — and those who've been here a while know I'm not a fan — also got what he wanted. He worked with new people (not the same rotation of songwriters and marketers associated with BTS), released an album in a completely different vibe, and marked his distinctness and individuality probably more than anyone — which makes sense, because he arguably had the least room to do so before.
Jungkook fulfilled his dream and for a moment became a globally recognized pop star rather than a K-pop vocalist. And I want to stress — that's what he wanted. To be the next Justin Bieber, or whoever he had in mind. So he became that.
The Wrong Horse
Here's what I actually meant by that.
Through all of this, there's a bitterness in the fact that Jimin — who earned his success through a disciplined fanbase, his magnetic talent, and the fact that Hybe didn't stomp quite so heavily on his actual lyrical content (because honestly, some of his songs say things that, if I were building the myth of a happy "family" and "besties forever," I'd really rather not have said publicly) — didn't get what JK got.
But here I'd ask myself: did we actually want Jimin to get what JK got for Face? (Because Muse was released during his military service, so that kind of machine was never on the table.) Do we really want Jimin's debut album to be a collection of one-summer hits and music videos where he runs around half-naked singing about sex with nothing but suggestive choreography?
I don't. I wouldn't want that.
And that was JK's assignment. JK was supposed to give us the collection of one-summer hits with suggestive moves that would create a "wow" effect on the American music market (toward which I have worse than a bad attitude). The machine couldn't run at full scale for everyone. They had to pick one person to deliver it, and JK seemed like the best choice — because he's the most recognizable member of BTS in that target demographic (we're talking teenagers and young adults at parties, not philosophy lecture attendees who specialize in poetry). Because he objectively looks the least like a "perfect idol." And because among those who could have done it, he seemed the most willing.
Because sorry, but I can't picture Jin wowing anyone with his dancing (not saying he's bad, but he's a little stiff — he doesn't have that natural talent for improvised movement, it just doesn't come naturally to him). And I can't picture V going out there without making a whole performance out of his "jaded artist who doesn't care about anything" persona. They needed JK.
So overall — if the goal was mainstream recognition, they could have gone with Jimin. Genuinely. He could have done exactly what JK did. But do you know what separates them? Risk.
Nobody expected fireworks from JK's music. At least not within ARMY. His solo stans might be disappointed, but disappointing a JK solo stan doesn't sting the way disappointing a Jimin solo stan does. With Jimin? Oh boy. That could have hurt. JK was safe.
Final Thoughts
What still genuinely pisses me off is that Jimin is underexposed. Not just by Hybe — but by the fandom itself. I say this as someone who came to BTS and stayed because of Jimin. Go to any video about him and check the first five comments. For all that Jimin has the most solo stans, the broader fandom treats him as an afterthought. Or openly dislikes him.
But that's maybe a topic for another post — if anyone's interested.
Hybe took what was best in each of them, chewed it up, gave us scraps — but still mostly stayed true to what the boys actually wanted. At least partially. Sure, we'd love for every member to get the full JK investment. But that's not how markets work. It's still a company that needs to make money. Compromises have to be made.
And if what we get is only a taste of what the fandom actually wants... well.
BTS: The Final Chapter — Jungkook, the Chosen One
trad: ChatGpt
In BTS's most strategic era yet, HYBE seems to have placed all its bets on the youngest member. This article dives deep into the parallels between Jungkook’s solo rollout and other historic cases in pop music — and asks what it all might mean for BTS’s future.
In the intricate world of K-pop, where the rise and consolidation of idol groups are meticulously orchestrated, the transition into solo careers often represents a separate chapter — one typically shaped by strategies of profitability and individual marketability. BTS, the global phenomenon that redefined the music scene, is no exception.
During the group’s hiatus, all eyes have turned to Jungkook, whose solo debut seems to be the epicenter of a calculated bet by HYBE, the company behind the septet. This new journalism-style article dives into the evidence that points to Jungkook as the “chosen one” to lead the next phase of HYBE’s global impact, drawing parallels with notable cases in music history.
The logic behind the choice: strategy and profitability
It is common practice in the music industry for companies to invest heavily in one specific member of a group as a solo artist. The reasons vary, but all converge toward one goal: betting on success that translates into profit. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this — and there’s no reason to think things would be different with BTS. However, such preference can stir discontent among solo fandoms, especially those of Jimin and Taehyung, who also boast strong fan bases and legitimate expectations for individual success.
Historical precedents: from the Jackson Five to One Direction
Pop music history is full of examples of group members who achieved even greater success as solo artists. These cases serve as templates for record labels hoping to replicate success and maximize the potential of their stars.
Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five
Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, began his career as a child with the Jackson Five. Though the group was wildly successful, Michael’s unique talent quickly set him apart. His transition to solo stardom was gradual but decisive. The album Off the Wall (1979) marked his emergence as a solo act, but it was Thriller (1982) that cemented his status as a global phenomenon. His labels — first Motown, then Epic Records — invested heavily in his image, music production, and groundbreaking music videos, turning him into a cultural icon. Michael Jackson's solo success far eclipsed that of the Jackson Five, proving the power of a successful bet on individual talent.
Justin Timberlake and *NSYNC
In the 1990s, *NSYNC topped the charts as one of the world’s most popular boy bands. Justin Timberlake, with his charisma and vocal talent, naturally emerged as the group’s standout. When *NSYNC went on hiatus in 2002, Timberlake launched his solo debut, Justified. It was an instant and massive success, boosted by top-tier production and collaborations with artists like The Neptunes and Timbaland. His label, Jive Records, invested heavily in promoting his solo career, positioning him as a global pop and R&B artist. Timberlake’s success quickly surpassed that of *NSYNC, cementing his status as one of pop’s biggest names.
Harry Styles and One Direction
More recently, One Direction — another global boy band juggernaut — saw Harry Styles emerge as the member with the greatest solo potential. After the group’s hiatus in 2016, Styles released his self-titled debut album in 2017. With a sound rooted in rock and pop-rock and a carefully curated image, he quickly won over critics and built a loyal fan base. His label, Columbia Records, executed a marketing strategy that positioned him as an authentic and innovative artist, distancing him from the boy band stereotype. With acclaimed albums and sold-out tours, Harry Styles became one of the biggest contemporary music stars.
Jungkook: the evidence of HYBE's choice
HYBE’s actions regarding Jungkook’s solo career echo the strategies used in the cases of Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Harry Styles — suggesting a clear and deliberate investment in BTS’s youngest member.
A global showcase: Qatar World Cup
Jungkook’s performance at the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar was an undeniable milestone. Korean media coverage cited official sources that referred to BTS as a whole — not just Jungkook — amplifying the sense that HYBE was using this global platform to project him as the face of the group during its solo era. This exposure was no accident.
Massive investment in Golden
While exact figures weren’t disclosed, the production scale, international collaborations, and marketing rollout of Golden clearly reflected a major financial push. The album broke records for K-pop soloists and confirmed Jungkook as a global commercial force.
Collaborations and Western image shaping
Jungkook’s team aligned him with global names — though not all of them were a natural artistic fit. Many critics pointed to a push toward a Justin Bieber-style image: hypersexualized, Western, and heteronormative. Whether or not fans embraced it, the goal was clear — domination of the Western market. Scooter Braun’s shadow behind the scenes confirmed just how strategic this rollout was.
The “Seven” strategy: remixes, playlists, visibility
“Seven” was released in 14 versions, an aggressive move to maximize streams and digital sales. It was also featured heavily and consistently across Spotify’s official playlists — a clear indicator of investment in visibility and algorithmic prominence.
U.S. media appearances
Jungkook performed at major U.S. shows like Good Morning America and the Global Citizen Festival. These stages are key to securing mass-market recognition, and HYBE made sure he was on them — a move not mirrored for other members.
Trademarked brand identity
One of the clearest signs: Jungkook now has his own official visual identity, trademarked across South Korea, the U.S., Europe, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, the UK, and Canada. That kind of legal and branding move isn’t just administrative — it’s the foundation for launching a standalone empire.
The price of preference: fandom rifts and BTS's future
Business logic aside, the overt favoritism shown toward Jungkook has sparked serious division among fans. Those who support other members have voiced frustration and anger. Some Jungkook fans themselves have protested — notably sending trucks to HYBE’s headquarters demanding a solo tour. Meanwhile, newer fans drawn in by Golden may not follow the group when BTS reunites in 2026.
On the other hand, longtime fans may start to see the group as an obstacle to their bias’s individual growth. Either way, polarization is growing. Will BTS return stronger — or will diverging interests and financial pressures pull the group apart?
These are the questions that will shape the years ahead. And in upcoming articles, we’ll dive into two critical layers of this story: the “Jimin factor” and the weight of the golden cage.
“If “Indigo,” BTS leader RM’s past album from 2022, describes him defining what it means to be human, RM’s newest album, “Right Place Wrong Person,” tells the story of his raw experience putting that definition into practice. It is this experience of RM turning off the switch of TV friendly RM and diving deep into finding who the “real me” is, that expresses the true theme of his album, “Right Place, Wrong Person.” Each song that’s housed in this album sets a precedent of one’s freedom to be human, no matter how many people know their name or not.
As soon as one starts playing the first song, “Right People, Wrong Place,” they are whisked into the world of RM’s mind as electronic sounds mix with a breathy voice and an 80s style synthesizer…”
Read the full 5,000 word analysis here:
If “Indigo,” BTS leader RM’s past album from 2022, is him defining what it means to be human, “Right Place Wrong Person,” RM’s newest album,
Reactor Recommendation:
Older fans probably already know this guy, but he's one of the few genuine and knowledgeable reactors I found on YT. He has dived deep into 'Lie' and other BTS songs. If interested, you could watch the below reactions:
He appreciated the composition so much that he made a 2nd video to deep dive:
His other reactions are deep too. Like this one:
Today I read something on Reddit about how many idols have done the choreo for Lie, but no one has attempted to sing it.
I don't know if this is true, but it ought to be.
I have seen some idols do the choreo for Lie. (Sorry, I do not know their names.) And they were competent, proficient, even good, but there was something lacking. The movements too sharp and perfect, without the fluidity and feeling Jimin creates, seemingly so effortlessly.
You did say you wanted to talk about Jimin's music, didn't you?
Hi Anon, I did want to talk about Jimin's music. So thanks for the ask.
LIE by JIMIN (Choreo)
To properly understand, I searched up a stage fancam of Lie on YT. Here it is for reference-
Also, this one-
(I also used the Lie short film behind the scenes from a bangtan bomb as reference)
As we can see, the Lie Choreo is NOT heavily dependent on the back up dancers. All the back up dancers do is showcase the chaos- by doing the same moves but in different angles, facing different directions to show chaos, and in the end when they lift Jimin during the bridge. Lie stage is not heavily dependent on back up dancers like in LC or Set me free pt2.
As you can see, the distinctive characteristic of Jimin's dances are -
1. His fast and slow movements, requiring extreme core strength.
2. His beautiful dance lines. Due to his professional background and again, core strength- that lets him always maintain those lines. Pause the choreo at any point and you'll get a pose. You can even compare his lines to the back up dancers and see how prominent they are.
3. Story telling via body language. Lie is a sad song. Like a cry for help. And that shows in his body language, even though he's dancing perfectly, he looks defeated, a little dizzy in between movements, hence bringing out the emotions.
4. There are particular parts of the choreo which I have personally used to compare the idols' performances. One of them being Jimin's body movement during the lines "smooth like-a like-a snake" and the other "순결했던 날 찾아줘"(Please find me who was innocent).
Let's look at the dance covers by idols/trainees-
NIKI-Enhypen
Out of all dances I saw, when it comes to technicality and detail, I think Niki's cover was the best. The only area he lacked in was body language. The way jimin carelessly lets his head dangle during the chorus, showing despair, the way he extends his arms in abandon during the choir part of the song etc- all of those movements generate the emotions of the song. Niki did it exactly the way a skilled, versatlie dancer would do it. The only thing he lacked was the body language of 'despair'. And I also need to applaud him for taking care of the dance lines. He did a great job.
Byeongkwan
Even though technically, Niki was more detailed, I enjoyed Byeongkwan's performance a lot because of the emotions he put. His head movement, hands, expressions - he was using them all to evoke the same emotions of the song. Technically, he missed some details of the original choreo and his body lines were not perfect. The central body movement during "Sungyeolhaessdeon nal chajajwo" was not that fluid. Some dancers do not pay attention to their central body movement when there is already a lot of limb movement (like tiktok dancers). Even though he was not technically accurate, he was a pleasure to watch because of his confidence and emotions. Even though his emotions were more about 'sexy despair' than just 'despair' lol.
YG treasure box (Junghwan vs Hyunsuk)
Won't even bother putting a link because these two are trainees and really really not upto the mark - both vocals and dance. So, I'm sorry I won't be evaluating them lol. You can find it on YT if you wish to. They shouldn't have chosen such a tough song for a battle, especially for trainees. Jimin is called 'idol of idols' but only those who are extremely hard working and daring enough to try to embody Jimin's power should attempt his stuff. It's very easy to fall short if they are not serious about it.
Dongheon from Verivery
A decent attempt for a rookie, I would say. He missed a lot of details and in some places, the popping was non-existent. Dance lines were also not taken care of. But overall, I think if he had practiced more, maybe with another pro-dancer, he could do better. He definitely tried to put in the emotions via body language, and I do appreciate that. Again the lack of torso movement during "Sungyeolhaessdeon nal chajajwo" was apparent. Such a simple thing, but such an easy catch when you need to distinguish idol dancers vs professional dancers.
All said and done, I see he is just a trainee, but I do see the passion, even in dingy practice room, recorded using a phone camera probably.
Tae Young, Seven o' clock
Again, I won't comment because this was done as a gag for an interview. It's not a serious performance or practice. Something you or I would do in the privacy of our homes or around friends lol. You can watch the video on YT.
That's all the covers I could find on YT.
A short note on LIE vocals: You are right, no idol has attempted to sing it. At least no well established idol. I saw some vocal covers by YT singers, but they all did it in their own style. Honestly, Jimin's vocals are not easy to replicate at all. Maybe a song like Serendipity is still okay to attempt, with the intention to sound like Jimin. But Lie?? No way. Because in Lie, Jimin doesn't use falsettos or soft voice (only bridge has falsetto) . It's all raspy, boyish voice and head voice. The high notes in Lie are not falsettos either. It's not just the emotions, but also his pronunciation, vocal fry, vocal texture and vocal cracks that come into play. They are simply not imitable. If you want to cover Lie, just do it in your own style.
Anyway, if you want to read more about Jimin, here's another post by me about his music which didn't receive a lot of attention, go read it if you can:-
1. Lie- bg vocals by Sumin Timestamp: 0:38 for a quick listen 2. Set me free pt.2 - choir segment recorded at Echo Bar recording Studios.
jimin's voice truly elevates Like Crazy. his singing is electric, psychedelic, almost. like receiving a static shock or closing your eyes after looking at bright lights and seeing spots. his singing blends so ridiculously well with the synth. i think this is most obvious after the instrumental break in the middle of the song, the 'mirror' verse. my head spins in the best way while listening to this song.
https://www.tumblr.com/jiminsass-istant/740934106304626688/bye-bye-old-bts?source=share
There’s a lot of assumptions here I don’t agree with. The west is embracing new jeans and they haven’t had physical promo like bts did. The reason why bts is not getting really embraced by the gp is cos the music they promote to the west is generic meaningless boy band music which is very unrelatable. And authenticity is a big thing in the west. If they gave Mots7 or any of their albums before that the level of promo dynamite or butter had, they would have gotten more of the gp appreciation.
Hybe is not just only promoting jk, but they were also hampering other members promo. Look at how lackadaisical they were with shipping jh, Jin & RM albums. How poorly they scheduled Face, the many issues we faced during Face era that jk never experienced. We had to tag them for basic things that a label should already know about. How they shaded jm in their own article and are several times refusing to acknowledge his no1. It goes beyond promoting one member and more into trying to stifle the rest to present an image the label has the power to make a pop star. And is probably also why they give this promo to songs the label premade and not the artist’s authentic music that the artists makes
Thanks for the ask, anon. I'll share my thoughts to your ask in parts: (and sorry for the long essay in advance, kindly read, i swear i get to a point lol)
Western GP (New Jeans vs BTS): Can I be very very honest? New Jeans music is extremely catchy and has that hyperpop element that western audiences eat up. With rise of artists like PinkPantheress, hyperpop is gaining even more popularity, and Y2K aesthetic is back. NewJeans are all that- the music and aesthetic both. I'm not sure what were their digital promo methods, but perhaps playlisting on streaming platforms? And the collab with Apple was very strategic too. Let's also not forget they have english chorus in their songs and went viral on tiktok. New Jeans are in top 5 kpop groups in tiktok. I cannot speak for NewJeans much, because I have only listened to their songs, and do not follow them.
Let's talk about OT7 songs promoted in the US first- as in Dynamite, Butter and PTD. Let's take Dynamite - a very well crafted product, basically a completely American song with American references and MJ inspired choreo. It was meant to catch western attention and did its job. But the problem was- it was a single, not an album and it didn't really showcase the range of their artistry. Yet it did the job of exponentially increasing the fanbase. It was pandemic time, people were in their rooms, with internet and Youtube. Those who were meant to find BTs, found them.
Could BTS have achieved long lasting attention with MOTS 7 promotion? Honestly, it's hard to say. BTS's music is not conventional. You will never hear a BTS song and think- 'oh! i've heard something similar', in fact, sometimes it is even difficult to comprehend what genre their songs are. A different language, a different genre, 7 different voices, with no two albums that sound similar, no viral tiktok songs. Do you know how difficult it is to crack the western market? It is a lot of information to feed. I will come back to the MOTS 7 issue later.
How does one build a fanbase for a band like BTS?
BTS's popularity and long lasting fanbase has always been formed by the story they sell. Bang PD, right from the start, wanted to show the world 7 authentic, real boys who wanted to share their original thoughts, happiness, feelings and struggles. Added to this, their underdog story. Yes, their struggles from older days are all real and valid, but knowing that story makes you relate to them. Because, aren't we all some type of underdog before we achieve something big? People have often been drawn to BTS via word of mouth, friends, 'i just wanted to know their names' and ending up watching the Taylor Guide, 'my wife took me to their concert and now all my friends love BTS', 'they taught me how to love myself' etc etc. BTS has always inducted fans who were searching for something in their lives, or are curious, or are 'willing to learn'. You cannot sit an American down and show them a BTS US interview and ask them to listen to the album and make them a forever fan. Do you know how people in the west don't watch an international film just because they refuse to read subtitles? The language barrier might be easy for armies to overlook because we are invested, but it's not easy to convince a monolingual westerner to start reading subtitles to get into an entirely different fandom.
To sum up my points above:
BTS sell their story and relatability and group dynamics, which is not possible just through basic promotion. One has to dive into BTS voluntarily and go through the plethora of content, one by one.
BTS songs are usually not tiktok viral for some reason, considering how big of an act they are. Barely any bts tracks have gone viral- BST remix, black swan instrumental (maybe), PTD dance challenge to name a few. I don't know the reason why because I have barely ever used tiktok. Because armies only interact with each other on that app and even then, they don't use bts songs as audio.
The pre-requisite is to be backed by a western label for radio, playlist, western ads etc. Because the US won't allow an outsider label to make money off their GP, simple. It just takes away the money that could have stayed with western labels.
Coming to individual member (JK) promoted in the US: I did mention in the post of mine you have linked- that Golden lacked depth. Quoting my own words directly - " While they paid attention to heavy promo, charts and playlisting for Golden, they failed to create a connection with the music- which seems highly non-personal and lacking in depth and has a non-interesting concept. The promo did do the work of making jk a common name, showcasing his talents and introducing him to the industry. But for a lasting impact, they have to create better stories with the music. Idc, army are acting too defensive when people are disappointed that he didn't write his songs. It's okay to not write, but the very least singers can do is connect to song meanings and relate to personal experiences during the promos."
And anon, you are right, to have a lasting impression in the west, one needs authenticity. Actually let me list down the non-compromisable parameters required for success in the US-
Affiliation to US based label/Connection to industry mammoths. (Give money to US/US based part of the company)
English song/ lots of english lyrics + recognizable genre
Character/ brand of the artist (which the audience calls 'authenticity', but is actually the 'brand' of the artist created by the label. People hear the artist's name and know what to expect. You hear Olivia Rodrigo and you know you will get teenage, angsty, heartbreak tracks.)
Last but not the least- tiktok push. (somehow extremely essential today)
Hybe gave JK 1,2 and 4 from above list. They tried to build up on his character, but it is incomplete and lacks depth. The character they have built for him is- Korean hearthrob who can sing and dance, inspired by Michael Jackson, the ONE member to look out from the massive band BTS (Justin Timberlake trajectory). They gave him catchy songs directed at het women, dressed him up in clothes fitting that image and made him perform live at TSX. Thanks to the massive ads and promo, people know him now. But unless he shows the true depth of his character and brand to the GP, a lot of people (non-army) won't look forward to his future works. And whether we like it or not, him not being being able to interact freely and share his thoughts in english in the interviews is still a drawback for him. (personally, i wish that was not true).
Even when some celebrities of colour get the limelight in US pop culture, it's because they are connected to the US. They emerge as this messiah for their 3rd world country, can speak english and work for US labels and production companies. The US gets to keep the money and awards, and also gets to flaunt 'diversity'. It has always worked like that when the west opened the doors for a POC.
MOTS 7 would not get GP acceptance without being backed by a US label. And would a US label ever accept a full Korean album with all Korean artists? Why would they invest in an artist of a foreign language? Can Bang PD's assistant call up US radio and get them to play Dionysus? No. But if Scooter does it, they will pay attention.
An English speaking artist can convey their feelings through words on a radio, but how will a Korean artist do that on the radio with no subtitles, to an audience who refuses to read subs in the first place? You know how the US GP reacted when Parasite movie won an Oscar, right?
Ever since 2017, BTS have tried for that hot 100, did everything they could, backed by their Korean company, tons of US interviews and what not. But at the end of the day, they had to compromise with meaning and depth and churn out an all english, MJ inspired, disco pop track which finally gave them their #1. I am not downplaying the significance of Dynamite, or saying that it's a bad song. But I simply mean that only a marked shift in genre and strategy gave them that #1.
Anon's words: "Hybe is not just only promoting jk, but they were also hampering other members promo."
You are absolutely right. The only properly done solo work was that of Yoongi I feel. He knows his priorities and influence on the company, and has always had a very strong connection to both inside and outside the company. I'm not sure if D-Day was mismanaged, though am sure some yoongi biased army will have things to point out. All the other members have faced mismanagement. Jimin the most, I feel. Even recently, there's a Weverse article where they wrote that "jhope led the contemporary dance with Jimin", in spring day. All respect to Jhope where he deserves because he is the dance leader indeed, but he did not lead the contemporary dance in spring day, as amazing as he is, respectfully.
Anon's words: "It goes beyond promoting one member and more into trying to stifle the rest to present an image the label has the power to make a pop star."
I felt the same thing. I share the same sentiment with you here. The way they downplayed Like Crazy's achievements was disappointing and hurtful. That day it became crystal clear to me that Bighit did NOT see that achievement coming. None of the member's releases was meant to make this much noise, not before their Scooter backed project. They grossly underestimated the extent army can go even for 1 member (arguably the 2 most popular members in US are Jimin and Jungkook). Honestly the type of promotions JK got would never be given to other members because the other members would NOT agree to singing english songs that have zero depth and zero connection to their own feelings. JK was willing to take up that offer because.. well it's his choice. It was a golden platter, why not take it up? His image is moldable, he can sing whatever he is given and has the talent to pull it off. No matter whom we bias, JK has been the center of almost all BTS songs, a non-replaceable voice. But at the end of the day, the reason he was the one member who Bighit wanted to stand-out from the group was, it was his consent and agreement to everything the company planned for him.
I do wonder what it would have been like if all members received that kind of promo with their own artistry. But the entire premise of them being backed by Scooter/US collapses because they refuse to sing songs written by Scooter's writers. So I also agree with anon when they said "And is probably also why they give this promo to songs the label premade and not the artist’s authentic music that the artists makes."
Instead, Hybe is focusing on the other kpop groups under them. It's like the 6 members were just given their own individual management teams to manage their solo works lol. At least, let's be glad that the 6 members are getting full creative freedom for their work. I just want their solo works to be better managed. And I hope their managers, and planners, especially those on Jimin's side have learnt their lesson and come up with a foolproof promo for their next projects. I don't expect anything from BangPD, that man has been showing a certain pattern I don't want to discuss. (solely because i refuse to think what goes on in his mind).
As fans, all we can do is support the solo works we feel connected to and support BTS as a whole in future OT7 projects.
