As some of you might know, BTS (Korean boy band), came out with a new album about two weeks ago! And for a while after its release, their songs dominated all top 14 spots on the iTunes chart.
Considering their humble backgrounds, this level of success is pretty unexpected. Especially in America. 
It’s well-known (at least to Kpop fans) that BTS comes from a small entertainment company called ”BigHit Entertainment.” (For those of you who don’t know, there are three big entertainment companies in South Korea known as the “big 3”: JYP, YG, and SM. Recruitment as a performer into these companies basically guarantees successful promotion and fame. Being part of a smaller company makes it 10xs harder to gain popularity). So, BTS didn’t really have a lot going for them when they first debuted in 2014.
So how did they get to this level of fame—the first K-pop group to perform at the Grammys, first K-pop group to win a Billboard Music Award, and really, the first K-pop group to have significant presence in mainstream American music?
Many, including the group themselves, would say that a lot of this success can be attributed to the intensity and devotion of their fans. 
When I first got into BTS (3 years ago, back in their Blood Sweat and Tears era), they were still pretty far from the popularity they’re at currently. But even then, their fans were incredibly hardcore when it came to their support. Under every music video, there would be dozens of comments reminding others to “stream” (watching and re-watching several times) to increase views (to help beat records and such), and other dozens of comments filled with almost saccharine positivity.
But how exactly did BTS manage to garner this sort of loyalty and enthusiasm from fans across the globe?
- Social media presence
A big part of why their fans love them so much is the closer sense of connection the group has managed to create through social media.
According to the article “Why Is BTS Taking Over the Pop Music World?” by Alia Hoyt from HowStuffWorks.com, Namjoon (leader of BTS), has explained that “a lot of their success was due to the group taking advantage of social media before it became commonplace for musicians to do so.”
This was one of the first things I noticed when I started looking into them. Unlike a lot of American artists I’d been interested in before, BTS had an abundance of content available online for their fans’ amusement. For example: “Bangtan Bombs”—a series of silly behind-the-scenes videos of BTS that have been released regularly since they debuted. At the time, BTS was the only, or one of the only, Kpop groups to do something like this on social media, and it was a really successful tactic in displaying their personalities in a likable, down-to-earth way. 
Even I, who was only initially interested in their music and dance videos, was pulled in unexpectedly fast through this sort of content, and I ended becoming much more invested in BTS than planned (as in, I was kind of obsessed for some time from freshman-sophomore year).
- Thoughtful lyrics
Another pretty unique aspect to BTS is the depth they have in their songs. In the K-pop industry, a lot of artists, especially those in bigger companies, aren’t given the freedom to write their own songs, and so their songs end up being manufactured to fit a certain image/concept. While this is safer, and has been successful in the past, it can also end up feeling kind of superficial.
Because BTS has been able to write on their own, they’re able to write about more controversial topics, and more emotional topics.
Examples!
These songs, especially ones like “2!3!”, help create an emotional appeal that is sometimes rare in K-pop. In the comment sections of youtube, you can find lots of comments from fans saying BTS has helped them through tough times with their songs, which strengthens their dedication and personal attachment.
Also, their commentary on societal issues in songs like “N.O” make BTS particularly appealing to new generations, who are trying to become more proactive about controversial topics.
- Unique concepts
BTS has always had a unique theme to their music video—many of their videos are connected together in a type of “storyline” that communicates a deeper message. While I’ve never been super invested in figuring out these hidden messages, here’s an article that explains what I’m talking about: https://medium.com/@ivwang_78767/an-explanation-of-the-bts-universe-for-which-i-should-get-a-degree-aeoftbufwisgad-pt-1-d6211bd10d35
This “alternate universe” BTS has created provides another incentive for fans to continue following their content; many end up in a frenzy trying to conjure up “theories” to explain events in their music videos, which further solidifies their interest in BTS.
Because BTS is the only group (or one of the only) that has taken the time to create a storyline with such complexity and consistency over so many music videos, this adds a deeper aspect to their music, giving fans more of a reason to support them.
- Vulnerability
This last point goes along with most of the other ones I’ve made, but BTS has always been vulnerable and open about the issues they’ve faced—more so than most of their fellow K-pop idols. One of their lead rappers Suga (formal name: Yoongi), for example, has suffered from depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, which he revealed rather blatantly on his mixtape Agust D., which was released in 2016: https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-agust-d-the-last-english-translation-lyrics.
This level of vulnerability allows fans suffering with similar issues to connect with them and feel less alone, and also makes their achievements more inspiring, considering the obstacles they’ve had to face along the way.
Some might say BTS is overrated. And to some extent, I might agree. They are definitely not the absolute best in terms of vocals (despite what some of their fans might say), and many other artists have music with just as much depth and meaning. But either way, they’ve worked hard to get to where they are now, and I strongly suggest you give them a listen before making any judgement!
Allison, I love this! As someone who dislikes the Kpop genre, but likes BTS, I can safely say that they are very unique in the way they produce music, create music and interact with fans. I think that is one of the reasons why they have gained the fan base and popularity they did. They’re music is also very universal, as you mentioned in your post. They tackle topics such as mental health and self love. I really do enjoy their music for these reasons, and I think that’s a big reason why they are the first Kpop group to break into American Music and win awards. Considering where they came from, they really had to work their way to the top which is another appealing thing about them as people. They seems to be kind and considerate with their fans, rather than acting like they’re the “shit”. Overall this was a very enjoyable post to read as a fan and p.s JK is MY bias.