How the West was won – by BTS. The secret to K-pop stars’ success
- BTS have won over an army of fans in the US, Britain and Europe with their positive message
- The Korean boy band appeal to a generation that feels comfortable with the idea of fluid gender identity
Paris’s Stade de France national stadium is packed. The crowd is a sea of screaming teenagers in sporty hoodies, colourful rabbit ears and – as it starts to rain – plastic ponchos.
In a puff of smoke, BTS burst onto the stage from behind two giant inflatable leopards. Dressed in white suits, they jump around to pumping hit Dionysus, to the delight of fans clutching smartphones and flashing globe balls.
While the music industry has seen its fair share of boy bands over the years, from The Jackson 5 to One Direction, BTS – short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, which translates as Bulletproof Boy Scouts – are the first K-pop group to top charts in the US and Britain.
“BTS have captivated pop fans in the West in a way that no other Asian band has ever done before,” said Ben Beaumont-Thomas, music editor of Britain’s The Guardian newspaper.
