Why BTS Will Become Global Icons: A Response To Black Swan.

On the 17th January 2020, 6pm KST, BTS released their new single Black Swan and their ARMY were left in an outpouring of self-reflection and social conversation. The video and lyrics depicting a man who is shamed for breaking out of societal norms, breaking out from sea of monochromatic suits to bear himself and his passion to a world that shuns his for it, who attempts as always to cage that individual back into the grind of everyday life. Strangling a suffocating him in the process.

 

“A dancer dies twice- once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the most painful.”

 

Not only is this a particularly prevalent situation in South Korea, but to people across the globe. Truly, as a writer, this whole concept hit me like a freight train… left me reeling and then pulled all these repressed thoughts from my core.

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When you're stressed, when life floods your mind with unimportant bullshit and you get so caught up in the grind of everyday life that you forget to write... it’s so incredibly nerve-wracking to sit down and write again. Your mind freezes and the words won’t come out. You start to panic that the thing that once made you special has died within you,  and you've just become a part of the grey blob of society- something you feel you can never escape from. Because society paints creativity and expression as childish and frivolous. When you paint or write or sing or dance, you are wasting time, or avoiding being an ‘real adult’. The same can be said for even liking BTS. When young women especially find common passion in something, it is almost always treated as ‘obsession’ or ‘irrational, blind worship’.

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This sort of oppression and the shame that comes along with it, incites feelings of isolation and depression. You begin to feel you should hide things, hide your passions, hide your wants and needs in favour of ‘fitting in’ to what the media and the general public paint to be the standard and ideal human being. Sometimes, in doing this you begin to lose that which makes you yourself.

I hope other artists whether musical, visual or otherwise can vouch that they feel this way also. When theres that one thing that makes you feel good about yourself or that helps you express your thoughts, fears and emotions, the fear of loosing that is again (as Yoongi hinted in Shadow) the fear of losing yourself. It reminds me of this blog post I wrote years ago when I’d just left education, I'll link it here if you want to read it at the end of this article: https://wordpress.com/view/mmugift.wordpress.com

 

The trick to combating this, is realising that fires can be rekindled, it just takes a little time. You need to make time for yourself (no matter how little or long), time for you to become re-inspired, time for you to live and breathe and be you with no bars held. Not many people dreamt of working minimum wage in a standard job when they were kids, but sometimes it’s just a necessary building block, another step on your way to your real dream. Its just something to help you on your way.

 

 I can't tell you how much I relate to this song and this video, MN are spectacular and the men of BTS are truly to me, not just idols but artists and fundamentally good humans. Humans that are flawed just like us, but from what I have known of them since 2016,  beautiful from their insides out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The word ‘icon’ is thrown around a lot nowadays. But to me, there is a difference between a global celebrity and a global icon. Icons push limits, break stereotypes and redefine what it is to be what they are within their industry. BTS have done (an continue to do) all of these things:

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• Write thought provoking, relatable music that evokes a feeling of vulnerability to and understanding of the society they live in. This then creating a social/political discourse and encouraging their listeners to become aware of and engaged with themselves and the world that they live in.

• They create beautiful, artistic content and performance that tells a story and represents an overarching concept that is contextually powerful.

• BTS push the boundaries of what is expected of and for idols (notably in South Korea), whether that be the lyrics, production, performance, musical/self-expression, achievement or global reach that they have proven they are capable of.

• They work hard on their skills, constantly pushing themselves to grow and bloom in what they do.

•  They treat their fanbase as equals, destroying the harmful idea that a fan is ‘less’ than the people they idolise. The way that BTS appreciates, respects and champions their fans, inspires those fans to become actively engaged within the BTS community and with each of the members individually.

• They are known to be open,  to be honest,  to be humble and to be grateful. Not only does this gain respect from fellow artists, but it is beginning to catch the attention of the general public too. The reason many people stay with BTS is because they feel they know them. The members are open with their struggles, open with their personalities, open with their history. They humbly admit their flaws and are grateful for the lives the lives they now live, never taking it for granted.

 

For all these reasons and many more, this is why I belive BTS will continue to make history. This is why I think they deserve the label of Icon. They are exposing the world to messages of positivity, peace and love, both within yourself and within this modern society. And not only are they doing this successfully, but they are doing this in a way that is accessible and attractive to the young people who will eventually build this new world. Let’s for our sakes hope that world can be as beautiful as the little world BTS and their team have created for and with ARMY.