[0:03]BTS paved the way for K-pop. It is a fact but also a controversial thing to say. So how is it that there is so much disagreement? First of all, I think we all need to make sure we're talking about the same thing first. Paving the way simply means making it easier for something to happen or someone to do something. Paving the way doesn't mean inventing something. You're not building the road from scratch. You're just paving a road, which is very hard to walk through. Making it easier for others to walk behind you. So when we say BTS paved the way, we don't mean that BTS invented K-pop or entered the global music market first. We just mean that BTS made it easier for K-pop acts to enter the global music market. K-pop was a growing interest before BTS, but it was still a very niche thing. Now, however, K-pop is part of conversations about pop culture because BTS are mainstream. It was only after BTS entered the Billboard charts when Billboard created charts only for K-pop. It was only after BTS started winning Western award shows when Western award shows created K-pop categories. It was only after BTS won their first American award for Top Social Artist when K-pop acts opened Twitter accounts because BTS were nominated for their Twitter engagement. It was only after BTS debuted in American television when K-pop acts started being invited to American television. It was only after BTS started getting Grammy nominations when K-pop acts started submitting their songs to the Grammys. It was only after BTS's fandom requested to have their albums on stores like Target when K-pop started selling their albums in stores like Target. It was only after BTS became the biggest group in the world when K-pop groups had the opportunity to sign with American labels. BTS paved the way because without them, K-pop would have remained a niche interest and wouldn't have the global platform they have today thanks to BTS. So what are the arguments against the phrase BTS paved the way?
[2:06]First, is that the second generation paved the way. For more context, we need to understand that K-pop has different generations. The first generation came around the 1990s and is composed of artists like Seo Taiji who basically invented K-pop by introducing American music styles and music equipment to South Korea. and entertainment agencies were inspired by the Japanese idol industry to create the K-pop idol training system, in which singers train for years to debut in a group. The second generation started around the early 2000s and it was when K-pop became known as a niche interest in countries outside of South Korea. The third generation is K-pop slowly entering the global music market. BTS is part of this generation. The fourth generation starts in 2017, after BTS became the most popular group in the world. So the argument is that without the first and second generation of K-pop, BTS wouldn't even exist and be as popular as they are today. However, absolutely no one is denying that these big first and second generation K-pop acts help BTS become a group because the members were part of the idol training system and without it, they wouldn't even have met. But it was not because of the K-pop system that BTS became global artists. If this was the case, other bigger groups at the time with way more resources should have become global instead of them. BTS became global artists because they and their almost bankrupt label were rejected opportunities in the K-pop industry. and they were forced to find their own out-of-the-norm creative ways to promote themselves. The first and second generation helped BTS exist as a group, but they didn't pave the way because they didn't make it easier for BTS or anyone else in K-pop to enter the Western music market. They actually made it more difficult. This is why all the previous K-pop groups who attempted to enter the Western music market failed. And after their failures, no other K-pop group tried to enter too, including BTS. BTS accidentally entered the Western music market because their music and personalities became popular on Twitter and YouTube, a way of promotion that K-pop acts didn't seriously consider before. This should be enough proof that the second generation of K-pop didn't pave the way. They actually destroyed the way because no one dared to walk through that road again. Now thanks to BTS, the way is paved and K-pop groups have multiple opportunities to promote in the US.
[4:27]The second argument against is that PSY paved the way because "Gangnam Style" was a global hit, so he made K-pop being known globally. However, that is not paving the way. Gangnam Style was huge, but his musical career didn't see much growth in the Western and global music industry. He was invited to American award shows, morning shows, late night shows, and he even had collaborations with Western artists. So he was the first in doing many things. But he didn't make it easier for other K-pop acts to debut in America. The general public knew Gangnam Style, but many didn't even know his name or the country he was from. PSY said, "There were even people who thought my name was 'Gangnam Style'. Some people overseas would say, 'Hi, Gangnam Style.'" Some did get to know about K-pop because of him. But since his future singles decreased in popularity amongst the general public, he stopped being invited to all of these shows. He was considered a one-hit wonder and a funny phenomenon that will disappear after some time. And that was what happened. And I know that racism and xenophobia played a big role in his downfall, so I don't think we should blame him at all. It's not that PSY didn't want to pave the way for others. It's that PSY couldn't pave the way. But K-pop fans can be mad about his situation while also not inventing a story of success and paving the way, discrediting BTS, the actual ones who paved the way. Especially when BTS in 2017 also faced similar hardships and were also considered a weird phenomenon that will disappear after some time.
[6:03]The difference is that they kept growing because they were actually gaining fans. And these fans helped BTS win awards, perform on TV, sell their albums in American stores, and sell out stadiums. This made K-pop be known by the general public and actually be part of the American music industry, not just a funny guest. So PSY is the closer BTS can get of a Korean senior, but he didn't really experience BTS's level of popularity as artists. And he doesn't really know what it's like to help your country's music industry be part of pop culture conversations. BTS had to and did figure out by themselves how to stay in the worldwide music industry. And that's how they paved the way for others. They made the way easier to walk through and they can give advice on how to do it since it's a road they paved by themselves.
[6:54]The third argument against is that BTS only paved the way for the American music market and that we shouldn't prioritize their American achievements when other countries exist. I think this argument comes from people with little knowledge in the music industry. Whether we like it or not, the American music industry is the biggest music market in the world. Its value is more than two times bigger than Japan's, the second biggest music market. And not only that, but unlike other countries, America creates a chain reaction. The biggest artists in the United States have high chances to also be big in other countries, including Japan and the other big markets. But the biggest artists in Japan are big in Japan only. Of course, there are a few exceptions, but even those exceptions don't change the fact that you won't listen to the biggest artists from Japan, Germany, and France in the US, in Latin America, or in every Asian country. The only music market that can do this is the one of the United States. This is why Billboard has two global charts. A global chart which includes the US and other global chart which excludes the US, because the United States carries the global music industry numbers. The funny thing is that BTS charts well in both the global charts including the US and the global charts excluding the US. This is why BTS paved the way not only for the American music market but also for the global music market. BTS is huge in all of these countries, not just South Korea and the United States. They are the biggest artists, not group, artist, in Japan's Spotify. They sold out Wembley Stadium twice in the UK. They are the only Korean act to have number one albums in Germany. They are the only Korean group to sell out Stade de France. And this also happens in other countries with smaller music markets. It was only after BTS performed in Saudi Arabia when K-pop groups decided to also perform in Saudi Arabia. BTS paved the way for K-pop to have some visibility in every country of the world. Thanks to them, K-pop has grown everywhere. And there are now K-pop festivals around the world and K-pop albums are more easily distributed everywhere.
[9:00]Another argument against is that each group has paved their own way. And what people say about this is that K-pop idols work very hard on passing all the auditions they had as part of the idol training system. And they practice a lot to strengthen their talents and get their achievements. Again, that is not paving the way. Paving the way is making it easier for others to do something. So if I say XYZ group paved their own way, I'm saying XYZ group made it easier for themselves to be known in the global music industry. And this is just not true, because the road is already paved. So how did they make it easier for themselves and others? I could argue the complete opposite. I could say that BTS were the only ones who paved their own way, and this has to do with BTS's musical influences and hardships. If you really want to attribute BTS's path to someone else, attributed to the artists that actually inspired their music, art, and movement, which is black music. Genres like Hip-hop and R&B, dance styles like breakdance, legendary rappers and singers who take pride in writing their own songs, who like talking about their personal struggles and experiences. This is not to say that K-pop hasn't also been inspired by black music. K-pop may sound and look like black music, but the purpose of the genres got lost.
[10:20]With some exceptions, of course, K-pop groups are not inspired by these genres anymore. They don't pay for the samples they use and they don't recognize the musicians who are actually composing their music. They just want the aesthetic. This is why there are many K-pop rappers wanting to look like Rihanna, but not even knowing what genre she does. On the other hand, BTS have been actual fans of Hip-hop artists since they were kids and they were actually inspired by them. This is why they always paid homage to their influences by mentioning their idols in songs, paying for the samples they use and crediting them, showing their pictures in concerts, and even making documentaries featuring them and their voices. All of this, while also prioritizing their own message, lyricism, and creative ways. BTS took the basics of these genres to express their own voices and create their own unique path in the music industry. This is how you pave your own way. BTS didn't have the platform, but they had the talent, determination, creativity, and real love for music. For a K-pop group to pave their own way, they would have to walk through a path they paved by themselves. And that's not what they're doing. They only take the opportunities that BTS gave them.
[11:32]Finally, the last argument against the idea that BTS paved the way is that they actually opened the door and closed it, or that they paved the way for themselves and then closed the road for everyone else. They say this is because BTS's popularity is so big that no matter how hard others try, K-pop acts will always be in the shadows of BTS. And I believe that can be true, but only when you treat the road as a way to instant BTS level of success. The road BTS paved is not a road to be BTS. It's a road to have visibility in the global music market. But you still need to work hard to create your own artistic identity. The road is paved, but you still need to run. In other words, K-pop now has visibility in the Western music industry because K-pop groups now get invited to American TV and award shows. They now have American tours and albums on Target shelves, but they still need to make themselves different from BTS, because the best at being BTS are BTS. And no matter how hard K-pop tries, they won't be them. This is why the K-pop groups' attempts of being recognized as the next BTS try so hard to have the exact same achievements BTS had. They want to get the exact same records. And again, that is treating the road as a way to BTS's level of popularity, not as an opportunity to have visibility in the global music market. But there are some who do understand what this new road BTS gave them is about.
[12:56]The majority of K-pop acts don't really say anything at all about BTS's popularity and the opportunities they gave them. It should be obvious, but they act like BTS doesn't exist or like they are just another K-pop group. This has something to do with their labels' control on them and their image. However, there are some who do admit that BTS paved the way for them. And the ones who say it, simply take the opportunity that BTS gave them, say thank you, and move on with their careers. They know that competing against BTS is useless. So they do their best to use the global platform BTS gave them to showcase their talent. Starting with the founder of K-pop, Seo Taiji. 25 years had to pass for Seo Taiji to recognize another socially conscious Korean artist he could pass a torch to and proclaim as his successor. In 2017, Seo Taiji asked BTS to remake his classic Come Back Home and told them, "This is your generation now." Another popular group from the first generation is Shinhwa. When talking about Korean entertainment agencies and the difficulty in balancing promotions in Korea and in the US, a member from Shinhwa said:
[14:06]Rain, another singer from the first generation, appeared on a show where the interviewer said that BTS promoted in the US thanks to Rain, but he responded, "They became successful because they worked really hard on their own. It has nothing to do with me." Some K-pop fans say that the second generation paved the way, including groups like Wonder Girls. But this was what Sunmi from Wonder Girls said in 2019. In an interview she had for Billboard, a K-pop journalist tried to credit this group for the increased global popularity of K-pop. The interviewer said, "It's partially because of the groundwork laid by you and Wonder Girls." But Sunmi responded, "No, BTS." Yubin, another member from Wonder Girls, also said that since they also promoted in the American music industry, she feels more sympathy and pride for BTS because it was really difficult when Wonder Girls tried to enter that industry. After Beast, a second generation group was noticed in a foreign country, someone asked if it was because of K-pop. But a member of the group responded, "No, thanks to BTS." K-pop singer Ailee also said, "We K-pop artists are really proud of them because we know how hard it is to make it in the industry. The fact that they opened up those doors and cleared the way for us, it's a huge hope for us." Singling out BTS, PSY said, "BTS achieved Gangnam Style's unfulfilled dreams since they got permanence and persistence as well as six number one songs in the US, while PSY's highest peak was number two." Moving on to the third generation. The K-pop group KARD said that the reason why they are receiving such a pleasant response from overseas is because their sunbaes or seniors, BTS, have paved the way really well. One member also said, "There's so many things we can learn from them, so we're looking towards them with respect. I feel that BTS has created a genre of their very own." Members from ASTRO, SF9, and SEVENTEEN had also said that they have a lot to learn from BTS, referencing how BTS's achievements in the West helped them. The group VICTON said, "Back then, there was no precedent like this. It was something that could only be imagined. BTS went to the Billboard Music Awards and achieved a great result, so we thought, 'Wow, it's something that's actually possible.' It seems to have made us work a bit harder." A member from (G)I-DLE said, "Since BTS did help and introduce so many people to so many artists, we're influenced by them too. We would like to also strive for a similar path." A member from MONSTA X said, "They really paved the way for us and other K-pop acts. They made way for us to participate in the United States music industry. I don't know if we'd be able to do the things we're doing right now without them." Another member said, "BTS paved the way, so I think it's been a little smoother for us." A member from LOONA said, "We got a lot of attention only because of our sunbaenims, BTS, who paved the way for K-pop." Jackson Wang, "BTS, I would say, they definitely opened up the gate for everybody in K-pop, I would say." Bangchan, "They're legends. They paved the way, you have to admit, they paved the way. Mad respect to BTS." TWICE, "We never thought K-pop would become so popular in America, but because BTS paved the way and gave us an opportunity to become more known, we're very thankful and want to promote more in the States." Helena Kosinski, the vice president at Nielsen, an information and data measurement firm said, "BTS opened the floodgates for K-pop and that BTS makes K-pop become a mainstream trend on the global market." South Korea's culture minister praised BTS for providing a way forward to K-pop. The vice president and chief operating officer of the Korea Creative Content Agency stated, "K-pop has skyrocketed since BTS's popularity surged, creating jobs not only for BTS and their team, but other K-pop idols as well." And the then-president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, said that BTS are the pride and future of South Korean culture, and named them as the special presidential envoy for future generations and culture. Also, when talking about innovative strategies to communicate directly with fans, he said, "BTS paved the way."
[18:14]So there are definitely a lot of K-pop acts who give BTS their credit, but like I said, there are many who don't. These are usually K-pop acts being pushed to be the next BTS. And what they like to do is mention goals like Billboard and Grammys, but only crediting second generation groups as their inspiration, or even saying that they are the ones paving the way for others.
[18:55]But still, the majority mention other groups that inspire their goals, and don't address BTS at all, even when these goals were only achieved by BTS. So why is it so difficult to accept it? I don't really like the way it has become controversial to say that BTS paved the way.
[19:16]Because it can be seen as a lazy response. But in this case, I really believe it all comes down to that one reason: jealousy. In the case of K-pop fans, the majority of the ones who deny that BTS paved the way, were fans of the second generation of K-pop who feel that saying that BTS paved the way for K-pop erases the second generation's achievements. And like I said, as hurtful as it is, BTS gave K-pop opportunities that the first and second generation couldn't. But the jealousy also comes from K-pop groups and labels, who have been privileged their entire careers. No matter how much of a mess the group is, the groups on the big three are guaranteed to have a successful career. This is why the biggest groups before BTS were always from the Big 3. Nowadays, the groups from the Big 3 have the same impact as they had before BTS's global popularity. But they are nothing in the global music market when compared to BTS. And this hurts the Big 3 even more, because BTS and their label used to be nobodies compared to these agencies. Even until this day, the three biggest K-pop labels have a crazy amount of power in the Korean entertainment industry. They basically run most K-pop platforms, TV networks, and media in general. Giving their K-pop groups the advantage of having more screen time, more positive reviews, more news coverage about them. This is why BTS, even with all the money they've contributed to their label and South Korea's economy, are still to this day being banned, lied about, and sabotaged by the industry. It's not just about money, it's about power. BTS and therefore HYBE have a lot of money, but they don't have the power. They don't have connections with Korean TV networks and media like these other Korean entertainment agencies do. BTS are the biggest group in the world, but the news cover their achievements the least amount of times they can because it doesn't benefit them. Y: BTS' success is somewhat reported on, but when idols, from the big agencies we commonly know, do, let's be honest, something less than they did, if you look at the amount of news reports or look at the main pages, there's definitely a difference. It's quite an amusing occurrence. K: So that really happens. Y: Yes it really happens, and I too found that it really does happen. This was already well-known among the fans. Y: For instance, with this Grammy nomination, the way they frame it as, "They failed to make it into the major categories." That's how it tends to be in general. K: No matter how minor the category you're nominated in, you say, "You're a Grammy nominee!!!" So K-pop labels and sometimes their K-pop groups refuse to accept that BTS paved the way, because they couldn't, even when they had all the power and money from the start to do it. They are jealous that seven nobodies from a nobody agency grew bigger than them, so they refuse to accept reality. This attitude from K-pop groups is also reflected in the way it's become harder for BTS to find friendly people in the industry.
[22:09]And you can show me all the K-pop groups on the Big 3 interacting with BTS. But almost none of these compilations feature interactions with BTS after their real global massive success. It used to be fun when BTS were nobodies or just the biggest in K-pop. But now that BTS is the biggest group in the world, K-pop labels envy them, and they don't want their groups to interact or even mention them. This is why BTS's friends from the industry are mostly indie artists who are not trying to compete against BTS.
[22:42]I really don't like the way it has become controversial to say that BTS paved the way. Because if you really think about it, it's not that big of a deal. The phrase doesn't imply that BTS are better than every other K-pop group. And although I actually believe they are the best group ever, you can't think the complete opposite and still be able to agree with me. Because the phrase only means that BTS gave opportunities for K-pop to be recognized globally. So, learn a little from BTS and pay tribute to the ones who helped you be where you are today. And if you don't want to mention them at all, that's also fine, just don't be delusional and jealous. K-pop fans, as well as K-pop labels and groups, shouldn't be hurt by the fact that BTS paved the way. It's not an insult to your group. It's a sea full of opportunities to be seen and recognized in the worldwide platform BTS created.
