By Jae-Ha Kim
Kocowa.com
March 20, 2019
When Big Hit Entertainment announced that it was launching a new boy band, the internet went wild digging for more information. Why? Because Big Hit is home to the world’s most famous boy band, BTS.
Who?
OK, stop laughing. I can’t imagine anyone not knowing who BTS is, either. But, then again, I also realize that not everyone who loves K-Dramas is necessarily well versed with Korean boy bands. So, here’s just a quick rundown of why BTS is such a big deal:
May 2017: They win the top social artist award at the Billboard Music Awards.
September 2017: “Love Yourself: Her” is released and debuts at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 albums chart — the highest-charting Korean album ever at the time.
November 2017: BTS becomes the first Korean group to perform at a major U.S. awards show when they sing “DNA” at the American Music Awards.
February 2018: The Recording Industry Association of America certifies “DNA” and “Mic Drop (Remix)” as Gold, making them the first Korean group to reach this achievement.
June 2018: Time Magazine names the group in its “25 Most Influential People on the Internet” list.
September 2018: BTS are invited to the launch of Generation Unlimited at the United Nations, where RM gives a heartfelt speech encouraging today’s youth to live their best lives. He closed his speech, saying, “These faults and mistakes are what I am, making up the brightest stars in the constellation of my life. I have come to love myself for who I am, for who I was and for who I hope to become.”
October 2018: Many K-Pop groups have toured the United States, but BTS became the first Korean group to play a stadium in the U.S. when it sold out a concert at New York’s Citi Field. And BTS makes the cover of Time magazine, where they’re honored among Time‘s list of Next Generation Leaders.
November 2018: Their theatrical documentary, “Burn the Stage: the Movie,” kicks aside One Direction’s 2014 record to become the highest-grossing musical production.
December 2018: BTS’ “Love Yourself: Tear” and HuskyFox — the album’s art director — are nominated for Best Recording Package. While the band itself wasn’t nominated, there would be no package to design without the album. And all nitpicking aside, this was the first time that a Korean group was recognized by the Grammys. (Opera singer Sumi Jo was the first Korean artist not only to be nominated — three times! — but also win a Grammy. Yay, girl power! She’s really fantastic and you should definitely check out her music. She also has a K-Drama tie-in. She made a guest appearance in the first episode of “Dream High.”)
I haven’t even gotten into 2019, but you get the point. BTS is a big deal and is regarded by many as the pop culture face of Korea.
So to compare any fledgling artist to BTS isn’t fair, especially when the group in question — Tomorrow X Together — made its official debut earlier this month. TXT has had an inordinate amount of interest, because they are Big Hit’s latest boy band and people are curious whether lightening can strike twice within the same company.
Here’s my cop-out answer: It’s too soon to tell. There’s no arguing that the group is talented and full of charm. They are young, in both biological age (ranging from 16 to 19) and experience. They can sing and dance like nobody’s business.
However, they need time to learn, grow, make mistakes and adjust to a style that fits who they are.
But even though they are still a rookie group, they have already accomplished some impressive feats:
• They released “The Dream Chapter: STAR” on March 4. Just a few hours later, it hit No. 1 on iTunes Top Albums chart.
• But wait, there’s more! The music video for “Crown” got more than 15 millions views within 24 hours.
• The quintet has already signed with Republic Records — home to Ariana Grande, Drake, Jonas Brothers — for a U.S distribution deal.
• Annndddddd …. Since their debut, the group already has amassed 1.7 million followers on Twitter.
It’s human nature to want to compare two groups, so I can’t fault people who ask me if they’re the next BTS. But my answer is always, “No.” What they are is TXT, a young Korean group that shows promise, but hasn’t had time yet to reach their full potential.
To put things into perspective, George Harrison was still 20 years old when the Beatles made their “Ed Sullivan Show” debut. But he had four solid years of touring experience by that age. K-Pop bands operate on a different model, but performing live will only improve TXT’s possibilities … just as it did for BTS.
To paraphrase one of the Rolling Stones’ hit singles, luckily, “Time is on their side, yes is it.”
Nice piece!
Perfect. Preach!
These days, it seems like people/companies are pushing or wanting artist to be the “Next BTS,” instead of letting things happen naturally like they did for Bangtan. However, I feel BTS have a carved themselves a special place in history that I don’t know if anyone reach anytime soon. There are certain people in History that move something forward and BTS have done by opening more doors than anyone thought possible for the K-music industry. Because of them, more groups than ever are seeing some sort of success in the West more than ever before. More Western media are paying attention to the industry and reporting on it. Artist themselves are setting goals and dreaming bigger because of what BTS has done because they have shown its possible. In that sense I don’t think there will ever be another BTS until someone has an impact like that. Now will TXT be able to do it, maybe. Like you said time will tell but they do have potential to reach and become a global group like BTS. I definitely see qualities in them that I see in BTS but one thing is for sure, whatever they do, they will do it as TXT and not the “Next BTS.”
Whoever saying that TXT is BTS 2.0, they are the most pathetic person in the world.
I really wish this would stop. I’m an army and i love bts but other people shouldn’t press for other rookies or txt to be like bts. That can cause psychological damage. They’ll feel like they aren’t good enough if they’re constantly compared to bts. Support groups for the content they enjoy and give out, not because you’re pushing for them to be a group they aren’t. Goodness sake, soobin had already commented on the lines of worrying they would bring a bad image to bts and their name. They shouldn’t feel that way.
Your right! They ain’t BTS #2, they are TXT#1! I only call them “our juniors” because they belong to the Bighit family, but they got their own concept, personalities and for sure their own great future ahead! Stop comparing, start listening!
Well said Unni. For me, TXT has to prove themselves over the upcoming years to earn a comparison with ANY artist.
@GoAwayWithJae on why it is too early to write about @TXT_members and why they are not BTS 2.0. I agree. They have made quite an impact and I think their debut was exactly right in positioning themselves within the industry. It will be exciting to see how they will develop.
Impossible, the TxT is just another generic kpop group. It’s just gaining all this hype because they are from the BTS company, not because they are from BigHit, but from the BTS company. If they had made their debut in another company, they would not be so buzzed.
Plus they’re their own people, and assuming they can handle everything BTS did isn’t good. I hope they’ll be remembered for who THEY are, not who their predecessors are.
I love you…
“However, they need time to learn, grow, make mistakes and adjust to a style that fits who they are.”
-Jae 2019
Thank you for always bringing out the best of the people you’ve written about. You always make me fall me love with writing and other bands other than BTS ❤
I snorted at Muggles hahaha God I love your account 💜
Written by Korean? I really can’t forget the part where most Koreans actually hated BTS back in the days “Who are these nugus, they are so bad. They copied EXO!”