BTS is back – but K-pop has changed

Watch: BTS members end South Korean navy service”I missed them a lot,” says Stephanie Prado, a die-hard BTS fan who has been desperately ready for the group to reunite after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus.Her love for the boy band impressed her to maneuver from Brazil to South Korea – so it was no shock that she turned up final Friday for “BTS Festa”, a giant social gathering held yearly close to Seoul on the group’s anniversary.The time she has spent ready has moved “each slowly and actually shortly”, Stephanie says, waving an ARMY bomb, the official lightstick utilized by BTS followers, who name themselves the ARMY.Behind her is a large sculpture of the lightstick, essential within the Ok-pop world.This yr’s occasion is particular as a result of a reunion is lastly across the nook. The countdown peaked final week, when 4 of the seven members, RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook, accomplished their navy service. And the wait ends on Saturday when the final of them, Suga, is discharged.”I hope they relaxation now,” Stephanie says, earlier than including, “however in fact I additionally need albums, concert events, every thing”.The 18 months within the navy which can be necessary for all South Korean males compelled the world’s most profitable boy band lately to hit pause in 2022. Now they’re returning, some say, to a Ok-pop trade that’s fairly completely different to the one they knew: confronted with stalled album gross sales, shaken by scandals and more and more scrutinised over the extreme strain it places on stars.The absence of a number one band, trade watchers say, was deeply felt.”With out BTS, a core pillar was lacking,” says Kim Younger-dae, music critic and writer of BTS: The Overview. “There have been issues lately that Ok-pop is dropping momentum. True or not, BTS might change that notion.”The ARMY awaitsThere aren’t any plans but for all seven members to look collectively, however that did not cease the ARMY from gathering early on a moist morning in Goyang.The lengthy, stressed queue stretched to the subway station an hour earlier than the gates for the BTS Festa opened. The snippets of English, Chinese language, Japanese and Spanish alongside Korean threw off an area strolling previous who requested, “Why are there so many foreigners right here?”Hyojung Kim/BBCStephanie Prado (L) and a good friend, every with an ARMY bombInside have been extra queues – some folks have been hopping with pleasure and others have been sobbing after coming into the “voice zone”, a cellphone sales space the place you might take heed to BTS members’ messages. About half of the followers the BBC spoke to teared up speaking about how a lot they missed BTS.”It felt just like the 18 months lasted eternally,” stated Vuyo Matiwane, a South African who had been visiting BTS-themed venues in Seoul, like their favorite restaurant. “I used to be crying at each location – it was so emotional.”After which she watched the livestream of them being discharged, which was “overwhelming”.Being surrounded by all issues BTS made a visit midway the world over value it, says Fara Ala, who travelled from the Netherlands: “Respiration the identical air, consuming the identical water, consuming the identical meals as BTS – that is sufficient for ARMY. Should you ask different ARMY, they’d say the identical.”Getty ImagesBTS is arguably the largest boy band lately…Getty Pictures however can they recreate their success after a break?South Korean navy service is a significant check for male celebrities, lots of whom need to enlist on the peak of their success. Prior to now, it has proved deadly for some careers.BTS is believed to have staggered it so that each one seven members have been lacking from motion for not more than six months. J-Hope, who was discharged final October, has since wrapped up a solo world tour. However the so-called curse may be arduous to interrupt. For one, the loyalty of followers might wane as new teams debut virtually each week, competing for his or her consideration. Returning idols additionally face a troublesome transition as a result of a navy stint and a contact of maturity might dampen the essence of Ok-pop attraction: youthful power.But when anybody can break the curse, it is BTS, Mr Kim says.Every of them introduced solo initiatives up to now two and half years, he explains, with out hurting their reputation as a bunch: “It seems like their navy hiatus handed by naturally. Their return feels clean.”The shift in Ok-popStill, the trade past the ARMY can pose a problem.Whereas BTS was on a break, the opposite Ok-pop sensation, Blackpink, has not dropped an album since September 2022, opting as a substitute for solo releases. These have been the leaders of Ok-pop’s third technology.However they’ve been succeeded by fourth and fifth generations which have introduced contemporary fashion to the style. The newer acts – which debuted after 2018 – lack a standout identify like BTS as a result of Ok-pop has grow to be extra numerous than ever. The result’s a spread of extremely popular and experimental teams.Getty ImagesBlackpink, the opposite Ok-pop sensation, hasn’t dropped a bunch album since September 2022″Most individuals my age like fourth technology idols lately,” says a 13-year-old fan of woman group IVE.”Some nonetheless like third technology teams, however for teenagers, BTS form of seems like they belong to an older technology. Lots of new idols debuted whereas BTS was away, and so they have grow to be well-liked.”However the largest problem to BTS’ famous person standing is what some see as a slowdown in Ok-pop.Income from concert events stays robust, however album gross sales – a key market metric – have been declining since a peak in 2023. The stoop coincides with when BTS and Blackpink weren’t releasing albums.South Korean popular culture critic Park Hee Ah agrees that Ok-pop went by way of “some troublesome occasions” whereas BTS was away.There have additionally been a number of controversies, such because the headline-making dispute between hit woman group NewJeans and their company, allegations of mistreatment by omnipotent businesses and harassment of stars by followers and trolls.”Album gross sales began to drop, and a few issues – like questions on corporations doing the best factor – got here up,” Ms Park stated. Due to all of this, she provides, we did see extra “deeper issues within the Ok-pop trade”.Getty ImagesFans on the BTS festaThat’s additionally why so many are trying ahead to BTS’ return, hoping it’ll deliver renewed power – and perhaps even a path ahead for the trade.”Their return will assist folks give attention to Korea’s music scene once more,” Ms Park says, including {that a} BTS reunion is nice not only for their followers but additionally for Korean tender energy.All eyes at the moment are on the band’s subsequent music. “I’ll shortly make an album and return to the stage,” RM, the group’s chief, stated on the day he was discharged.However a brand new group album might not come till early subsequent yr as a result of J-Hope nonetheless has home concert events scheduled, and Jin is ready to carry concert events for followers the world over over the subsequent few months. It is also doable Suga, who landed in controversy after he was caught drunk-driving a scooter final yr, might wish to lie low for a short time.For hundreds of thousands of followers like Stephanie although, merely figuring out BTS is again collectively is sufficient – for now.”It will really feel like nothing ever modified. The kings are again.”