K-Bops in K-Pop

Damn, have BTS got a lot of news for us. It is so crazy to think that the boys who just five years ago slept in the same room on crowded bunk beds are now internationally famous to the point where they can’t even receive fan gifts. So much has happened in such a short period of time where just a year ago we were complaining about being overwhelmed just by the thought of BTS going to the BBMAs.

The Album

So BTS has a new album headed our way and I’d be willing to bet it’s going to be just as, if not more commercially appealing than Love Yourself: Her. This is by no means a criticism, but an observation. BTS is fully aware they are in the spotlight and experimenting with their sound is something that they can’t quite do in the way that they used to. Before, it was something more private but now there is a weight of success on their shoulders and a lot of their music is going to have that “Wow, this is catchy” appeal. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just something to get accustomed to.

The BBMAS Performance

This one was probably the easiest to predict. Setting aside how incredibly non-subtle Billboards was being about having BTS at the BBMAs, I think everyone knew from the reaction last year that Billboards had every intention of having them perform this year. They would’ve been stupid not to ask them and BTS knows exactly what it means to be performing on that stage. Even after their AMAs performance, this is still a huge deal. The fact that it will be another Korean song in Korean performed by Korean artists on an American stage is a monumental thing for how music is being shaped internationally. There’s so much to explore on this topic alone, but safe to say that BTS is making big moves in the world of music–probably far more than they ever could’ve expected.

The Tour

This is pretty up in the air but there’s been some speculation that there will be a world tour after this next album. If that is true, then BTS is surely going to need much larger venues, many more dates, and a much broader scope. This tour is going to be on another level than even Wings Tour. With the kind of following that they have right now and the amount of money that any ARMY (including myself) is willing to drop on them, I’d be willing to bet that they’ll have tickets sold out in literally record time.

I hate to imagine BTS having a One Direction type of situation (with fans hanging outside their hotel rooms and blocking off whole streets) but that seems to be where the journey is headed. I would hope and pray that ARMYs are a little more respectful than Directioners, that they care about the boys and their wellbeing more than their own obsession, but we’ve already seen examples of what can happen when people get too enthusiastic.

In any case, I’m excited for our boys and where this year will take them. I’m sure they have only beautiful, bright things ahead.