KOREAN Pop is a genre of music that is getting more and more popular. Here at Granger High School, we’ve even made a entire club for it. One group in particular that I find amazing and recommend is BTS (방탄소년단). This Korean boy band has been gaining a lot of attention because of their appearance on the BBMA’s as well as getting an award for Top Social Artist.

Their music videos always portray some kind of meaning, or they have some kind message that connects it to other music videos. The songs also portray meaning. They always strive to give a message.

In fact with their latest album release Love Yourself 承 ‘Her’ they also started a campaign called LoveMyself. The campaign focuses on how you should always have hope and strive to be your best you, all while loving every part of yourself.

The members Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook all support one another and have shown their brotherhood to the fandom in many events. The ARMYs (BTSs fandom name) have helped the boys get many of their awards with voting and streaming of videos.

You could say that they dedicate their time to helping the boys in any way by also setting up huge birthday projects through fan pages. By donating money to the fan page, you are directly contributing to the fan project. It is a good way for the boys and the fans to connect.

It is very common for teenagers to find a band that they like, but when you start listening to things that are in another language, I feel like the dedication is that much deeper. You take time to read the lyrics to learn the song, and you do everything on their time. Also, since they live in a different country, you’re constantly checking their social media to see what they’re up to.

BTS as a group is really popular internationally, but not as popular in their own country. They’ve caught the eyes of Jimmy Kimmel and even Ellen after their appearance at the BBMAs. That has generally contributed to the rise in popularity they’ve gotten in the past couple of months.

When people think of K-Pop they generally start thinking of BTS since they have gotten so much attention, but let me remind you that K-Pop is a whole genre of music with multiple amazing groups.

I find it really enjoyable that the fandom is growing, but here at the school I feel it has grown in the wrong kind of way. As you know we have a new K-Pop club. I have personally never attended one of the meetings, but I have heard things from a couple friends saying that it is all BTS bandwagoners.

Bandwagoners are people who claim to be fans without knowing even the simplest things about the group. ARMYs are a strong fandom who consider one another family, and when you have fake people coming in they make not only the fandom look bad, but the boys as well. It can cause a bit of frustration because when you are a true fan, you earn the right to call yourself that.

BTS’s music is very empowering and I love the messages that they send to their fans. It is very encouraging to know that even though you don’t know your idols personally, you can still know that they care.

Although most would be skeptical of listening to a new language and getting into something completely new, you shouldn’t. It is actually really fun to follow a foreign artist because you do dedicate time to things and then it feels better when you know them because that was your effort you put into that.

Also it is really fun to be in such a strong fandom because you’ll never be alone and it’s like a sense of security and support. You can download the BTS ARMY Amino and that is a great way to get into the fandom even more.