Latest news with #BTSFesta
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
What ‘7-year curse'? BTS, Blackpink and the new era of global K-pop
Few groups survive a decade in the relentless world of K-pop . But on a charged June night in Goyang, industry juggernauts BTS celebrated 12 years since they first burst onto the scene. Last month's 2025 BTS Festa saw more than 60,000 fans pack the Kintex centre in the Seoul suburb to commemorate the group's anniversary and see all seven members of BTS back together again for the first time since they had fulfilled their mandatory military service. That same weekend, BTS member J-Hope held the final dates of his world tour in a nearby stadium complex. In a live stream, the group set the internet alight by announcing that a comeback album and long-awaited world tour were in the works for spring, delighting their global fandom, or 'Army'. 'Hey guys, we are back,' band member Jimin told viewers. 'We're also planning a world tour alongside the album. We'll be visiting fans all around the world.' The headquarters of Hybe, the agency behind K-pop megastars BTS, is seen in Seoul. Photo: AFP Just a few days earlier, thousands had gathered outside the headquarters of Hybe, the agency that manages the group, in Seoul's Yongsan district, braving the summer heat for a fleeting glimpse of their idols.
Straits Times
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
BTS' global fans express love and support for K-pop group through art
SEOUL – A new chapter is unfolding for K-pop boy band BTS now that all members have been discharged from the military, and their fans around the world have gathered their art in Seoul to express their love and support. The Presence In Absence: The Art Of BTS Chapter 2 exhibition has brought together works by 20 fan artists from 13 countries, including Belarus, Chile, Iran and Ukraine. Many of the works are digital paintings, while some were created with graphite or ink. Dr Yvette Wohn, an associate professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology, who co-curated the exhibition, has been painting RM since the pandemic. She was seeking meaning in life aside from her career, which involves studying the characteristics and consequences of social interactions in online environments. 'Fan art is a form of love language. People express love in different ways depending on their personality and skill set. Throughout history, artists have been inspired by other artists across genres of music, literature and more.' She added: 'I think there is a negative bias against all types of fan activities as something that is low-brow, but from a philosophical perspective, I feel that fan art is a wholesome expression of love.' Ms Seo Ji-eun is founder of the art consulting firm Jesper and co-curator of the exhibition. She said when she contacted fan artists through social media, most of those who had a following were favourable to the idea of a fan art show. Visitors to the exhibition included those hoping to see particular artists they like, she said. 'I did not expect visitors from such a wide range of countries. It was quite surprising. BTS fans from nearly 25 countries have visited so far,' she said. Ms Seo added that many of them were in Seoul for BTS Festa and BTS member Jin's concert that takes place on June 28 and 29. 'Koreans might take it for granted as they are already familiar with K-pop idol culture, but the power of BTS is truly incredible. Around 95 per cent of the visitors are foreigners and their impact goes far beyond just the economic benefits from travelling, shopping and food while they are in South Korea. 'Culturally, it is huge. So many of them are learning Korean because of BTS,' she said. The exhibition runs until June 29 at Taxa Seoul in Seongdong-gu, northern Seoul. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Korea Herald
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
BTS fans around the world express love, support through art
Fan artists from 13 countries participate in exhibition celebrating BTS' news chapter A new chapter is unfolding for BTS now that all members have been discharged from the military, and BTS fans around the world have gathered their art in Seoul to express love and support for the musicians. The 'Presence in Absence: The Art of BTS Chapter 2' exhibition has brought together works by 20 fan artists from 13 countries, including Belarus, Chile, Iran and Ukraine. Many of the works are digital paintings, while some were created with graphite or ink. Yvette Wohn, an associate professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology, who co-curated the exhibition, has been painting RM since the pandemic as she sought meaning in life aside from her career, which involves studying the characteristics and consequences of social interactions in online environments. 'Fan art is a form of love language. People express love in different ways depending on their personality and skillset. Throughout history, artists have been inspired by other artists across genres of music, literature, etc. 'I think there is a negative bias against all types of fan activities as something that is low-brow, but from a philosophical perspective, I feel that fan art is a very wholesome expression of love. Of course, there are always extreme cases, like sasaeng (extremely obsessive K-pop fans), but I think these people are the exception, not the norm,' she said. Seo Ji-eun, founder of the art consulting firm JESPER, said when she contacted fan artists through social media, most of the artists who already have their own fan following were favorable to the idea of a fan art show. Visitors to the exhibition included those hoping to see particular artists they like, she said. 'I did not expect visitors from such a wide range of countries. It was quite surprising — BTS fans from nearly 30 countries have visited so far,' Seo said, adding that many of them were in Seoul for BTS Festa and BTS member Jin's concert this weekend. 'Koreans might take it for granted as they are already familiar with K-pop idol culture, but the power of BTS is truly incredible. Around 95 percent of the visitors are foreigners and their impact goes far beyond just the economic benefits from traveling, shopping and food while they are in Korea. 'Culturally, it is huge — so many of them are learning Korean because of BTS,' she said.
Hindustan Times
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
BTS agency shares statement about Suga's social work discharge, here's what fans can and can't do for him on the day
Days ahead of BTS member Suga's discharge from social work, the group's agency BigHit Music has shared a statement about him. Taking to Weverse, BigHit Music shared that "no special events are planned" for that day. The rapper is serving as a social work personnel, an alternative form of military service in South Korea. (Also Read | J-Hope reveals BTS' plan about world tour, new album and if group will 'have same chemistry' post military service) BigHit Music didn't mention when Suga will be discharged, though reportedly it will be on June 21. The statement read, "Hello. This is BIGHIT MUSIC. We are excited to bring you the news of SUGA's upcoming Social Work discharge. SUGA is close to completing his service as a Social Work Personnel and will soon be discharged. No special events are planned on the day of SUGA's discharge." The agency asked BTS fans not to visit the site when Suga is discharged. "Overcrowding can pose safety risks, and we sincerely request our fans not to visit the sites in person. Please convey your warm regards and encouragement in your hearts. We are always grateful for your unwavering love and support for SUGA. Our company will continue to put our utmost effort into supporting our artists. Thank you once again for your continued love and support for BTS." Recently, Suga shared a voice message for fans just after BTS Festa. As translated by X user @_BTSMoments_, he said, "Hello, this is SUGA. It feels like it's been so long since I got to greet you. ARMY, have you all been doing well? I've been spending my time waiting for the day I get to see you again. I miss you so much. I love you, everyone." Suga is fulfilling his social service duties due to a shoulder injury. He began his social service on September 22, 2023. After Suga's social service discharge, the seven members of BTS will reunite after over 2.5 years. Jin, who was the first to join the military, in December 2022, was discharged in June last year. J-Hope was discharged in October 2024. Namjoon, Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook were discharged last week. Recently, J-Hope held a concert in Seoul, which was attended by Namjoon, Jin, Suga, Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook. However, only Jin and Jungkook joined him on stage.
Gulf Today
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Soft power: BTS fans rally behind Korean international adoptees
K-pop megaband BTS is back from military service, and their international fandom -- long known for its progressive activism -- is celebrating by rallying behind a cause: adoptees from South Korea. Now Asia's fourth-largest economy and a global cultural powerhouse, the idols' native South Korea remains one of the biggest exporters of adopted babies in the world, having sent more than 140,000 children overseas between 1955 and 1999. The country only recently acknowledged, after years of activism by adult adoptees, that the government was responsible for abuse in some such adoptions of local children, including record fabrication and inadequate consent from birth parents. The septet's fandom, dubbed ARMY, is known for backing causes like Black Lives Matter and ARMY4Palestine, and launched the #ReuniteWithBTS fundraising project last week to support Korean adoptees seeking to reconnect with or learn about their birth families, which can be a painful and legally tricky process. This photo shows a fan of K-pop boy band BTS holding an 'ARMY Bomb' and a picture of BTS members during the annual 'BTS Festa' celebrating the group's debut anniversary at KINTEX exhibition centre in Goyang. K-pop megaband BTS is back from military service, and their international fandom -- long known for its progressive activism -- is celebrating by rallying behind a cause: adoptees from South Korea. AFP Almost all of BTS members have completed South Korea's mandatory military service, required of all men due to the country's military tensions with North Korea. "We are celebrating both the reunion of BTS and ARMY, and BTS members being able to reunite with their own family and friends," the BTS fan group behind the initiative, One In An ARMY, told the media. "Helping international adoptees reunite with their birth country, culture, customs and families seemed like the perfect cause to support during this time." The fans are supporting KoRoot, a Seoul-based organisation that helps Korean adoptees search for their records and birth families and which played a key role in pushing for the government to recognise adoption-related abuses. Fans of K-pop boy band BTS pose for photos as they queue up for the annual 'BTS Festa' celebrating. Peter Moller, KoRoot's co-representative, told the media it was "very touching" that the BTS fans had taken up the cause, even though "they're not even adoptees themselves". For many adoptees, seeing Korean stars in mainstream media has been a way for them to find "comfort, joy, and a sense of pride" in the roots that they were cut off from, KoRoot's leader Kim Do-hyun added. Soft power BTS, who have discussed anti-Asian hate crimes at the White House and spoken candidly about mental health, have long been considered one of the best examples of South Korea's soft power reach. Pastor Kim Do-hyun (left), KoRoot leader who has spent more than 30 years advocating for adoption justice, posing for a photo with Peter Moller, KoRoot's co-representative, after an interview with AFP at KoRoot, a Seoul-based organisation that helps Korean adoptees search for their records and birth families. For years, Korean adoptees -- many of whom were adopted by white families globally -- have advocated for their rights and spoken out about encountering racism in their host countries. Some adoptees, such as the high-profile case of Adam Crapser, were later deported to South Korea as adults because their American parents never secured their US citizenship. Many international adoptees feel their immigration experience has been "fraught", Keung Yoon Bae, a Korean studies professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, told AFP. Some adoptees have found that, like Crapser, their guardians failed to complete the necessary paperwork to make them legal, she said. This is becoming a particular problem under US President Donald Trump, who is pushing a sweeping crackdown on purported illegal immigrants. Bae said it was possible that "'accidentally illegal' adoptee immigrants may fall further through the cracks, and their deeply unfortunate circumstances left unremedied". The whale Reunions between Korean adoptees and their birth families can be emotionally complex, as Kara Bos -- who grew up in the United States -- experienced firsthand when she met her biological father through a landmark paternity lawsuit. A general view of the sign of KoRoot, a Seoul-based organisation that helps Korean adoptees search for their records and birth families, at its house in Seoul. Photos: AFP During their encounter in Seoul in 2020, he refused to remove his hat, sunglasses, or mask, declined to look at her childhood photos and offered no information about her mother. He died around six months later. "The journey of birth family searching is very lonely, difficult, and costly. Many adoptees do not even have the means to return to their birth country let alone fund a family search," Bos, 44, told AFP. To have BTS fans rally around adoptees and provide help with this complex process is "a wonderful opportunity", she said. For Malene Vestergaard, a 42-year-old Korean adoptee and BTS fan in Denmark, the group's song "Whalien 52", which references a whale species whose calls go unheard by others, deeply resonated with her. "I personally sometimes feel like that whale. Being amongst my peers, but they will never be able to truly understand what my adoption has done to me," she told the media. "For me, finding BTS at the same time I started looking for my birth family and the truth about my adoption and my falsified papers, was such a comfort." Vestergaard said the grief woven into her adoption would never go away, but that "BTS and their lyrics have made it easier to reconcile with that truth". Agence France-Presse
