What do Koreans think of BTS - Sept 2017 update

[Hyooga]

I've always talked about it time and again that Koreans know BTS but are unaware of how big they are among global/international fans. A lot of Koreans think it's all mediaplay, unaware of how much barriers they are shattering for K-Pop. 

 

So I was quite satisfied that someone had done a video form of it showing that Koreans do KNOW them, they still suffer from the idol prejudice and how unaware they are about the massive global success of BTS. This just shows that Big Hit truly doesn't have the resources to do effective mediaplay being a small company.

 

 

[diminie]

lmao @ the obsessed and pressed souls already negging the thread

 

Anyways. I'm glad they're well known. Considering this is random people on the street, I was expecting at least half of them not knowing about them, but this is surprisingly good.

[Meeks]

It would be really nice to see bighit media play a little bit to have bts be more recognized. But I'm content with them putting the time and effort into helping bts grow as artists and performers.

[hella]

Not to bash the other groups listed but the fact that nobody in Korea seems to understand just how uniquely successful they are abroad for a Kpop group hurts my heart lol. BigHit! Brag more! They need to brag until everyone understands that they are literally the biggest boy group working right now.

[stranger101]

I still find it hilarious that they don't know about bts but heard bangtan lmao. anyway, it's kinda disappointing that they're not aware of how huge bts is overseas. Hopefully, bh will brag this comeback 

[taekoos]

This is what k-army means when they say BTS is looked down on too much at home, it's so funny and sad how backwards they are on some stuff.

 

Mediaplay isn't BigHit's thing though, they focus on letting the music speak for them. If korea wants to keep their head in the sand forever, too bad for them.

[satoori]

There's actually alot of coverage about BTS on the news about their achievements. (tho online news sites main pages are lacking) So I'm not surprise Koreans at least know the name 'Bangtan Sonyeondan" now.

 

But like k-fans have mentioned, BTS need to be seen more as people. Koreans need to see BTS' personalities, relatable and likability. Music alone do not always necessarily give you that and/or people don't tend to always check out an entire album. This is why I'm a big supporter of variety and radio shows. (a great opportunity to "brag" too) It basically speed this "learning process" up. More Koreans can learn about a group faster.

[Arundati]

But after we see BTS achievement in this comeback, I feel soon (imo next year) k-public will all know them and acknowledge them as Top Boygroup along with Bigbang and Exo.

[ASS]

lmao @ the obsessed and pressed souls already negging the thread

 

Anyways. I'm glad they're well known. Considering this is random people on the street, I was expecting at least half of them not knowing about them, but this is surprisingly good.

[PossiblyMaybe]

Every time I see one of these I feel a little bit better bc more people know them every time (or actually admit to knowing them)

 

It's been such a slooooooow road to get to this point tho. I'm ready for them to finally get the recognition, so I'm more than happy for them to start doing variety.

[llamaswag]

Hope more variety promo this time for them cuz that help a lot

As a member, Rap Monster seems more known from those answers.

[Alpheratz Mirach]

I remember the other video that much older than this, people actually feel ashamed that they know idols. They don't even know any of BTS' songs. This is an improvement I'd say.

[Seulgi's jams]

Control the media and you control the people. BigHit doesn't have the resources to compete against bigger companies. Do you guys really think BTS doesn't like going on shows?? their last comebacks have been against groups with bigger company, and those groups made a ton of appearances on tv shows. even the flop groups made appearances on the more popular shows while BTS got the scraps of nugu tv land.

I wonder why
Also wonder why that journalist was allowed to publish 
 

[Winter Bear]

Not to bash the other groups listed but the fact that nobody in Korea seems to understand just how uniquely successful they are abroad for a Kpop group hurts my heart lol. BigHit! Brag more! They need to brag until everyone understands that they are literally the biggest boy group working right now.

[Delusion_Angel]

People know the name Bangtan Sonyeondan but they don't really know them or the members individually. These situations always make me wish they had more promotions on TV shows. The general public isn't going to be reading every article there is on naver or osen or whatever sites. But people do watch TV shows. And this is where they come into effect.

 

I'm not saying they need to advertise themselves as variety-dols or go make a fool of themselves on the shows just so people know about them. But promoting on popular shows during comebacks does help them. And it will help the members if they ever decide to start solo careers.

 

But at this point I don't really mind that much anymore. Whatever happens, happens. Their achievements and success will always be there. Nothing can take that away from them.

[mochacapp]

Control the media and you control the people. BigHit doesn't have the resources to compete against bigger companies. Do you guys really think BTS doesn't like going on shows?? their last comebacks have been against groups with bigger company, and those groups made a ton of appearances on tv shows. even the flop groups made appearances on the more popular shows while BTS got the scraps of nugu tv land.

I wonder why

Also wonder why that journalist was allowed to publish 

This.

Honestly it hurts so much when even groups who are pretty much nugus are in shows but for some reason it just does not happen with BTS.

I remember in early 2016 someone warned that BTS is on the "list" and they have to be careful. At that time, BTS was not big yet so why is it BTS of all groups? Now those words just hit me....

I just want to believe that BTS will grow, people will know and nobody can stop them.

[canto]

I've always talked about it time and again that Koreans know BTS but are unaware of how big they are among global/international fans. A lot of Koreans think it's all mediaplay, unaware of how much barriers they are shattering for K-Pop. 

 

So I was quite satisfied that someone had done a video form of it showing that Koreans do KNOW them, they still suffer from the idol prejudice and how unaware they are about the massive global success of BTS. This just shows that Big Hit truly doesn't have the resources to do effective mediaplay being a small company.

 

 

 

well first of all it's kind of troll by asking if they know "BTS"

Koreans know the group as 방탄소년단 Bangtan Sonyeondan.  just like circa 2009 if you asked Koreans about "Girls Generation" many would not know you are talking about 소녀시대

 

the point is they are making is that Koreans are not that familiar with BTS.  they might have heard of them by their Korean name in passing but outside the core demographic they aren't even familiar with them enough to know their acronym

 

and by core demographic, Ifans are told this time and again but Korean (and Asian) societies are about "graduation" about doing the appropriate thing at the appropriate time so you can see that the hard cutoff is college.  the high school girls know all about BTS, the college girls at least feign less familiarity.  the guys don't really care either way

 

It's not really that the Koreans think it's "mediaplay" they simply are not exposed to it.  The bottom line is most Koreans don't know that BTS won Billboards, but every little minor media thing that SM plays up about EXO the Koreans think it's major, because along with the mediaplay a senior artist or important critic will then be interviewed about how EXO and SM are "moving hallyu forward"

 

the bottom line is that most people in Korea have heard of 방탄소년단 or Brave Girls or VIXX or whoever in passing but they simply don't think that they are special... like groups with heavy mediaplay rotation in Korean media from SM, YG or JYP.

 

BTS in particular is seem as for kiddos and just being from a smaller agency without many commercial endorsements or visibility on TV reinforces that bias that it's sort of embarrassing and maybe even a lack of taste to admit to stanning BTS.  cannot state more clearly the huge uphill battle that BTS is waging and has been.... Korea is very oligarchical and BTS is challenging very very hardheld ideas about who leads Hallyu and what it takes to carry the flag for Korea overseas

 

as an American it's not even close.  nothing that SNSD, Rain, EXO or anyone else in Kpop has done in the States even compares to 1/10 of the actual popularity, respect and visibility that BTS has.  the only other person is PSY and he isn't really Kpop.  but the 90% of Koreans literally do not know 10% of that.