HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk said BTS has become something like a "tourist attraction" beyond just a fandom.
On the 8th (local time), Billboard published an interview with Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and conveyed his thoughts on BTS's return and his role as the chief producer.
BTS recently released their fifth studio album "Arirang" (ARIRANG) and returned as a complete group for the first time in 3 years and 9 months. With this album, BTS boasts overwhelming popularity, setting various new records such as two consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Hot 100, and 13 of the 14 tracks on the album charting on the Hot 100.
Bang Si-hyuk, who served as the chief producer of BTS's new album, said, "It was a project into which I personally poured more than a year and a half of time and energy," and admitted he felt considerable pressure.
He explained the identity of the fifth studio album "Arirang," saying, "The conclusion we reached was very clear. 'BTS 2.0' should not remain a continuation of the past; it needed to be a declaration that opens a new chapter," and added, "Through this album, the members and I shared a clear and intentional goal. We wanted to break free from the longstanding 'boy band' label, which is often formed by deep-rooted prejudices in the Western music industry, and firmly establish BTS as true artists."
On why he suggested the album title "Arirang," he said, "'Arirang' is, depending on who sings it, constantly changing in form and being reinterpreted; in many ways it is a 'living heritage.' I believed this emotional framework was the most accurate and powerful vessel to express BTS's current inner landscape," and replied, "We believe that as artists, honestly revealing their vulnerabilities and finding the strength to move forward within that fragility defines true 'BTS-ness.'"
He continued, "Through this album, I believe BTS will become an icon not just as a representative of Korea but as a universal pop artist and an iconic presence in its own right. When Netflix promoted BTS's comeback live broadcast, it used the phrase 'THE WORLD'S BIGGEST BAND.' I see that as reflecting reality rather than just a promotional slogan."
The chairman said he thinks BTS is becoming a kind of 'tourist attraction,' noting, "It is true they reached their current position through the power of fandom, but now they are rising beyond fandom to be artists widely recognized and embraced by the global public. They are expanding the boundaries of a strong core fandom and evolving into artists who can captivate and draw in a much broader public."
Finally, he said, "I am confident that the existence of artists like BTS will help expand the market and raise interest in the broader K-pop scene. Ultimately, every genre needs transformative artists who can represent and redefine that genre," and added, "BTS has played that role within K-pop, and I hope their return after time away will help inject new vitality into the entire Korean music industry." /mk3244@osen.co.klr
[Photo] Provided by BigHit Music/HYBE.
[OSEN]