Three Remarkable Lessons from the World’s Most Successful Band
Why BTS is awesome and why I use BTS to teach secrets of creativity
Who is the biggest Global East Asian act in history?
Hint: They generate 4.65 billion for South Korea’s economy each year.
They are the world-famous BTS of course!
BTS attracted one in every 13 foreign tourists that visited South Korea. No wonder they became the youngest ever recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit from the President of South Korea due to their contributions in spreading Korean culture and language.
I am teaching courses on creativity and personal branding at University of East Anglia and the University of Cambridge.
In my classes, I have started using BTS as a case study for creativity and asset creation at the global level.
Why BTS?
Because I believe BTS is one of the most successful creative organizations we have witnessed in our times.
How did BTS take over the world? Why are they so successful?
BTS is a seven-member South Korean band formed in Seoul in 2010. They operate as part of Big Hit Entertainment company.
They debuted in 2013 with their single album — 2 Cool 4 Skool. Originally a hip hop group, their musical style evolved and now includes a wide range of genres. Having sold over a million albums, BTS is the best-selling artist in South Korean history.
BTS broke into international music markets by 2017 and became the most successful K-pop band in the world. BTS is now leading the Korean Wave into Europe, the UK, the United States, and the Middle East. BTS were cited as one of the key acts boosting global music sales to $19 billion in 2018.
BTS has broken numerous sales records including becoming the first Korean act to top the Billboard 200 (Love Yourself: Tear, 2018). BTS repeated their success record three times more with their studio albums (Love Yourself: Answer, 2018; Map of the Soul: Persona, 2019; Map of the Soul: 7; 2020). These successes have made BTS the fastest group since the Beatles to earn four number one albums in less than two years.
BTS was the first Asian act to surpass 5 billion streams on Spotify. BTS has over 9 billion views on YouTube. BTS boasts 20.7 million Twitter followers. Forbes Korea named BTS the most influential celebrities of Korea. BTS was ranked 43rd in the Forbes Celebrity 100 (2019) as one of the world’s top-earning celebrities.
What can we learn from the global success of BTS?
1. All creative success BTS has developed is a direct result of working together harmoniously as a team.
Who are the seven members of BTS?
Rap Monster (RM, real name: Kim Namjoon)
- He is the leader of the group.
- He is fluent in English and acts as the spokesperson for the group.
- He is the main rapper writing a lot of the rap verses and he is the most technically skilled rapper.
- He is the tallest, has dimples, and has a deep husky voice.
- RM spoke at United Nations Generations Unlimited conference.
Jin (Kim Seokjin)
- He is the oldest member of the group and cooks for them.
- He has an entertaining personality and loves making jokes.
- He calls himself ‘World Wide Handsome’.
- He has a windshield and explosive laugh that is contagious.
- He is the visual of the group acting as the center at photoshoots, commercials, and ads.
Suga (Min Yoongi)
- He is the serious-looking member — he is charismatic, assertive, even savage:)
- Suga is also reserved and shy — he is known to be an old, mature soul (grandpa style).
- He is a serious rapper, song-writer, and composer — producing a lot of original tracks and music.
- He has a gummy big smile (when he does smile).
J-Hope (Jung Hoseok)
- He looks like the flower and the sunshine — he always has a bright, hyper, smiling personality.
- J-Hope acts as the positive energy glue for the whole team.
- He is the best dancer and he choreographs & improvises dances.
- J-Hope is also a lead rapper, second to RM, and often begins rap sections.
- He loves goofing around, making jokes, and weird sounds.
Jimin (Park Jimin)
- He has a baby mochi face (kind of chubby but cute).
- Jimin is the lead vocalist and the main dancer of the group. He is the one leading the group into songs.
- He is the showman of the group — he does the solo dance breaks and leads the stage shows.
- He is known for his interpersonal skills, well-rounded personality, and artistic dance moves.
- He loves receiving attention from fans and he can attract the largest group of fans.
V (Kim Taehyung)
- V is the second-youngest member of the group (after Jungkook).
- Jimin is the lead vocalist and the main dancer of the group. He is the one leading the group into songs.
- He is the showman of the group — he does the solo dance breaks and leads the stage shows.
- V has a very unique and bright smile (called ‘box smile’). He loves making funny faces.
- He invents words: “I purple you.” is one of them. “Purple is the last color of the rainbow colors so it means I will trust and love you for a long time.”
Jungkook (Jeon Jungkook)
- Jungkook is the youngest member of the group (“Maknae”). This means he is the adorable and huggable baby of BTS.
- Jungkook is considered the jack of all trades of the group — he is super-talented in all areas. He is called the Swiss army knife of BTS.
- Jungkook has a “bunny smile” and big eyes. He puts everyone at ease, he cracks jokes, and he brings the charm on all occasions or interviews.
- Jungkook, as the Joker, gets the majority of the solos. Plus he is the front lead dancer.
- His nicknames are ‘Kookie’ and ‘Golden Maknae’.
What makes BTS unique is how well they work together over the years. We all know how difficult it is to maintain harmony with your colleagues — especially if you are working in high-stress conditions.
How do they achieve such amazing teamwork?
- They have very clear and well-defined goals.
- They are hard workers. To polish their performances, they practice for hours every day. For their debut, they are known to have worked for 12 to 15 hours a day.
- BTS members have benefited from the K-Pop infrastructure and undergone rigorous training for years.
- Bang Si-Hyuk, CEO of Big Hit, has provided them a lot of autonomy and flexibility to develop their own voices.
- They connect really well with each other and their fans.
- They have been able to develop a shared mindset among themselves; which leads to a common identity and common understanding.
- Each BTS member has clear responsibilities and roles — they feel in charge of their duties. They help each other solve problems and brainstorm together on their strategies.
- Each member also recognizes each other’s contributions and accomplishments. They do support and congratulate each other all the time.
- Most importantly, they do have great fun together. They laugh and play hard.
2. BTS has the largest, most sophisticated, and most diverse global fan base in the world. “The Army” is innovative, dedicated, and well organized.
BTS has more than 150 million fans worldwide. They call themselves “ARMY”, which stands for ‘Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth’.
BTS has taken artist-admirer intimacy to majestic heights: Army is the largest and most prolific fan base in the world.
Army members have cast 300 million online votes to ensure that the group won their Billboard award.
BTS music video DNA on YouTube has garnered 1 billion views:
BTS has more than 19 million followers on Twitter and 24 million followers on Instagram.
Fans are the secret ingredient of the success story of BTS worldwide. No other musician or group has a larger, more loyal, and more dedicated fan base in the world. Army members come from all countries, ages, and backgrounds.
BTS is the first Korean group to break through to a worldwide audience. The internet and social media have played a great role in the success of the band. Social media has allowed BTS to connect with their fans on a personal level and gather fans across the world. Whenever BTS releases a new album, these fan groups organize themselves, post contents, create memes, support each other, and share their love for BTS.
BTS fans are very mobilized and known to have contributed to hundreds of charitable causes (saving more than 5000 lives, raising 1.5M for BTS UNICEF campaign, planting 50.000 trees etc.).
BTS fans have also started to be politically active. They are known to have trolled Trump (yes!) and championed the Black Lives Matter movement. The Army members are young, liberal, international, influential, and masters of social media.
BTS and Big Hit Entertainment donated US$1 million to Black Lives Matter, announcing they stand together against racial discrimination. The Army matched the donation in 24 hours.
How has BTS activated such a large fan base? How do these fans organize themselves?
- K-pop bands are known to have highly active, engaged, and loyal fandom. EXO, Blackpink, MONSTA, Red Velvet, and many other Korean pop music groups have all built high-quality and sustainable relationships with their fans. BTS creates its own shows and frequent livestream interactions with fans (VLive or Instagram) which helps to build a real sense of community and attachment. BTS fans are very active in organizing themselves; running fansites; designing merchandise; creating memes, jokes, and videos; and writing fan fiction.
- BTS fan clubs consist of global networks of loosely organized local chapters (countries and cities), comprising diverse nationalities and ages. BTS fans are known to guide BTS and enact change from the bottom-up. BTS and Army have actually grown together, supporting each other during the process.
“Army, you are our wings. Because of you all, we can fly.” BTS
- The BTS Army is the most organized, diverse, and prolific fan base in the world. As a fervent and competent fan base, they have donated to charities, shaped the cultural landscape, and acted as a force for positive change.
- The BTS Army is made up of people of diverse ages and professions, including marketers, lawyers, academics, designers, artists, online teenagers, and translators. These volunteers all contribute to shared causes and goals.
- The BTS Army has operated many philanthropic activities online. Local chapters and fan clubs have pooled resources to support charities. BTS joined forces with UNICEF for Love Myself campaign, raising millions of dollars for charitable causes.
- The BTS fan base started organizing large-scale social and political activism. Shutting down police department apps, spamming police surveillance requests on Twitter, registering to Trump rallies and not showing up, and donating to movements such as Black Lives Matter movement are some of the slick moves they have recently organized successfully. K-pop fans are now being hailed as a formidable young force in politics and social justice. They are also challenging system-wide hegemonies and unjust political structures using non-traditional methods.
3. BTS appeals to the zeitgeist of our times. They have cracked the secrets of Generation Z and offered them a multifaceted experience.
I think it is important to understand the BTS phenomenon to understand the new generations and our collective future.
BTS has been able to tap into the tastes, lifestyles, and perspectives of the new generations (Generation Z and Generation Alpha).
For the first time in history, a K-pop band has been able to move into the mainstream — capturing the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of people across the world.
They have been able to do this by emphasizing a greater understanding of mental health and self-care — the most critical values for the new generation in a fragmented and confusing world.
By emphasizing the importance of self-love, kindness, inclusivity, empathy, and care, BTS has crafted a global message transcending cultural borders.
BTS became the first Korean pop music group to address the United Nations. Following the establishment of their ‘Love Myself’ campaign in partnership with UNICEF, BTS addressed the UN 73rd General Assembly.
RM spoke about overcoming fears and insecurities and urged other young people to practice self-love:
“I’ve made many and plenty of mistakes in my life. I have many faults and I have many more fears, but I’m going to embrace myself as hard as I can. And I’m starting to love myself gradually just little by little.”
The creativity of BTS is truly transdisciplinary and multifaceted. BTS has been able to combine slick dance routines, impressive music videos, a combination of different musical genres, diverse stage shows, and colorful costumes.
How can BTS craft such a multifaceted experience?
- BTS is very experimental in its music and choreography. They can incorporate multiple musical genres from around the world, including pop, rap, hip hop, R&B, classical, jazz, traditional Korean music, and country music. Blending these diverse musical genres into one unique style of K-pop that mixes hip-hop English and street Korean lyrics, BTS has been able to create their own global style.
- BTS members have a lot of creative freedom in each album they create. Before launching their songs, BTS members collaborate and meet with a group of producers, musicians, and songwriters to discuss what themes they would like to address in their songs.
- BTS stage shows are very rich, featuring elaborate stage designs, playful games, colorful outfits, and dynamic choreography. These elements make a dazzling show and a visual feast for fans.
- BTS has been able to create a sophisticated fictional universe using dreamlike cinematography, literary references, and abstract storytelling. “Blood, Sweat, and Tears” music video is a good example of this.
- BTS taps into a visual appeal and synchronized dances that transcend linguistic boundaries. Their wise storytelling and messages transcend cultural barriers and languages across the globe.
- BTS is extremely productive and hard-working. They keep creating assets, innovating, and connecting with their fans every day. It is actually quite difficult to keep up with what they create. They consistently come up with a huge volume of music videos, concerts, performances, interviews, dance practice videos, live broadcasts, social media posts, TV shows, documentary episodes, reality shows, and more.
- BTS members are very candid in their messages and share their own struggles and vulnerabilities with their fans. They open up on themes of mental health, loving oneself, feelings of anxiety and inadequacy, living up to a fake reputation, elitism, bullying, and other youth problems. “Love Yourself” narrative and work with the U.N. have enabled BTS to capture the zeitgeist of the times.
- BTS has created an entire creative industry of artists, producers, songwriters, choreographers, set designers, costume designers, directors, social-media handlers, stylists, and volunteer organizations. This comprises a formidable world-class creative and business organism.
- BTS has recently shared the stage with Beyonce and the Obamas on Youtube’s virtual commencement ceremony: “Dear Class of 2020”. Below is their commencement speech:
- During the Coronavirus period, BTS has continued its innovation and experimentation in the music and entertainment industry. BTS has delivered a virtual pay performance Bang Bang Con: The Live, which attracted a peak concurrent audience of 756,000 in 107 countries, setting a new record and attracting US$28 million in revenues. This is the largest global audience ever for a paid virtual concert.
Summary: Three Secrets of BTS Success Story
1. All creative success BTS has developed is a direct result of working together harmoniously as a team.
2. BTS has the largest, most sophisticated, and most diverse global fan base in the world. “The Army” is innovative, dedicated, and well organized.
3. BTS appeals to the zeitgeist of our times. They have cracked the secrets of Generation Z and offered them a multifaceted experience.
Take-aways for creative teams:
- BTS has become the world’s most successful music group due to its authenticity, chemistry, and teamwork.
- The group members have personalities and roles that are distinct, eclectic, and compatible. Their relationships with one another are based on shared values and trust.
- BTS members write their own songs and lyrics. They take inspiration from multiple sources including books, movies, music, fans, global trends, and cultural artifacts. They combine these insights with genre-crossing art, storytelling, music, dance, fashion, and brand making.
- BTS has been able to create a multimedia system of fictional universes that are comprised of universal storytelling, imaginative stage shows, slick choreographies, colorful fashion, soft masculinities, responsible messages, and online social activism.
- BTS members create and manage their own social media presence. This enables them to talk openly about their own anxieties and pressures.
- BTS has created accessible, frank, and self-reflexive lyrics that appeal to the members of Generation Z and the Alpha Generation. BTS members have shared their own struggles with their fans, allowing young people to have open conversations about difficult topics such as mental health, inequality, sexuality, bullying, elitism, and anxiety.
- BTS has used their influence to teach ‘self-love’ to younger generations who are grappling with mental health issues. Their message — you need to love yourself first in order to love someone else — has crossed borders, languages, and cultures across the world.
Take-aways for creative individuals:
- A digital revolution has occurred where each individual is now an entrepreneur and an artist. We do not need huge scales of economy, organization charts, hierarchies, factories, standardized exams, or large production floors anymore. We do not need cable TV, mass-market, and broadcast advertising. We are now experiencing a borderless, democratized, digital world where each individual can have a huge impact.
- We live in a world where ideas can change people’s lives. This means all of us can create our own game. Indeed, creating your own game has never been so crucial. You can now design games, create our own blogs or podcasts or YouTube channel, or raise funds on Kickstarter. You can write a book and share your voice with the world. You can create your own lifestyle brands on wellness, health, productivity, or creativity. You can create fresh and exciting digital products (training, courses, experiences etc.). You can use crowdfunding to kickstart your ideas and projects. We live in a world where ideas can change people’s lives. This means all of us can create our own game.
- Create your own unique and authentic path, rather than following others.
- Manufacture curiosity, surprise, humanity, and virality. Become a master storyteller using multiple media. You need to tell your own stories, create your own personal brand, and connect with your own fans and tribe.
- Figure out which social problem you are trying to solve and how you will contribute to the lives of other people.
- You need to find your own 1000 fans and create an emotional connection with them.
- Iterate and build lots of ideas and solutions. Originality comes from thinking independently and creating a huge volume of ideas and work.
- If we really want to get lucky in the long term, we need to provide ourselves ample opportunities for failure. Failures are merely stopping points along the bigger journey. BTS has faced lots of hurdles along their journeys. Celebrate your failures and use them as learning opportunities. Develop grit and resilience to get back up after each failure. Even if the whole world is turning itself against your ideas, you need to hang in there and be patient.
- Imagine your best future self after 10 years. Start acting like that person today. Act like the CEO of your own life. Where do you want to be in 10 years? Do not leave it to others to choose your destiny. Make a plan, and work toward it. Take a small action every day, consistently. You need to think and act long term and not give up on your dreams.
- Forget the career ladder and start creating your own assets. Imagine and create your own game. It is never too late to follow your interests, curiosities, and passions. Create work and creative assets that speak to people around the world. Imagination and asset creation are linked very closely. Use imagination to create your own creative assets and share them with the world. You can use your imagination to bring things that are fresh and exciting to the world. Your curiosity and imagination are your biggest tools and weapons.
- Put love, efforts, and dedication into everything you do.
Coda
In a fragmented, torn, and confusing world, we need new global stories. Stories based on hope and love. BTS offers us such a positive story of connections that transcend borders. BTS Army members share a real and meaningful desire to connect with cultures outside their borders. They share the universal language of music and love; inspiring us to find our own stories of hope, creativity, and connectedness.
I hope you enjoyed this masterclass on BTS.
Sincerely;
Fahri
