How important is the Korean language to K-pop? What BTS’s success tells us about the role of culture in music.
By Christiana Warne
K-pop, a genre of music which now enjoys global popularity and huge fanbases, originated in South Korea in the 1950s with The Kim Sisters. The foundation of the genre was built when their fame was cemented in the US and evolved to what we know today after Seo Taiji and Boys became the first K-pop group to blend the genre with Western styles.
And thus, generations of K-pop were born, beginning with the first in the late 1990s which consisted of groups like H.O.T who utilised the K-pop ‘recipe’ – genre blending music, intricate choreography and near perfect visuals.
The second generation followed with groups like Super Junior and BIGBANG, which are still some of the most iconic boy groups in K-pop history.
The third generation of K-pop is where the most popular male group, BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan), originated. In 2025, across 30 countries, 21.9 per cent of people surveyed said their favourite group was BTS. The group is estimated to have sold 162.5 million equivalent albums (combined physical albums and streaming), with their most recent album ARIRANG selling around 4.27 million copies in their first week of sales.
Paving the way for the “Korean wave”
BTS debuted in 2013, and it is argued that they ‘paved the way’ for K-pop, globalising it and actually inserting it into Western media. However, there was another artist which people argue did it first, Psy. His song ‘Gangnam Style’ became a global phenomenon. It went viral and Gyu Tag Lee, Professor and George Mason University, says it was this song that awarded K-pop with mainstream recognition. Because of this breakthrough, it is argued that Psy is the one who ‘paved the way’, not BTS.
Gangnam style broke the cultural barrier, and united people through its iconic choreography. It is even argued the hit was a catalyst for the ‘Korean wave’, the modern explosion of K-pop.
Taking a stand against racism
Aside from BTS’s musical talent, members are also outspoken with their beliefs, making them an even more beloved group. In 2022, BTS appeared at the White House to discuss matters of ‘anti-Asian hate crimes, Asian inclusion and diversity’.
“We still feel surprised that music created by South Korean artists reaches so many people around the world, transcending languages and cultural barriers,” group member Jeon Jung-kook, known as Jungkook, said. “We believe music is always an amazing and wonderful unifier of all things.”
The group has spoken about racism in the past. In a statement shared on Twitter last year, they said: “We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I, and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.”
Individual group members said they’ve even experienced discrimination themselves. “We recall moments when we faced discrimination as Asians,” the Twitter statement said. “We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look. We were even asked why Asians speak English.”
Preserving culture
Their culture has always been something they’ve advocated for, ensuring K-pop stays Korean while sitting in the Western market.
Many of BTS’s songs uphold the ‘K’ in K-pop. Some examples being ‘Ma City’, a song which pays tribute to the members’ hometowns, and Idol, a song where BTS embraces their idol status and features classical Korean instruments.
However, BTS released three songs in 2020 and 2021 exclusively in English; ‘Dynamite’, ‘Butter’, and ‘Permission To Dance’. These songs faced heavy backlash from their fans, who are called ‘ARMY’, as it felt like they were catering too heavily to Western audiences. Singing fully in English was something that BTS themselves said they would not do.
In a previous interview in 2019, leader RM explained “We don’t want to change our identity or our genuineness to get the number one… Like if we sing suddenly in full English, and change all these other things, then that’s not BTS.”
Therefore, for them to go back on their words felt disingenuous. But with the release of ‘Butter’, BTS spoke to Billboard in 2021 saying they felt the move was needed to keep the “buzz alive” during Covid, adding that they felt there was ‘no alternative’.
International recognition and controversy
BTS has received growing international recognition, including co-headlining the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show and at the Grammy Awards. BTS has been nominated for five Grammys, including ‘Best Pop Duo/Group Performance’. They have yet to win an award.
However, BTS have stated that they will not be entering their music for the 2027 Grammy awards. Their boycott appears to be a response to the addition of the category ‘best Asian Pop music’ – a new category which now specifies and isolates a culture.
In their statement, which all members posted in Korean on social media, they said: “music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language”.
The K in K-pop
BTS’s most recent album ARIRANG arguably brings back the ‘old BTS’. The title of the album itself is a traditional Korean folk song and a snippet of it is featured on one of the songs, ‘Body to Body’.
Another song on the album titled ‘Aliens’ gained a lot of attention for its meaning. BTS declare themselves as ‘Aliens’, which can act as a derogatory term. But instead of embracing its self-deprecating connotations, BTS declared that they don’t need to fit in to succeed.
One line in the song ‘Hae-neun Dong-jjok-e-seo Risin’’ translates to ‘From the East, the sun’s rising.’ Perhaps it signals BTS’s desire to retain their cultural identity while still enjoying global stardom. Or perhaps it indicates that culture and language are not barriers to worldwide success.
Illustration by Christiana Warne
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Media Diversity Institute. Any question or comment should be addressed to [email protected]
