An open letter to Korean pop haters in Pakistan
Largely believed to be a teen phenomenon, the fan-fare has adults equally invested in regional pop-culture industry
KARACHI:
My first encounter with Korean pop (K-pop) was at the age of 13. I was lazing in front of the television; switching channels to stay out of my mother’s way. In the middle of this hide and seek, I stumbled upon five women covered in gold dresses and retro wings. They were singing in front of tall microphones, in a language I thought to be English. Probably it was.
My 13-year-old self was frozen in that moment. Arrested by their aura and charm, I fell awe-struck and madly in love, both at the same time. Like a spell of a perfect magic trick, the words didn’t matter more than a setup for something truly incredible and extraordinary.
A decade into this obsession, I have listened to a lot of K-pop, ranging from Girls’ Generation, 2PM, SHINee, BIGBANG to TWICE, EXO and BLACKPINK. And I have no qualms.
In Pakistan, K-pop always existed in a bubble. You couldn’t bring it up with a friend without the fear of being given a side-eye. So imagine my surprise, when local radio stations started playing K-pop and fan accounts popped up on Twitter and Instagram in the past few years. ‘The world got made into flesh and blood’ and I was no longer my own surprise.
K-pop has now gone global and the band BTS has played a massive part in this. June 13 marked six years since their official debut. Known for their slick choreography, scintillating music videos and profound lyrics, the message of seven boys from South Korea has managed to resonate with many fans in Pakistan. And the numbers are growing. Despite the obvious language and cultural barriers, fans of the band – or ARMYs – have found something to relate to in BTS’ music.
The explainer
An acronym for Bangtan Sonyeondan, a Korean phrase which roughly translates to 'bullet proof boy scouts', BTS comprises of seven members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook who are all between the ages of 21 and 26.
Anyone who is familiar with K-pop knows that bands are formed under a company which dictates each member’s image, role and narrative. Puritans like to term it ‘manufactured content’ and culture that is factory produced and packaged for mainstream consumption.
BTS was formed by the company Big Hit Entertainment, with the aim of making a band that was different from their ‘idol’ counterparts. Their name, ‘bulletproof’, was meant to function as an analogy for young adolescents who were able to withstand societal pressures and challenges of growing up in an ever-evolving world. They were essentially meant to be stars audiences could touch and feel.
And BTS succeeded to a great extent. Through their music, their interactions with fans and side projects, the band members managed to present a very raw and human side of themselves. They opened up about their own mental health issues and the highs and lows of touching upon tabooed subjects.
Why is Pakistani social media going crazy over a Korean pop band called BTS?
Take for example their song Baepsae, which was released as part of their 2015 album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Part 2, in which BTS likens themselves to crow tits. Google a crow tit and a small fluffy bird with tiny legs will pop up on your screen. Not exactly the most fear-inducing or imposing creature.
The Korean idiom they are drawing from roughly translates to ‘the crow tit will break its legs trying to impersonate a stork’. In other words, you will only harm yourself trying to reach beyond your means and capacity. Quite similar to the popular Urdu idiom, Kawwa chala hans ki chaal or apni chaal bhi bhool gaya (when people try to be something that they are not and forget their roots).
The punchy track endorses that they may have been labeled a crow tit and sidelined but there disadvantage doesn’t mean they should stop dreaming. Because if you keep living in the box that society has built around you then you’re not really going to live your life to its full potential.
Hits home
All Asian cultures are quite similar with regard to moral and personal values. You respect your elders without question, you are bound by filial duty and you are always forced to think about how your actions impact the larger community aka log kiya kahengay (what will people say)?
Being pressured into living a certain way, being dictated by your elders, being told you’re never going to amount to anything in life are all emotions we have felt at particular moments and time. It was inevitable that a fan base would crop up in Pakistan. Yes, there are a lot of things that are specific to cultures but the human experience is finite. Everyone feels and that’s okay!
This is just one example. The stories BTS incorporate in their music are so complex and clinically conceived that it seems almost derogatory to brush them off as a passing teenage fancy. They draw inspiration from many sources, including works of literature such as Demian by Hermann Hesse, Map of the Soul – Persona: Our many faces by Murray Stein and The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula K Le Guin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmE9f-TEutc
The ‘Love Yourself’ series, which is composed of four albums, centers on the theme of embracing yourself and your inner flaws. The music tells you again and again that you need to accept who you are before you can ever hope to form a meaningful connection with another human being.
‘You’ve shown me I have reasons I should love myself,’ members sing to audiences who scream these lyrics right back. In a world where millennials are constantly put down for being lazy, entitled and narcissistic, it’s refreshing to hear someone say the opposite; encourage you to accept your mistakes and to try to do better next time.
Deal with it
In September 2018, BTS attended a session at the United Nations General Assembly. In his speech RM recounted how he lost a part of himself in trying to meet expectations that were set by others. Now in his mid-20s, he has learnt to accept who he is and only wishes for others to do the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTe4f-bBEKg
“Tell me your story. I want to hear your voice, and I want to hear your conviction. No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin colour, gender identity: speak yourself,” he said.
The truth is you don’t have to like BTS. You don’t have to buy what the fans believe is ‘socially conscious music’. But you can’t ignore the ideology that has put a band like BTS in a position to positively influence the lives of many across the world, including Pakistan.
Have something to add to the story? Share in the comments below.
My first encounter with Korean pop (K-pop) was at the age of 13. I was lazing in front of the television; switching channels to stay out of my mother’s way. In the middle of this hide and seek, I stumbled upon five women covered in gold dresses and retro wings. They were singing in front of tall microphones, in a language I thought to be English. Probably it was.
My 13-year-old self was frozen in that moment. Arrested by their aura and charm, I fell awe-struck and madly in love, both at the same time. Like a spell of a perfect magic trick, the words didn’t matter more than a setup for something truly incredible and extraordinary.
A decade into this obsession, I have listened to a lot of K-pop, ranging from Girls’ Generation, 2PM, SHINee, BIGBANG to TWICE, EXO and BLACKPINK. And I have no qualms.
In Pakistan, K-pop always existed in a bubble. You couldn’t bring it up with a friend without the fear of being given a side-eye. So imagine my surprise, when local radio stations started playing K-pop and fan accounts popped up on Twitter and Instagram in the past few years. ‘The world got made into flesh and blood’ and I was no longer my own surprise.
K-pop has now gone global and the band BTS has played a massive part in this. June 13 marked six years since their official debut. Known for their slick choreography, scintillating music videos and profound lyrics, the message of seven boys from South Korea has managed to resonate with many fans in Pakistan. And the numbers are growing. Despite the obvious language and cultural barriers, fans of the band – or ARMYs – have found something to relate to in BTS’ music.
The explainer
An acronym for Bangtan Sonyeondan, a Korean phrase which roughly translates to 'bullet proof boy scouts', BTS comprises of seven members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook who are all between the ages of 21 and 26.
Anyone who is familiar with K-pop knows that bands are formed under a company which dictates each member’s image, role and narrative. Puritans like to term it ‘manufactured content’ and culture that is factory produced and packaged for mainstream consumption.
BTS was formed by the company Big Hit Entertainment, with the aim of making a band that was different from their ‘idol’ counterparts. Their name, ‘bulletproof’, was meant to function as an analogy for young adolescents who were able to withstand societal pressures and challenges of growing up in an ever-evolving world. They were essentially meant to be stars audiences could touch and feel.
And BTS succeeded to a great extent. Through their music, their interactions with fans and side projects, the band members managed to present a very raw and human side of themselves. They opened up about their own mental health issues and the highs and lows of touching upon tabooed subjects.
Why is Pakistani social media going crazy over a Korean pop band called BTS?
Take for example their song Baepsae, which was released as part of their 2015 album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Part 2, in which BTS likens themselves to crow tits. Google a crow tit and a small fluffy bird with tiny legs will pop up on your screen. Not exactly the most fear-inducing or imposing creature.
The Korean idiom they are drawing from roughly translates to ‘the crow tit will break its legs trying to impersonate a stork’. In other words, you will only harm yourself trying to reach beyond your means and capacity. Quite similar to the popular Urdu idiom, Kawwa chala hans ki chaal or apni chaal bhi bhool gaya (when people try to be something that they are not and forget their roots).
The punchy track endorses that they may have been labeled a crow tit and sidelined but there disadvantage doesn’t mean they should stop dreaming. Because if you keep living in the box that society has built around you then you’re not really going to live your life to its full potential.
Hits home
All Asian cultures are quite similar with regard to moral and personal values. You respect your elders without question, you are bound by filial duty and you are always forced to think about how your actions impact the larger community aka log kiya kahengay (what will people say)?
Being pressured into living a certain way, being dictated by your elders, being told you’re never going to amount to anything in life are all emotions we have felt at particular moments and time. It was inevitable that a fan base would crop up in Pakistan. Yes, there are a lot of things that are specific to cultures but the human experience is finite. Everyone feels and that’s okay!
This is just one example. The stories BTS incorporate in their music are so complex and clinically conceived that it seems almost derogatory to brush them off as a passing teenage fancy. They draw inspiration from many sources, including works of literature such as Demian by Hermann Hesse, Map of the Soul – Persona: Our many faces by Murray Stein and The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula K Le Guin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmE9f-TEutc
The ‘Love Yourself’ series, which is composed of four albums, centers on the theme of embracing yourself and your inner flaws. The music tells you again and again that you need to accept who you are before you can ever hope to form a meaningful connection with another human being.
‘You’ve shown me I have reasons I should love myself,’ members sing to audiences who scream these lyrics right back. In a world where millennials are constantly put down for being lazy, entitled and narcissistic, it’s refreshing to hear someone say the opposite; encourage you to accept your mistakes and to try to do better next time.
Deal with it
In September 2018, BTS attended a session at the United Nations General Assembly. In his speech RM recounted how he lost a part of himself in trying to meet expectations that were set by others. Now in his mid-20s, he has learnt to accept who he is and only wishes for others to do the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTe4f-bBEKg
“Tell me your story. I want to hear your voice, and I want to hear your conviction. No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin colour, gender identity: speak yourself,” he said.
The truth is you don’t have to like BTS. You don’t have to buy what the fans believe is ‘socially conscious music’. But you can’t ignore the ideology that has put a band like BTS in a position to positively influence the lives of many across the world, including Pakistan.
Have something to add to the story? Share in the comments below.