A Response to The Hollywood Reporter's Coverage of BTS
From The Hollywood Reporter / Alexandra Gavillet
Given the usual Western coverage I’ve seen of BTS in particular and K-Pop in general, the failures of THR’s article on BTS were decidedly not surprising. I won’t link to the article here, but I do recommend that fans make up their own minds when deciding whether to read it or not—honestly, you aren’t missing anything.
Looking at this piece, it’s hard to shake my first reactions of how cringey the tone is (doesn’t matter how much critical distance I use…still there). I’m not sure why there’s self-inserted personal narrative here, when it adds no value to the story. There are also a few places that seem ripe for mistranslations. Unfortunately, mistranslations are always a possibility, and without being provided the original Korean answers, we don’t have many options besides just taking it at face value and assuming there could be some errors. It’s unfortunate that mistranslations are even still a major concern when it comes to Western coverage of Korean artists — hire a bilingual interpreter. I assure you, there are many who are qualified.
Beyond that, it’s unfortunate that this writer felt the need to perpetuate two ideas that the fandom has been actively fighting against for some time now—the idea that fans are hysterical and manic and the idea that K-Pop groups are produced in a “factory.”
Watching fan reactions to BTS, it’s easy to see how someone could mistakenly conclude that ARMY are “a bunch of fanatic, screeching teenage girls.” But there are better ways to describe a fanbase, ways that are more tactful, even if you’re of the opinion that fanbases of boy bands are only “screaming teenage girls.” We know the fandom is much more diverse than that, but it shouldn’t be that difficult for those on the outside to understand that reducing an entire fandom of millions to a manic flock of young girls is a problem in and of itself—a problem because it erases diversity, and a problem because there’s nothing wrong with being a teenage girl. The article lists some data on BTS’s fanbase being mostly females of specific age groups (I’d like to know why the “Korean study” is not actually cited), and I am not arguing against this data. For one, my own data samples show the same. The issue is how you choose to characterize us, because those characterizations are what creates the stigma we have to dismantle.
The description of K-Pop as a “factory” is another tired, worn-out idea that continues to be perpetuated by articles like this. Yes, there’s a very specific system in place. It’s hard to get into a K-Pop group, practices are insane, and many trainees and idols have some restrictions placed on their lives. Some are encouraged to get plastic surgery, whereas others may choose to do so of their own accord. But how is this any different than the Western system? Barring things like dating bans and 16-hour practices, Western stars are still produced in very much the same way, with the same concerns over making it big, staying relevant, cultivating talent, and fitting a certain visual ideal. And, if you’re a Disney star, the pressure is even higher to maintain a pristine image. K-Pop singers aren’t all subjected to the same experiences either — just like their Western counterparts aren’t — so why is this idea of a “factory” even still a thing?
And the absolute lack of respect for casually bringing up Jonghyun, just to try to prove a point. The high suicide rate is an issue, but it’s a national issue for Korea. Suggesting that entertainers take their own lives because they’re a part of the Korean industry is pretty dismissive and reductive. Not to mention there are also suicides in American entertainment. I don’t know what the writer was trying to prove, but this accomplishes nothing.
Another important question is why someone, who clearly knows nothing about BTS, K-Pop, or Korea, was sent to interview the most popular band in the world. The writer admits to using his 13-hour flight to learn about the group, which suggests not only a lack of preparation but a lack of interest in this story. And don’t get me wrong—both of those show through in this article. The article is nothing more than a surface level story injected with meaningless personal narrative. An outlet was given a huge opportunity to conduct an exclusive interview, and this was the best they could do? It reads like a stereotypical freshman term paper—bare minimum in effort and planning.
There are some other issues too, such as noting “maknae” as a K-Pop term, when it’s actually a Korean word that’s used in many contexts outside K-Pop. And the mischaracterization of BigHit threatening to sue people for suggesting Jungkook could be romantically involved with a friend. BigHit did threaten legal action, but it was for illegal filming, invasion of privacy, and spreading misinformation/rumors, rather than some sort of over-reaction to people making a suggestion about one of their artists. Also curious is the suggestion of BTS’s “super-controlled lives,” adding to the article’s overall tone which connotes a sense of fakery around the members. I don’t think I need to elaborate on any of these.
At the end of it all, I’m left wondering why this is the best THR could do. Was there any effort to ask them anything that wasn’t trying to get them to talk about controversial subjects? It’s okay to ask, but if someone answers and doesn’t want to approach the subject further, pursue a different path instead and write a better story. The article really reads like an encounter with someone who was flown to South Korea last minute just to churn out something for the sake of churning out something.
There’s not much that can be done to change how Western media covers K-Pop—it’s going to take time, and probably a lot of it. The best I can do is continue to write and hope that my words and words of others in the fandom will slowly chip away at the preconceived narrative in place. We don’t have to accept poor coverage, and I urge others to respectfully voice their concerns as well.