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BTS: K-Pop Making History in America
In English, the full name of BTS, the hugely popular Korean pop group, means “Bulletproof Boy Scouts.” And the group calls its growing base of lovestruck fans its “army.”
If the past week of record-breaking moments is any sign, BTS may just be leading the most powerful army from the Korean Peninsula.
The South Korean boy band on Monday reached the No. 1 position on the Billboard Top 200 music list, with the album “Love Yourself: Tear.” It became the first K-pop group in history to top the U.S. music list.
“Love Yourself: Tear” is also the first mostly foreign-language album to reach the top of the list in 12 years.
On Wednesday, their single “Fake Love” was among the top 10 songs in Billboard’s Hot 100 list, making BTS the first K-pop group to debut a song in the top 10.
The group performed “Fake Love” last week at the Billboard Music Awards, where BTS took home the award for Top Social Artist, for the second straight year.
BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, was formed in 2013. Its seven members — Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook — are all in their 20s. They each have their own hairstyles, clothing choices — and their own fans.
The reaction the band members receive on the road from mostly female fans has been compared to “Beatlemania” in the early 1960s. That was when the English rock band “The Beatles” became known around the world.
The BTS “army” has never been stronger.
K-Pop in America
Of course, BTS is not the first or only K-pop group to see success in the United States.
In 2009, the girl group Wonder Girls was the first K-pop act to make the Billboard Hot 100.
The music genre started gaining wider popularity in America in 2012. That February, the girl group Girls’ Generation appeared on the popular late-night television program The David Letterman Show. K-pop had made its prime time American television debut.
Then came Gangnam Style.
The 2012 international megahit by Korean rapper Psy reached as high as No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 list.
Psy even performed during Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve in New York City to ring in 2013. He was the first K-pop act to do so.
The second? BTS, on December 31, 2017.
Today, the Gangnam Style music video has been viewed more than 3 billion times on YouTube.
Other K-pop groups
Other K-pop groups have also made their mark in the United States. Exo, G-Dragon, 2NE1 and BoA all have made it on the Billboard Top 200 albums list.
But none have seen success quite like BTS.
Their success matters to South Korea. They are now among the leaders of Hallyu, or “Korean Wave.” The term, which is Chinese, refers to the fast rise in popularity of Korean culture around the world, from television shows to movies to music and food.
Popular culture is a key part of South Korea’s “soft power” efforts. Former President Park Geun-hye listed developing Korea’s cultural industry among her main goals.
After BTS reached Billboard’s No. 1 spot, South Korean President Moon Jae-In wrote about BTS on social media.
“Their melody and lyrics transcend regional borders, language, culture and institutions,” the president wrote on Facebook. “Thank you to BTS for spreading joy across Korea and the world with your great performances.”
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Trump administration opens antisemitism inquiries at 5 colleges, including Columbia and Berkeley
The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.
It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.
In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.
Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.
"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.
The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.
An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."
House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."
Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.
Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.
The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.
"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."
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