Oddly Obsessed with Korean Boy Band BTS: Decoding the Rise of ARMY In India

Forty-four-year-old Tamanna Kanwal is a Delhi-based mother to two daughters, and an ardent fan of BTS, arguably the most popular boy band in the world right now. Sporting a new hair colour every other month, and several BTS tattoos, the impact that the South Korean pop band has had on her is undeniable. It was only when she was 41 that she got introduced to BTS’ music, and it changed her life around. “I lost my father in January of 2019 and it was a big shock for me. Daddy's sudden demise left me numb and I couldn't even grieve properly. My older daughter was a part of the BTS ARMY and introduced me to BTS’ music in March 2019,” Tamanna recalled. “After months of denial I finally cried. BTS helped me through their music and healed me.”
HerZindagi tries to decode the charm of the seven-member South Korean sensation, BTS, who seem to have a loyal (and slightly fanatical) fanbase in India. This is our second story in the series Oddly Obsessed where we try to decode whacky Internet trends, sensations and pop culture phenomena that the world can’t seem to get enough of.

Tamanna is a part of the BTS ARMY or fans of the music band that has seen tremendous global popularity in the last few years. ARMY stands for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth, and refers to the 40+million fans of the band spread out across the world. Fan groups on Facebook, pages dedicated to their music, Instagram accounts that often juxtaposes the band members dancing to popular Bollywood songs, merch shops that import stuff from Korea and events dedicated to the BTS boys bear testimony to their huge fanbase in India. For a band that sings in a different language and has never visited India, they sure enjoy an inexplicable fandom in the country.

BTS, a South Korean boy band, also goes by the name Bangtan Boys, was formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook who co-write and perform almost all their music. Their music touches upon themes like self-love, emotions of youth, mental health, loneliness and more. In 2022, they announced that they were going on a hiatus, to pursue solo projects. However, songs from the members released thereafter continued to have the same undertones of emotional depth as those of the band earlier, for example, Jimin's Set Me Free Pt 2, where he unburdens himself from feelings of sadness and emptiness.

But India’s tryst with all things Korean began long before BTS was even formed.

K-Pop’s Inroads Into India

The influx of Korean content can be traced back to the 2000s to the North-eastern state of Manipur. In an attempt to alienate people from the “mainland”, Revolutionary People’s Front, one of the oldest secessionist groups in the region, banned Hindi films and Hindi satellite channels. The ban on Bollywood translated to a rise of Korean movies, shows and music, that primarily found inroads through pirated methods.

The viral track Gangnam Style, by Korean artist PSY, was the mainstream masses’ first brush with K-pop. The song broke the internet in 2012, the hook steps were all everyone danced to at parties, and it held the position of the “most viewed video” on YouTube for three years.

Korean culture, spearheaded by BTS and Gangnam Style, had taken the country by storm by 2017-18. So much so that then President Ram Nath Kovind even mentioned them in his speech at an event for South Korean President Moon Jae.

K-dramas soon started gaining popularity. In 2020, Netflix, the streaming giant reported that it saw a massive 370% year-on-year increase in the Korean drama genre.

Slowly and gradually, the BTS, Blackpink and other popular young bands started making a segway into India. In 2020, according to the year-end report by music streaming platform Spotify, BTS broke the record for the most streams for a song in any given week, first in August with over 2.42m plays for ‘Dynamite’ and then again in November with over 2.75m plays for ‘Life Goes On’ in India.

Introduction to BTS

BTS debuted in 2013. Initially, they were popular just in South Korea, but by 2017, they’d started creating ripples worldwide.

Tejosmita Ghosal, a 21-year-old student studying design, was 15 years old when on a school night, she chanced upon BTS’ music through Youtube recommendations. It was around 11:30 pm when she started listening, and couldn’t stop until 3:30 am. “I was in shock because they were singing, rapping, dancing and everything about it was so good! They were also so good-looking! I was so flabbergasted and so impressed!” she recounts.

For many, seemingly random YouTube music suggestions spurred them into the world of K-pop (Korean popular music, a form of music originating in South Korea) and eventually led them to discovering, and loving, BTS.

For some, it was their love for K-dramas (shows and television series in Korean language from South Korea) that led them to discover BTS.

For some others, close friends’ recommendations and even VH1 led them to find out about the boy band.

Also read:BTS’ Jungkook To GOT’s Nathalie: International Celebs Grooving To India’s Oscar Entry 'Naatu Naatu'

The Charm

Despite varying age groups, and diverse socio-economic backgrounds of fans, the common thread tying them together was how BTS’ music spoke to their souls, and the BTS boys were more than just performers for fans.

“How they tell their story, how they speak about their own experiences, their own struggles…What set them apart was them being so honest about who they were. It resonated with me. In spite of not knowing them personally, I know that each of them are good people and would do anything for their fans, family and friends. What brings you to them is their music, but what makes you stay is their personalities and interactions with the audience,” said Tejosmita.

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A post shared by Madhurima Mondal (@designer_skyline)

The overarching commonality was people feeling like they can relate to the boys, not as huge stars, but as regular human beings, with emotions, bad days and genuinity.

“BTS are always themselves, transparent and honest,” added Medha Dey, a 27-year-old Bangalore-based special needs educator, and an ardent BTS fan. “They worked hard to get where they are, and their struggle is evident in the efforts they put into creating the music they do.”

In conversation with HerZindagi, a common notion every fan highlighted was BTS’ interactions with fans and how grateful and giving they were to the community that loved them.

“I have never seen any celebrity do so much for their fans worldwide as much as BTS. They know how to give back to society and especially their fans,” felt Madhurima Mondal, a Technology Consultant at EY. “The effort they take in reading all the fan letters and at times replying to them is quite something. They never miss any opportunity to be grateful of everything they have and the love they receive from their fans. They do struggle in life, but they share it with fans too and you just realise they are as ordinary as we are.”

Some found solace in their music when they hit difficult phases in their lives. “4 O’ Clock by V and RM is my favourite song, because it gave me warmth on a cold winter night when I felt that the efforts I was putting into my career wasn’t working and I had hit rock bottom,” recalled Madhurima.

Despite their unwavering support for the band, some fans point out how their music has changed in recent years in a bid to become more universally liked. “I don’t particularly like their newer music. Their songs now seem a little whitewashed, made for the American audience,” added Tejosmita, referring to their recent songs like Permission to Dance.

Language Is Never a Barrier

BTS is one of the biggest examples of how cultural differences or language barriers can never come in the way of enjoying art.

Tejosmita, the 21-year-old design student, is someone who loves to try new things, so language never posed a challenge. “I‘ve seen translations and over time, I’ve even gotten around to recognising a lot of the words. You don't need to understand the language to always gauge the weight of emotions in their songs,” she said.

Madhurima echoed her sentiment and advised those hesitant to experiment with new music to just “Get a translating app!” She added, “Music is an expression of emotions. Emotions don’t need language.”

“Language is a barrier to those who don't wish to put any effort into understanding it. It's the same emotions that we feel, just that the alphabets that are used to create the corresponding words for it, are different,” said Somashree Roy, a 24-year-old HR professional based out of Kolkata. “A little effort is needed, but understanding their lyrics is crucial as otherwise you’d miss out on too much.”

The Craze

The fans also go to great lengths for the band, which is testament to their love for them.

“When Butter was released I put it on loop on YouTube on seven mobile devices and two laptops so that they would make a world record,” said Madhurima.

Riya Khan made sure she attended a screening of the Yet to Come concert movie with her friends, while sporting BTS T-shirts. She recalls a lot of singing, dancing, cheering and enjoyment at the theatre, where everyone came dressed in “cute outfits” for the screening.

“Whenever they came live on Weverse I used to write comments to be read by them. I translated the whole thing into Korean by using Google translator and posted hundreds of comments. I bought their posters and pasted them right in front of my bed, I also bought BTS' merch too like T-shirts, pencil pouches, notebooks, and stickers,” said Somashree Roy.

The ARMY is also a community that’s got each other’s backs. They feel like “family” and find joy in their shared love for all-things-BTS.

The BTS ARMY is so huge in India, that flash mobs, common screenings, dance nights and other community activities are a norm. From Chennai to Delhi, the BTS Army has often taken over malls and streets, performing to their songs as part of flash mobs. Events on the members’ birthdays see an outpouring of love and support. During the COVID crisis, the ARMY even came together to raise relief funds, which earned them praise from BTS leader RM, who thanked the 'beautiful' Indian ARMY.

However, they also point to negatives of such a huge community of fans. “There’s a beautiful part and also a bad side. There are the crazy fans, Sasaengs, a term used to call crazy fans that cross the boundaries of comfort and instead cause discomfort to the artists. They take obsession too far,” explained Tejosmita.

Effective Marketing

What made BTS the sensation that it is, is fascinating in itself. But a case study by Harvard Business School attempted to decipher it. It studied how they leveraged their loyal fan base to propel them to becoming what they are today. BTS’ management company raised $50 billion in its 2020 IPO, and a lot of subscribers were fans themselves. “They’re authentic and genuine,” says Doug Chung, an associate professor and author of the case study. “They would directly communicate with the fan base. The effective use of social media was how they created an ecosystem.”

Riya’s experience validates this, as she says that she started loving them more when she watched them do regular, everyday activities. “Bts also releases BTS RUN episodes where they cook, play, and have fun within themselves,” she explained.

They also created a universe within themselves, with merchandise, their personal stories, novels, shows, and interlinking music threads. They popularised the use of the iconic purple colour. What snacks they ate became hot-selling products for merch shops. Sheet masks used by band members flew off the racks.

The BTS boys are well-aware about their dedicated fan base in India. They have in the past addressed their fans in Hindi, saying “Indian BTS Army, aap humare dil mein rehte hai (Indian BTS Army, you are in our hearts).” They even shared prayers and thoughts for the ARMY when India was grappling with the deadly second wave of COVID-19.

Their concert movies have received thundering applause, cheer and love, with the most recent outing being Yet To Come, which released in select theatres across India in 2023. It got the position of #1 in the list of International Releases in India, when it released.

A concert on the cards soon?

Lifestyle Spillover

The community continues to steadily grow, which is visible from sales of BTS India Magic Shop, a small business that sells BTS merchandise through Instagram. They import things from South Korea, Japan, China and the US, and sell them in India.

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“Since 2019 every year we have witnessed an increase of 80% approx sales which is correlated to the increase in number of ARMYs in India. During COVID there was a surge of K-drama viewers and K-pop listeners, which augmented the sales of these merchandise,” said Nancy Sinha, administrator of the shop.

They’ve sold 2500+ albums and photo folios in the last two quarters, 350+ ARMY bombs and 300+ cosmetics and Korean snacks. These cosmetics and snacks became popular as they were either used or endorsed by the band or the individual members.

The effect is evident, with several Korean haunts popping up in different parts of metropolitan cities. Soju, a Korean alcoholic beverage, has suddenly sprung to popularity. Innisfree, The Face Shop, Laneige, and other beauty brands have become increasingly popular due to people warming up to K-beauty products.

Diversity FTW

It is true that young female fans do form a large part of this fandom, but on closer inspection, one is sure to find a huge range of diverse backgrounds, age groups and genders to be core members of the community.

Tamanna, the 44-year-old mother of two explains how it helped her find friends at an age when many deem it difficult to make new friends.

“Being part of BTS ARMY began in earnest when I joined Twitter and made friends all over the world. We have a close group of friends (women in their 30s and 40s) in different Indian cities. We are literally closer to each other than school or college friends!” she exclaimed. “This side of 40, BTS is the best thing that happened to me! They found me when I really needed them and taught me to love myself.”

Tamanna’s multiple tattoos portray her undying love for the band. “My tattoos, Euphoria and Zero O'Clock are two beautiful BTS songs. Purple heart means Borahae (I will trust you and love you forever) and seven is the seven members of BTS,” she explained. Inspired by BTS, she has gone on to open a blog, and write three books. It’s almost like BTS and their music gave her a new lease of life.

Riya during her visit to the theatre for the screening of Yet To Come had noticed that 30% of the hall was occupied by male fans, which puts to rest the conjecture that BTS only seems to have female fans.

Being part of the BTS Army is wholly about a sense of community and togetherness that all members enthusiastically harbour. Love for BTS unites them in strange, unexpected ways. On a random Thursday afternoon, while travelling by local train in Mumbai, Madhuri made two new friends. “I had a BTS keychain with me, while those girls had BTS phone covers and bags,” she said. “This is how BTS always helps us make new friends.”

The BTS Army is a fascinating case study of the power of music, how it can unite people (and how!) from different age groups, walks of life, genders and more, simply through sheer relatability. It’s a display of music transcending barriers of class, caste, race, religion and so much more. All of this through a boy band from South Korea, singing in a language different from ours, in a land far away, without ever visiting.