The Difference between a ‘KPOP Idol’ and BTS

Disclaimer, this is just my own opinion and is no way to downgrade anyone else’s favorite groups or singers.

The word ‘Idol’ can refer to anyone who was being admired or looked up to by fans/admirers. It could be a singer, an actor, even a philosopher or a painter. It can be broadly discussed, however, since I mentioned BTS, and ‘ARMY’ as the title, this will be focusing more on the entertainment industry. To be specific, from KPOP (Korean Pop) industries.

                I bet when reading the title, everyone would ponder, how exactly a KPOP Idol differs than BTS when they both Korean, debuted in Korea and gone through the same training system?. Well, ever since I become a BTS ARMY, I learned quite in depth, about these ‘KPOP idols’ and BTS differences. Since we will be discussing on the KPOP industries, I categorized BTS as Artist and other KPOP group as ‘Idols’.

                ‘Idols’ in the KPOP industries are talents who was selected through numerous auditions or street casted by a talent agent from an entertainments agency. And these talents are then put to train accordingly for vocals, dancing or even acting. They are called ‘Trainees’ before making a debut either as solo or in group. And these trainees sometimes took 4 years, up to 8 years of training before being selected by the agency to debut.

                There was also numbers of talent survival show where they shortlisted few trainees, for each trainees to show off their talents as an individual and/or with a group. Thus, the show includes putting them on different tasks/mission with different trainees in a team to see how they each can work on their group chemistry and teamwork.

                Now, BTS too was in the same system as other KPOP idols, which is some went for audition, and some was street casted, then was put to train for few years before making a debut as a group. They too have quite number of times of members changing until finally the agency permanently select 7 members and debut them as Bangtan Seonyeondan (BTS). In a BTS ARMY perspective, I will tell why us fandoms would like BTS to not consider as ‘KPOP Idols’ but as ‘Artist’ / ‘Performer’.

                As I explained before how the Idols system works. That is from audition, to being trainees THEN the debut. However, being a KPOP Idol, everything that was shown to fans must be perfect. They must fit the Korean beauty standards, and that they should never show any sort of flaws to their fans (mentally/psychologically). And being the fans Idol, their job was to only entertain them, which is, dancing and singing for them (these idols focuses so much in looking pretty or cool in front of camera instead of giving a good showmanship or actually singing live).

                Since the entertainment agency wanted to sell these perfect images of an idol, they don’t allow their talents to involve behind the scene, for example, music composing, they don’t allow them to be active on social media, and was even not allowed to involved, nor speak about any social issues or other serious issues happening around them.

                BTS on the other hand, yes they are part of the idol culture/system, but what makes us ARMY not wanting them to be put the same as the rest of other KPOP Idols was because of their hard works and their sincerity. The BTS members are mostly not fit the KPOP idol beauty standard but because of their music and their performances on stage that exudes charisma in its own way was what makes them being loved by their fans. Other Idol groups are good in performing on stage too but nobody have the same passion, good showmanship and dedication as BTS.

                Other than that, they were the first and only group who really shows their love and appreciation towards their fans, the BTS ARMY, by being active on social media, which is something other entertainment agencies feared the most. Doing a weekly vlog of how they feel on daily basis. And they did not shy away to even discuss on their daily and current struggles too. Having to voice out own struggles as a KPOP Idol, is taboo since the entertainment agencies are selling this perfect humans with no flaws, who is all happy and smile just for their fans.

                Speaking about struggles, BTS tends to voice out a lot of social issues through their music. And to add, most of their songs in their discography was mainly written and composed by the members themselves, which other idols can’t afford to do so. They talk about the struggles of every adolescence faced in their life, pressured by the society, their own peers and even themselves, as well as mental health issues. They really uses their music as a platform to reach out to their fans to kind of acknowledge the struggles as well to say, ‘You got this!.’.

                In conclusion, the difference between KPOP Idols and BTS is, KPOP idols is solely a product that was meant to entertain the fans and make profit. Whereas BTS, they are artist because they fully involved in writing and composing their own music and always experiments with different genre/style of music, and they sang live for all of their stage performances and concerts.