Cultural impact of BTS

[1] The septet has had a significant cultural impact both in Korea and internationally, and is considered one of the leading figures of the Hallyu wave in the 21st century.

[4] Nielsen Music Vice President Helena Kosinski said that, "although BTS weren't the first to open the doors to K-Pop worldwide, they were the first to become mainstream.

[28] Although there were THAAD restrictions starting in 2016 that blocked the sales of South Korean items in China, BTS fan clubs were still able to break the record for the most albums purchased at one time.

In 2020 during a speech member RM made at the Korea Society for promoting U.S.-Korean relations, he stated, "We will always remember the history of pain that our two nations shared together and the sacrifices of countless men and women."

[31] President Ram Nath Kovind mentioned BTS in 2018 at an official banquet, stating, "Korean popular culture has also charmed us.

[41] Map of the Soul: 7 – The Journey set new album records for the highest first day sales by both a foreigner and a Korean artist in Japan.

Both appearances were cancelled without warning, citing afterwards it was because of BTS member Jimin wearing a T-shirt that depicted the atomic bomb detonating, among text celebrating Korea's liberation from Japanese rule during World War II.

[51] In order to combat their growing popularity, government propaganda was created calling Korean groups like BTS 'slaves' and that they 'suffer miserable lives'.

[59] BTS was later invited by Seo Taiji to perform as backup vocalists and dancers for eight songs in his Seoul Olympic Stadium concert held early September.

The appointment is aimed to "raise awareness on global agendas, such as sustainable development, to our future generations and to strengthen the nation's diplomatic power across the world".

[79] In 2021, images of Jungkook were posted by John Geesnell Yap, the mayor of Tagbilaran, to convince citizens to receive the COVID shot.

[89][90] They also hold the record for the longest charting song by a Korean artist, spending twenty-eight weeks on the Canadian Hot 100 with "Dynamite".

[130] Their Rose Bowl concerts are the single highest-grossing engagement in the venue's Boxscore history, out-pacing previous high marks by Taylor Swift and U2, as well as co-headlining stints by Beyoncé & Jay-Z and Eminem & Rihanna.

[131] In July 2024, the music-themed Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, California announced that a special K-pop exhibit will take place in August 2024, displaying the accessories and performance gear worn by artists under Hybe, including BTS.

[137] BTS' work has influenced numerous artists, including (G)I-dle,[138] D-Crunch's Hyunho,[139] The Boyz' Younghoon and Hwall,[140] SF9's Zuho,[141] Euna Kim,[142] Golden Child's Jaehyun,[143] Wanna One,[144] IN2IT,[145] Park Ji-hoon,[146] Kim Dong-han,[147][148] Seven O'Clock,[149] Hyeongseop X Euiwoong,[150] Noir,[151] Victon's Sejun and Byungchan,[152] Loona,[153] Newkidd,[154] and Enhypen.

[156][157] Their success on the global pop market kicked off a new trend among Korean bands, with a growing number of idols, including Monsta X and Stray Kids, starting to present more personal messages when writing lyrics.

[158] Some artists have published conceptual trilogies, built imaginary worlds around their music, and shown greater propensity for darker themes after noticing BTS' success with doing the same.

[165][166][167] The effect was also observed when companies tied to BTS, such as Netmarble, NetMark, Soribada, Key Shares, GMP, Diffie, and Mattel had their stocks rise.

[173] In December 2018, the Hyundai Research Institute estimated that BTS were worth more than $3.67 billion to the Korean economy each year, attracting one in every thirteen foreigners who visited Korea.

[176] Their three-day concert finale in Seoul for their Love Yourself World Tour in October 2019 was estimated to have an economic value of almost ₩1 trillion ($862 million) and brought in 187,000 foreign visitors to South Korea.

[180][181] Outside of South Korea, BTS' concerts at Wembley Stadium were estimated to have brought around ₩100 billion ($82 million) as a direct economic effect to the city of London.

[178] They attract one in every 13 foreign tourists who visited South Korea and were cited as one of the key acts in boosting global music sales to $19 billion in 2018.

[174] Starting in 2020, BTS's management company Big Hit Entertainment listed publicly as part of Hybe Co., Ltd, which became valued at US$9.5 billion in 2022.

[196][189] Speaking to Billboard, Michelle Cho, an assistant professor of East Asian Popular Cultures at the University of Toronto, said "As an audio-visual experience, "I Need U" inaugurated the Bangtan Universe—the coming-of-age storyline that brilliantly integrates the Most Beautiful Moment in Life [album] trilogy and continues in music videos, "concept videos" (mini-films), and the multiform, open-ended narrative that's been serialized in album liner notes and Twitter and Instagram posts.

"[197] Mariejo Ramos from The Inquirer said about the universe "no other artists have successfully mixed the same literary technique to pop music in such a scale."

[203] Several commercial endorsements made by BTS over the years have had significant cultural impact due to the high visibility of marketing and advertisement campaigns.

[215] As the first male pop group ever to collaborate with Dior, BTS sported ensembles from Kim Jones' Pre-Fall 2019 collection at their concert at Stade de France.

The collaboration initially produced emojis and electronic stickers, but later expanded to include fashion apparel, footwear, accessories, and other merchandise.

[224] Line flagship stores opened throughout Seoul before spreading across the global market into Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the United States.

[252] Laneige released a lip sleeping mask set which features three scents that are based on the group's hit “Butter,” “Permission to Dance,” and “Dynamite”.