A fandom is a collection of like-minded people who are really into a particular thing or subject. This subject of their interest could be a celebrity, sports, team, artists, or even books, TV shows and movies. Fandom is the space where these fans can group and have passionate discussions about their interest. The rise in the use of the internet has expanded this fandom space where they can use internet platforms to find their fandom groups with members all across the world. It is not only the discussions, but they also have events like cosplay, drawing fan art and writing fanfiction to express their love for their interest.
- Introducing BTS
If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last decade, you would have heard about the South Korean boy band, BTS. The name is the abbreviation of Bangtan Sonyeondan and the band consists of seven members. Although the band was formed in 2010, it was only in 2013 that it gained fame in the home country, followed by international recognition in 2017. With this fame came a cult-like following, with fans all over the world and from all walks of life.
- The Fans
Ever since BTS gained global fame, its fandom has gained members from all over the world. They call themselves the BTS’s ARMY which is an acronym in itself. As one of the largest fandoms in the world, its power and influence extend past the celebration of its idols. They have been active in the world of the internet, taking some bold initiatives from time to time. Their collective force has not only increased the fame of the band but also helped them to push forward to start conversations on various issues, impact the economy and cause social changes. They have been known to wield the power of the internet and most powerful fandom in the world and start the chain reaction of changes.
- Cultural impact of the BTS ARMY
While unawares would label this fandom as simple “simps” for pretty boys, only the one involved in the fandom truly knows the ripple this fandom has caused. Beyond boosting the charts for their idols, the ARMY has been known to spearhead some social campaigns. They were some of the avid supporters of #EndViolence and #BlackLivesMatter to raise awareness about police brutality in marginalized communities. This also spurred BTS to support the cause and donate $1 million to the movement. In return, the ARMY rushed to match the donation amount and raised another $1 million within 25 hours. Apart from that, BTS constantly convey the message of self-love and empowerment which motivates the ARMY further and makes their fandom appreciated. This fandom community also hosts charity events, and social drives and volunteers in the community in the name of their fandom, painting a great picture of their tight-knit group.
- The fountain of creativity
To be honest, a fandom is one of the most creative groups in existence. A fandom as large as BTS ARMY, is full of exceptionally creative fans who use their talent to keep their idol in the spotlight. Dance covers on YouTube and TikTok keep the fans highly engaged in the fandom. They also display their talent with cosplay and fanart about their idols, and another section of fandom passionately writes fanfiction. These contents on the internet keep the fandom alive and buzzing, and bring it to the forefront whenever someone talks about the most powerful fandom in world culture. This has caused the fandom to expand continuously as it introduces the band to a new audience and welcomes them into the fold.
- Contribution to globalization
In this modern era, the concept of borders and countries is shrinking day by day. countries, cultures, economies etc., all are getting closer and coming to form a tight-knit group. BTS has found itself to be on the frontline of this trend. Although the band sings in Korean mainly, the power of its art has transcended borders. BTS ARMY has been making full use of internet resources and technology to break this language barrier. They translate the lyrics to their songs and provide subtitles to the band’s video content. This helps the non-Korean speaker to understand their favorite band, without much trouble. This has created a massive fan following for the band as well as the most powerful fandom in the world. In a sense, they have proven that music has no boundaries.
- Economic impact of the ARMY
As of present, BTS ARMY is one of the largest fandoms in the world. So, no wonder their album sales are off the charts. With the growing craze for the band, BTS alone contributes millions of dollars to the country’s economy every year. Fans flock to their events and concerts wherever they perform. This has promoted the Korean tourism industry to the next level. Their merch sales are also very high, which makes up a large part of the revenue generation. This is expected to rise some more in the next few years as new and fresh blood join the most powerful fandom in the world every day. From this alone, you can guess the size of this massive fandom and its influence on the global economy.
- Dark Side of fandom
Although many would like to portray the fandom as a happy and sunny place with all the support you might need, it is far from the truth. The ARMY is not untouched by negativity and toxic behavior. This is displayed in the form of occasional online harassment of the rival fandom, infights between the subgroups and hate comments on other artists. Not even the BTS is untouched by the toxic traits of their fandoms as they criticize their idols as harshly as they would do with others.
Conclusion
As one of the largest fandoms, BTS ARMY has been making waves. It has helped the band create records with sales, influenced a country’s economy, helped to lead social change and brought the people culturally closer. Despite a few bad reputations, fandom has been the perfect example of the power of a community.
