On April 12, Korean Kpop group BTS released their album “Map of the Soul: PERSONA.” Not only did it break Youtube view records, but is continuing to climb its way up both Apple music and Spotify charts.

If you haven’t heard about BTS as this point, I assume you either never watch TV or have never gone on Twitter.

BTS is a Korean pop group who have taken over not only the Kpop genre, but the music industry all over the world.

They are the first Korean group to break through to the American music industry and are the next heart throbs and  on their way to becoming one of the most popular artists in the modern music industry.

The Kpop industry is different from pop culture in America from the makeup to the fashion to the comebacks to the variety shows, there is a lot to cover when it comes to the Kpop industry. So ever since I joined the craze a little bit over 2 years ago when it wasn’t as popular, I have learned how die hard the support can get.

Being an avid Kpop fan, I have pinned BTS as my favorite kpop group. I have been to over 10 kpop concerts but BTS were definitely one of the most impressive when it came to live vocals, performance and overall show production. 

Contrary to western boy bands that have appeared in the media like One Direction, The Wanted and 5 Seconds of Summer, BTS has a variety of skills to offer.

Not only do they make incredible music but they have charm, likability and dance performance that clearly separates them from western bands.

A lot of people ask me how I can like music I cannot understand but what people fail to realize is that there is so much more to music than the words they are saying.

There are vocals, back vocals, production and more that just make you feel something and if a song has that power, it can be classified as a good song. 

The title track “Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey)” is the classic pop song that Kpop is known for with a twist of funk that is notable to show how it also stands out from other kpop songs. It is an upbeat summer song that will be on repeat. With the catchy hooks to the back vocals that add so much to the depth of the song, it truly sets up the theme and vibe of the album as a whole.

Songs “Mikrokosmos” and “Jamais Vu” are more heart to heart where all of the vocalist’s abilities shine through. All of their voices balance each other out perfectly from the raspy nature of V’s voice to the strength of Jungkook’s voice, there is enough to appeal to any audience. Not losing the catchiness of their sound, these songs mix meaning of lyrics with meaning of production and it creates a strong message you can feel as soon as you hit play.

Tracks like “Make It Right,” “HOME,” and “Dionysus” are the perfect fusion of pop and another genres. They introduce hip hop and R&B all into one song but doesn’t sound messy or jumbled up. In these selections, the rappers J-Hope, RM and Suga shine because of their simple ability to stay on beat and be creative in their rapping style.

BTS did not only release this album as a piece of art but also as a statement.

There a lot of western artists like Halsey, Troye Sivan and Khalid that support them and interact with them on social media and they are becoming a big part of western culture because of the walls they have been able to break through.

If you continue to sleep on BTS and kpop in general, you are doing yourself a disservice. They have so much to offer and giving them a chance wont hurt. Being able to get past the language barrier isn’t as hard as it seems and from doing that, you can learn about a whole new culture and move on to promoting inclusiveness and opportunity.

So, am I saying you should listen to “Map of the Soul: PERSONA”? Yes. But I am also saying you should do your part in supporting the expansion of the music industry and give them the chance they deserve, no matter what language they speak.

You never know, the BTS fandom may end up being your new “HOME.”