Abstract
This essay examines how the South Korean music group, BTS, has utilized their platform to bring awareness to mental health in youth. I specifically analyze the use of their personal stories and experiences as a means of communication or outreach to their fans, also known as the ARMY. Exploring the theory of identification, or a direct sense of connectedness between a speaker and an audience, I argue that through their music and personalized rhetoric speech patterns, BTS seeks to allow their fans to view their experiences as the same. This has created a dynamic encompassing a sense of friendship and understanding rather than a typical artist-to-fandom phenomenon. Finally, I consider the implications of how this work has impacted the youth overall and inspired a change in systematic pressure for future generations, despite the group’s language distinction.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Robinson, A.
(2024).
You Never Walk Alone: BTS as a Symbol of Light for Youth.
Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal, 47(1).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56816/2471-0032.1173
