K-pop is something I have always known about but never listened to or followed and before this class I had no idea how popular it was in the US, especially BTS. I think the first time I heard about BTS was on instagram when the band popped up on my instagram explore page. After knowing we were going to learn about them in class I went onto spotify and listened to one of their most popular songs and I still wasn’t too into them. It wasn’t until we were assigned the first episode of BTS: Burn the Stage that my interest was peaked and I actually wanted to learn more about them. Seeing them like this made them more relatable and feel like I knew them personally. I felt like they were just boys who are working really hard to get where they are today and that their success was earned. Though I only watched the first episode it is clear why this band draws in millions of fans. Their music videos also add something that their music alone doesn’t. Like Psy and H.O.T., other k-pop artists we explored in class, their music videos were bright, colorful, and had a lot going on. This visual element made them all the more interesting and drew me into their music which I didn’t get from just listening to them on spotify. BTS is also very active on various social media platforms which brings them closer to fans. Especially on instagram which is accessible by many users all over the world. Their numbers are constantly increasing and in 2017 they were even nominated for Top Social Media Artist in the Billboard Music Awards and won in 2018. BTS was up against top artists like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Selena Gomez. Something that makes BTS so attractive to a wide variety of people is the fact that each member in the band takes on a distinct persona which reaches a wider variety of people who can resonate with each persona.