BTS at UNGA: How Hallyu, K-Pop's success translates into South Korean soft power

With the red diplomatic passport, personally handed over to them by the South Korean President Moon Jae-in, K-pop superstars BTS landed in New York for the 76th session of United Nations General Assembly. This was the septet's third appearance at the United Nations, one undeniably highly looked forward to with more than a million viewers tuning in when the group took to the podium to deliver a message of hope and power to teens and young adults across the world.

At the UNGA, South Korean President Moon was accompanied by BTS as "special presidential envoy for future generations and culture." Not only did BTS deliver remarks on climate change, the pandemic, vaccination, and issues revolving around youth, the group also performed their latest single 'Permission to Dance'.

This was not the group's first stint at the global platform. Earlier, in 2018, BTS was recognised as global influencers and was invited to speak at the launch ceremony at the UN headquarters in New York for Generation Unlimited, a global partnership by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
WHAT DOES BTS's SUCCESS MEAN FOR K-POP, SOUTH KOREA?

BTS, which first debuted in 2013, has become the first group since The Beatles to top the US charts with three albums in less than a year.
What BTS has managed to accomplish is not just an achievement for the group, but has paved the way for South Korean and Asian artists. The group's all-English single 'Dynamite' broke multiple records last year, with the song topping the Billboards, a feat out of reach for many because of the western artists' absolute domination on the chart.

The band's loyal fan base, known as ARMY, have banded together to push BTS onto fame and then global stardom. The fandom of an estimated 90 million people has played a pivotal role in the band's meteoric rise to worldwide success.

The impact of BTS on South Korean economy is also hard to ignore. According to the Hyundai Research Institute, the band is estimated to bring in more than $3.6 billion into the South Korean economy annually. Apart from sales of music, concert tickets, and band merchandise, this figure also reflects the added number of tourists visiting South Korea because of their interest in the group. From Korean food, to tourist spot, to clothes and makeup brands, whatever the band advertises, manages to gain instant recognition thanks to social media and products are quickly sold out.
The group has performed at some of the most high-profile locations that has sought to emphasise the country's tourist potential, with a skyscraper in Seoul being the backdrop for their 2021 Grammy's performance, to septet lighting up Gyeongbokgung Palace in hanboks (South Korea's traditional attire) for Jimmy Fallon's show.
BTS has played a big role in popularising Korean contemporary culture worldwide. In what can be seen as a ripple effect, this has further opened up Korean language and culture for global consumption.
Bangtan Sonyeondan, with their chart-topping singles, a dedicated fanbase, and global presence, are not the first Korean act to gain international recognition. We cannot discount the group's predecessors or Psy, whose Gangnam style broke several records, but it cannot be denied either that BTS's success paved the way for other Korean artists to expand on to the world stage