Early in 2019, Kingston University London announced that they would be holding an academic conference about BTS on the first weekend of January 2020. The conference would host panels covering a variety of topics from branding to fanfiction as well as allowing participants to submit academic papers.
We’re excited to announce that Borasaek Vision is going to be attending this conference - in fact, we are going to be panelists, presenting on the first day of the conference, which is Saturday, January 4.
For our presentation, we will be discussing media representation of BTS and ARMY, our mission to counteract Western media bias, as well as our challenges as an organization and as a community - ARMY has also struggled against misleading and inaccurate labels in Western media since BTS broke onto the scene.
The formation of a global academic conference focused on K-pop - specifically on BTS - is unprecedented, especially in the West. Its very existence, and the fact that the conference is now completely booked, proves that ARMY is a greater force than many sources choose to portray us as, demonstrating that BTS is a powerhouse on a global scale.
Attendees are coming from all over the world: Professor Lee Jiyoung from Sejong University in Korea, author of “BTS, Art Revolution,” will be the keynote speaker at the event, and panelists for other talks are coming from the US, all over the EU, and Southeast Asia. Speakers are coming from a vast array of backgrounds, talking about an incredible range of topics.
In and of itself, without even hearing any of the panel discussions yet, the mere existence of the conference shows the massive mark that BTS has made on the world. They have had an undeniable impact on the Western music scene (despite many Western media sources’ attempts to downplay it), but that’s only one aspect of what they have achieved. Another achievement, albeit a somewhat indirect one, is the changes they have facilitated in their fans.
The community of ARMY is a thing of beauty. Yes, it is a gemstone which has its flaws that are often all too apparent, but there are so many other shining facets. The cultural influence of the group has already been monumental - their message of self-love and acceptance has become a rallying cry for their fandom; their encouragement of mental health awareness and advocacy has become an anchor for ARMYs struggling with mental illness.
However, it’s impossible to definitively say how much of an effect BTS has had on the world and on the community of people who love them. The effects are still happening - on global culture, on people, and on the industry in which they operate. Their efforts are ongoing and evolving, reaching more and more people by the day and lending strength to their fans so that these fans can also make their mark on the world.
BTS is still building their legacy, strengthening it with every comeback, every interview, and every life they touch. The Kingston University conference is one piece of this future history. Though they won’t be in attendance, the mere fact that this many ARMYs are gathering together to discuss the impression that they have made on the world is an amazing chapter to be added to the history books which are still being written.
If you want to check out what panels and speakers are going to be present at the conference, take a look at the event page on Kingston University’s website. For those who aren’t able to attend, Borasaek Vision will be doing a full write-up on the conference which will be posted after we return. If you are going to be at the conference, stop by and see us - we’d love to meet you and discuss BTS and the media with you! Stay tuned as we go into the new year and prepare to launch the first issue of “Borasaek Vision Magazine.”
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any audio & visual content in this video except for the editing. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS. No copyright infringement intended.
Written By: Anna Moon
Edit By: Aury
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