BTS and BLACKPINK Have 1 Surprising Connection
Being a successful musician these days is more complicated than it was in the past. As streaming services like Spotify have completely changed the revenue streams for most musical artists, savvy musicians have found that their success often relies on touring, selling merchandise, and getting creative when it comes to partnering with other companies. This is all made a lot easier by having a dedicated fan base ready to make those purchases, and many artists have developed dedicated social media followings where they can connect with fans. BTS is a K-Pop group that has mastered the social media game and become very rich in the process.
While their online presence may have a bit of a friendly feud with all-girl K-pop group BLACKPINK, the groups have a surprising connection when it comes to building their musical dynasties.
BTS has seen legendary fame thanks to online fans
When BTS debuted in 2013, they had plenty of competition in the K-Pop world. The musical genre was in the middle of a huge surge, and at first, it was difficult for BTS to break away from the pack. Their early adoption of social media strategies turned out to be a very important part of their rise to the top. The band had music that helped them connect with their fans — often singing about personal struggles that were relatable to their growing number of listeners.
By 2015, their success in South Korea was booming, and a few years later, the American audiences were paying attention. Now the band has plenty of accolades and awards to back up their fans’ support. It also doesn’t hurt that they can count influential people like Vice President Kamala Harris among their fans. Even Harris follows BTS on social media, and that’s where they spend a lot of time building up their public personas and connecting with the listeners who have helped launch them into superstardom.
BTS has demonstrated their ability to start a trend
There’s no doubt that BTS has musical talent, and they’ve definitely made a name for themselves in the fashion world as well. Their attire choices — especially those on display in their very popular videos — demonstrate just how quickly they can get fans talking about a trend. They’ve helped give a boost to brands like Gucci and bring specific fashion choices to their audience.
From their boldly colored hair to their attention to accessories, BTS cares a lot about the little things that help demonstrate their brand. “I dress up with colorful and brilliant [garments] to maximize the impact of performance,” member J-Hope explained. “We also wear bold accessories on stage. If you look close, you’ll notice that each in-ear wireless mic has a customized design per BTS member. Everyone has different designs.”
BTS and BLACKPINK have both partnered with Samsung
While BTS and BLACKPINK have a friendly feud — mostly fueled by their fans — going on social media, both groups are made up of savvy business people who know how to maximize the influence of their brands. Both of the bands, for instance, have partnered with Samsung.
In fact, both bands have actually helped promote the same product: the Samsung Galaxy S20. As Sam Mobile reports, there is a variation of the Galaxy S20 named the Jennie Red after a BLACKPINK member. For BTS’ role in the partnership, member V had a starring role in a 15-second clip that received over a million views within days of its release. A commercial for the Galaxy S20 featuring BTS has more than 5 million views on YouTube.
