Michelle Cho is a scholar whose extensive areas of interest include Contemporary Korean Cultural Studies, Culture Industries, Fandom and Celebrity Studies, and Convergence Cultures. Her academic background gives her strong credibility and authority to analyze the global phenomenon of K-pop. In her article, \u201c3 ways that BTS and its fans are redefining liveness\u201d, Cho (2018) examines the dynamic and complex relationship between BTS and their global fandom collectively referred to as the ARMY. The K-pop group’s unprecedented transnational success is deeply rooted in the digital labor, affective engagement, and participatory culture of its fans. The article highlights how the fandom operates not merely as passive consumers, but as a highly organized, transnational community that leverages digital media platforms to translate, promote, and propel the group’s visibility and cultural impact across borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another academic article I read is “BTS for BLM: K-pop, Race, and Transcultural Fandom.” Cho (2022) argues that K-pop fan cultures have emerged as a powerful arena for public discourse and organizing against structural racism, proving that transnational fandom can be a profound resource for political solidarity. Meanwhile, Cho (2022) points out that a key factor in BTS’s crossover success in the United States is their deep engagement with Black popular culture and hip-hop music. Sharing these foundational roots with American pop culture creates a “cultural proximity” that makes their music much easier for Western audiences to accept and recognize. This inspired me to dive deeper into BTS\u2019s early production ideals and musical works to understand how they hybridize Western pop cultural with their own cultural expression. Because Western pop culture and hip-hop music are deeply rooted in Black American culture, it is important for me to examine academic research on Black hip-hop music as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This week, I completed two LinkedIn Learning courses (Learning Wix<\/a> and No-Code Web Design<\/a> by Jen Kramer) and met with two potential committee members to discuss my project. Professor Klotz gave me valuable guidance to expand my research. For instance, he noted that Japan also has a highly mature music market, and a female group named Perfume received strong agency backing in their efforts to expand globally. Yet, years of hard work did not yield the same global impact as K-pop groups. By comparing J-pop and K-pop, maybe I can find more reasons behind BTS’s global success. Professor Klotz recognized the research value of one of my research questions\u2014what strategies other nations can learn from K-pop\u2019s successful globalization to produce music and enhance a nation\u2019s soft power. He is also curious about the practical findings and said that he is willing to share them with friends in the Japanese music industry. I also had a meeting with Professor Mueller to discuss my project and deliverables timeline. She expressed interest in my project, though she needs to review her schedule for next semester before confirming whether she will have sufficient time to guide my project. I am eagerly awaiting her response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cho, M. (2018, May 29). 3 ways that BTS and its fans are redefining liveness. Flow<\/em>. https:\/\/www.flowjournal.org\/2018\/05\/bts-and-its-fans\/<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cho, M. (2022). BTS for BLM: K-pop, Race, and Transcultural Fandom. Celebrity Studies, 13<\/em>(2), 270\u2013279. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/19392397.2022.2063974<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Michelle Cho is a scholar whose extensive areas of interest include Contemporary Korean Cultural Studies, Culture Industries, Fandom and Celebrity Studies, and Convergence Cultures. Her…<\/p>\n