BTS Studies

Welcome! This website provides high-level information on the field of academic study surrounding BTS and ARMY, for those who may be interested in getting involved. Though not exhaustive, we hope this information is useful to current and aspiring researchers working on BTS and ARMY research.Please use the tabs above to access a brief description and history of the field as well as links to field-specific events, network, and more.

About

About the FieldBTS Studies is an interdisciplinary field of academic study surrounding Korean popular music group BTS and ARMY (the official fanclub name for BTS’s fandom). Research topics span a wide variety of subject areas, including but not limited to: pop culture and music studies, Hallyu studies, fan studies, mental health and healing, psychology, business, marketing, communications, social media, literature, Korean language and culture, politics, sociology, philosophy, and more. The wide breadth of possible research avenues is evidenced in the myriad submissions to annual conferences as well as academic journal articles published across several fields of study.One unique feature of BTS Studies is the field’s openness to independent and/or fan scholars, many of whom have participated in conference presentations, academic publications, and other scholarly endeavors. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many ARMY, BTS Studies enjoys its own conference, special conference tracks, an academic journal, and a community for ARMY researchers who regularly participate in the field of BTS research.HistoryAs a field, BTS Studies does not have a specific founding date; however, the field has seen a clear pattern of growth that eventually coalesced into a more substantial, organized field of study. Academic articles in various field journals have appeared for years, and a few academic books have been published since 2019. The field has seen exponential growth starting from early 2020.In January 2020, the first BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference was hosted by Dr. Colette Balmain at Kingston University in Surrey, United Kingdom. This was the first large-scale international academic event related to BTS, though there had been events held in South Korea previously. The conference hosted over 100 presentations from students, professors, practitioners, and independent researchers from 30 countries.The BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference was a catalyst for what would become the international BTS Studies field. The field’s first academic, peer-reviewed journal, The Rhizomatic Revolution Review (R3) was announced at the conference and launched later in 2020. Additionally, a field-specific resource and network group, Bangtan Scholars, was also created and launched later the same year.Since then, the BTS Conference has been held annually, with several other conferences hosting special tracks for BTS research. Researchers from all backgrounds have continued publishing in a wide range of journals, and ARMY researchers continue to learn and grow together within this shared field.For more information on the field, please see the Research page.

Contact

Research

ConferencesThe BTS Interdisciplinary Conference is an annual academic conference that covers topics related to BTS and ARMY from any field. Scholars, researchers, students, and fans from all levels are welcome to participate in presentations, panels, and workshops. The conference is hosted by the International Society of BTS Studies (ISBS).

First Annual BTS Conference, 2020, Kingston University, Surrey, United Kingdom.

Second Annual BTS Conference, 2021, California State University, Northridge, California.

Third Annual BTS Conference, 2022, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul, South Korea.

Fourth Annual BTS Conference, 2023, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Con-NEXT is a free, virtual conference and convention for BTS and ARMY related research, projects, and more. ARMY from diverse backgrounds and fields are encouraged to participate. Works presented at this event are in progress, incomplete, or unfinished, unless otherwise noted. The event provides opportunities for feedback, questions, and discussions with the authors.

In addition to these recurring conferences, there have been a few conferences with BTS-focused tracks, including:

24th Korean Academic Society of Business Association, 2022. Track: "BTS & ARMY: A Road to SDGs and ESG."

ICAMA-KAS International Conference, 2020. Track: "BTS: A Paradigm Changer in Martech and/or Innovation." This track hosted four sessions:

Conference presentations on BTS and ARMY also appear in general field conferences, such as conferences on popular culture, fan studies, music, and more.

PublicationsThe Rhizomatic Revolution Review (20130613) (ISSN 2692-7772) is an open-access journal that provides a space for interdisciplinary scholarly work, original creative pieces, and personal narratives that examine the art and impact of BTS and their fanbase ARMY. R3 is dedicated to empowering fans with the means to engage in rigorous, critical discourse and to introducing newcomers to BTS and ARMY.The Asia Marketing Journal published a special issue on BTS in 2021. Click here to read the issue.The 24th Korean Society of Business Administration conference resulted in a special journal issue on BTS and SDG/ESG. The issue is available here (search for 제27권 신년 특별호).As BTS Studies is an interdisciplinary field, articles on BTS and ARMY can be found in an array of academic journals. The Resource Library at Bangtan Scholars documents many of these articles as does the BTS Syllabus project.

Resources

The international Bangtan Scholars network is a place for current and aspiring scholars of BTS Studies to connect, inspire, and grow together. The website features a Resource Library, event listings, and a mailing list. Researchers can apply to join the network on Discord, and everyone can keep up-to-date on BTS research via their Twitter and newsletter.The Resource Library at Bangtan Scholars is powered in part by the BTS Syllabus project. This project gathers official BTS-related resources, academic articles, and some fan-created content including articles, blogs, videos, books, and more.Additionally, there is also the Brasilian ARMY Academics collective.

Other resources of interest include: