ARMY unite! A journalist from The Atlantic, Lenika Cruz (who we love dearly in the BTS community) documents her deep descent into loving BTS. She goes from trying to learn each of their names after watching them perform on TV to the first time to seeing them live and interviewing them herself. She writes with honesty and a whole lotta love for them, especially to the majority of The Atlantic readers who wouldn’t look twice at an article about BTS (or K-Pop in general). This little collection is a must for ARMY or for those who are fascinated by K-Pop popularity. Her articles make known the thousands of reasons why we love BTS with our whole hearts – and to why we ride or die when it comes to these 7 incredible people.
— From JaviA love letter to Korean pop sensation BTS and an ode to fandom. An Atlantic Edition, featuring long-form journalism by Atlantic writers, drawn from contemporary articles or classic storytelling from the magazine's 165-year archive.
The supersonic rise of the Korean pop group BTS may seem enigmatic to some, but for Lenika Cruz, senior culture editor at The Atlantic, their worldwide fame is obvious. As Cruz argues in On BTS: Pop Music, Fandom, Sincerity, the group's trajectory--debuting on a relatively obscure label in Korea to becoming a global household name in just a few years--is a natural result of their authenticity, artistry, energy, social conscientiousness, and general coolness. As a non-English-language band finding record-breaking international success, BTS is helping usher in a fresh, more inclusive era in the music industry. In this love letter to the once-in-a-generation pop sensation, Cruz narrates her own unexpected journey into the fandom, and in doing so might welcome you in, too.
