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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
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Moustafa Bayoumi

Can the K-pop boyband BTS … save the world?

(L-R) V, Suga, Jin, Jung Kook, RM, Jimin, and J-hope, members of South Korean boy band Bangtan Boys (BTS), arrive for the launch of their new digital single album 'Butter' at Olympic hall on Olympic Park in Seoul, South Korea, May 2021.
‘BTS’s Army is a formidable global force for good’ Photograph: Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA

A battle is raging in front of our eyes, but this is no ordinary war. While the combat may be bloodless, no one should be fooled. This clash is fierce and unforgiving, representing the ideological struggle of our age. On one side we find men wearing animal horns and dressing in furs. On the other are legions of devotees draped over their computer screens. This contest of wills is the ultimate postmodern showdown. I’m talking, of course, about the fight for our future, namely, the legendary battle of far-right conspiracy theorists v K-pop.

And the good news is that, in this war, K-pop – that globally renown, highly engineered, synthesiser sounding, toe-tapping, arm-snapping, bubblegum pop music – keeps winning.

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