Read on Twitter
Felt like writing a Twitter thesis about my #SpotifyWrapped 
top song of the yr, "Black Swan" by #BTS.
"Black Swan" is the antithesis of "Dynamite": virtually uncategorizable in genre (trip-hop via gayageum), a tribute to Martha Graham in choreo & lyrics
top song of the yr, "Black Swan" by #BTS."Black Swan" is the antithesis of "Dynamite": virtually uncategorizable in genre (trip-hop via gayageum), a tribute to Martha Graham in choreo & lyrics
While Jimin channels Graham's technique (when's the last time a "boy band" brought straight-up modern dance to the masses?), Suga and RM discuss the existential death of losing one's passion for art.
Perhaps this is because of my perspective as an Asian American, but I am endlessly fascinated by the American lens on Asian art. BTS' overall body of work is startlingly different from the stuff it makes specifically for the Western market. Not always deeper, but different.
This contrast was seen in its first big play for American ears, the saccharine "Boy With Luv," but fully unleashed with "Dynamite," the ALL-ENGLISH!!! bait that hooked the (ear)worm.
@ajaromano explained it brilliantly for
@voxdotcom https://www.vox.com/21498770/bts-dynamite
@ajaromano explained it brilliantly for
@voxdotcom https://www.vox.com/21498770/bts-dynamite
Although addictive, "Dynamite" is easily BTS' laziest song (IMO) but it goes down a lot easier if I see it as hilarious payback for some of Western pop music's most egregious instances of Asian cultural appropriation.
(Of COURSE a foreign artist's pastiche of American culture would revolve around disco!!!)
BTS produces more content (encompassing music, MVs, variety shows, alt universes, etc) than any artist I know, so they've shown off a myriad of images: tough, soft, goofy, emo, etc.
But the U.S.-targeted version of BTS sticks to a very specific archetype.
But the U.S.-targeted version of BTS sticks to a very specific archetype.
BTS as packaged for Western audiences provides a sense of what 21st c Western culture is willing to accept from men of Asian descent: cute, even appealing ("American Idol's fixation with William Hung was sooo racist, you guys") but ultimately safe and somewhat inorganic
Anyway, I'd love to write professionally about BTS sometime. Or just find a small group of people to nerd out about BTS x cultural criticism with, because it's hard to find folks who are equally about both!
