HYBE chairman Bang Si Hyuk recently reflected on the global rise of Asian culture, which, he said, can largely be attributed to the success of Korean pop music. The veteran music producer sat down for a chat with Asia Society to share his thoughts on the unprecedented success of K-pop on foreign shores, highlighting how he, along with the boy band BTS, achieved great heights. However, his comments did not sit right with BTS fans, who vehemently denied his contribution to BTS or K-pop's success.?
?On December 23, Asia Society dropped a video featuring Bang Si Hyuk, also known as Bang PD, where the K-pop juggernaut reflected on the global rise of Asian culture. Bang PD said that when he was young, the global market for K-pop felt like a far-fetched dream, as all those involved were unapproachable heroes to him. Even when he embarked on this journey with BTS, he could have never predicted it would lead them to where they now are.?
However, about two and a half years after BTS' debut, he began to feel he could achieve things that had never been done before in Asia. "I really encouraged members of BTS and myself to try our best to realize our dreams. And step by step, as we chased the dreams in our sights, we arrived at where we are now. Looking back now, the things I do often feel surreal, just like what¡¯s happening tonight," he said.?
Bang stated it was his and BTS' collective efforts that penetrated the world, with people across the globe joining in to understand the rich Asian culture. He added, "Honestly, I can¡¯t take credit for everything, but before BTS became a global success, understanding Asian culture was very limited and narrow-minded. But that changed through BTS and my efforts. We penetrated the world, and people appreciated our culture for what it was.¡±
Bang Si Hyuk's remarks on the rise of Asian culture, particularly the part where he shared credit with BTS, have not gone down too well with the fans of septet, who never leave a chance to reiterate¡ªBTS paved the way.?
Taking a sly dig at the HYBE boss, one user wrote, "Joke of the Year," while another wrote, "This man always associates himself with BTS's success."
A third mentioned, "He's using BTS again," and a fourth added, "Well, he is wrong; it was mostly due to BTS¡¯s efforts and hard work."
Meanwhile, some netizens also highlighted how Asian culture is not limited to K-pop, and K-dramas and C-dramas have enjoyed a cult following in the West even before the rise of K-pop.?
What are your thoughts on Bang Si Hyuk's remarks? Let us know!?
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