No.160 / Oct 17, 2022
When we speak of the most popular band nowadays, our mind immediately goes to BTS, a Korean boy band that debuted in 2013. BTS can be described in many ways: as one of the most successful bands in history, as the band that finally broke through the cultural barrier overseas to make significant waves all around the world, and as the epitome of the pop music phenomenon. Their brilliant songs, meaningful lyrics, and charismatic choreographies have received immense love from everyone. They are also known for their epic performance, which is why BTS’s fans are always looking forward to attending their concerts. At the moment, fans are excited about the recent news – that BTS will perform a free concert in Busan! It is surely good news, but questions arise, such as: Why is BTS holding a free concert?
The Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower have something in common: they were both displayed at World Expos. The World Expo, which takes place every five years, is a global gathering of nations dedicated to cultivating solutions to pressing socio-political issues. Expos help to boost the host country’s public image and national prestige. On a more practical level, hosting the Expo is expected to bring huge economic benefits, especially in terms of creating jobs and boosting tourism. This time, Korea threw its hat into the ring. In June 2021, Korea submitted a letter of candidature to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to host World EXPO 2030 BUSAN. The project has been under discussion for almost a decade. It became government policy in 2019 and an official national task under the new Yoon Suk-yeol administration. Currently, the government is making an all-out effort to win against Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the leading competitor. In terms of promotion efforts, the government is leveraging Korean pop culture, with a host of celebrities joining the campaign. Given the importance of Korea’s bid to host World EXPO 2030 BUSAN, BTS was appointed as an honorary ambassador for the project on July 19, 2022, which is why BTS is holding a free concert. The concert will be held on October 15, kicking off BTS’s activities as ambassadors for the project. 100,000 people are expected to attend the concert in person, and more than 10 million viewers are expected to tune into the live stream through Naver Now and Weverse, an application that specializes in hosting musical content and artist-to-fan communications. The concert will also be live streamed at Haeundae Beach, where large screens will be installed so that spectators can watch freely.
The host city for the 2030 Expo will be announced in November 2023, which means there is still a long way to go before the bid is confirmed. BTS has gained immense popularity over the years, owing to the group’s hard work, dedication, and passion for music. Although the promotional impact of BTS as Expo ambassadors is massive, the government should not depend solely on BTS but rather give their full effort until the race is over. The Ajou Globe (The AG) hopes to see Busan take a leading role in “Transforming our world, Navigating toward a better future” as the World EXPO 2030 BUSAN slogan suggests.
By Kim Ji-yeon, AG Reporter
jykim0502@ajou.ac.kr
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