- ♪ Ow! ♪ - (both) Ow!
♪ (vivacious music) ♪ - (gasps)
Whoa! - All their...
- Whoa! - ...things go flying through the air.
♪ (dramatic chord) ♪
- (FBE) Okay. So today we're gonna be showing you
a series of K-pop videos. - Oh! Awesome!
- I haven't delved into a lot of K-pop,
but I keep seeing it all on my timeline.
- I've heard of K-pop. Yeah.
I've been in the YouTube comments before.
- K-pop again. - Oh God.
- Is this our fifth time doing K-pop?
- I think so. - Is it?
- (FBE) But this time, it's all from one band.
Here are selections of music videos from BTS.
- Okay. I've heard about them as well.
I'm interested to see what all the hype is about.
- OH my goodness. Okay, I'm so excited.
- Oh, BTS ARMY in the house!
- OH, no. - Never heard of BTS.
I'm not familiar with the K-pop bands, but I will be now.
(crash)
(tires squeal)
♪ (reverberating pop) ♪
(MC speaking Korean) - Yes.
- All right. All right.
- (MC) And the coolest kid in the world!
Woo! BTS! - Yeah.
- (MC) Rap Monster. - Rap Monster? Is that his name?
- (MC) Rap Monster. - I love Rap Monster.
- Is he wearing a Bulls jersey?
- Dude. They're great.
- They look, like, so gangster. - Oh my god.
- (MC) And who do we got here right now?
- They've got some swag to them. I understand, yeah.
♪ (low, plucky music) ♪
- Ooh.
Who's my favorite? I don't know.
- ♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
- They're iced out.
- ♪ I wanna big house, big cars, and big rings ♪
- Wow, they are stylin'.
- Could I ever look this cool?
- No. - (chuckles)
- ♪ (rapping in Korean) ♪
- This is like legit rap.
♪ (beat swells) ♪ - Cool.
- I love this mix of, like, '80s and '90s
and the early 2000s vibes just all together.
- I love the style.
- ♪ La la la la la ♪
♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
- I love it!
- Good production value.
- We should coordinate like this, Phil. - We should.
- I don't really get the hype yet, but I could be persuaded.
- I don't know if I would listen to that.
That was a little too, like--
- That's a little outside of my music comfort zone.
- If I listen to K-pop, which now I possibly am,
I may purchase that single off of the iTunes.
- What! - What!
- ♪ What! (rapping in Korean) ♪
♪ What! We are bulletproof ♪
- I love their aesthetic.
- Their dancers are awesome. - It's got a good beat.
- Okay, I'm not feeling the football thing.
- ♪ (rapping in Korean) ♪
- "Such a waste to call you a rapper"?
That's what the lyric said.
That's so mean. Who are they roasting?
- ♪ Everything I do ♪
♪ (rapping in Korean) ♪
- I mean, they're all very beautiful.
(chuckles) They're just beautiful humans.
- ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ - I like this one.
- ♪ Shout it out ♪
♪ Oh! ♪
- I like this one! - Oh my gosh.
(overlapping speech) - They're good.
- ♪ We go hard ♪ - Oh, look at that groin move.
- ♪ We go hard ♪ - Oh, the hip shape.
Oh my god. (chuckles)
- ♪ We just sing it like ♪
♪ Click, click ♪
- (chuckling) Okay. Well.
- That one was a good one.
- I liked that one. - If I heard that song playing,
I'd be like, "All right, let's dance, people. Let's dance."
- Oh yeah.
- Ooh. School outfit.
- The bad boys of the school. - (laughs)
- ♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
♪ (rapping in Korean) ♪
- It's very well produced.
- They're so aggressive sounding but so soft looking.
- I like this one.
- ♪ (rapping) Hakuna Matata ♪
- Did he say "Hakuna Matata"?
- Hakuna Matata!
- This band just rhymed the alphabet with Hakuna Matata!
This is another level!
- ♪ (rapping in Korean) ♪
- He is very pretty.
Actually, they're all very pretty.
- This is hype. - They're so in sync!
- This is cool.
- They have so many different styles and so many different looks.
That's crazy.
- ♪ ...want, say what you want ♪
- Were they peeing then?
- ♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
- Yeah, I'm not into that one.
- It's just fun, isn't it? It's just fun music.
- They're clearly very talented. The dance moves are amazing.
To see the American influence on the culture there
and then to see that kind of regurgitated
through another culture's eyes is fascinating.
- ♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
♪ Burn it up ♪
- Oh wow.
- Whoa.
(silence)
(singer speaks Korean)
♪ (intense EDM) ♪ - Aw, that was a nice voice.
(singer speaks Korean)
♪ (intense EDM) ♪
- Whoa!
- Oh, I like the sound of this one.
- ♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
- "Burn it all." I don't know if I like the words. (chuckles)
- Oh my god.
Gamers, I'm in.
- That was a Nintendo.
- Oh. - An old Nintendo.
- ♪ Fire (singing in Korean) ♪
♪ Fire ♪ - I like it.
Cars. Good clothes.
Fire. - Uh-oh.
- ♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
♪ Ow! ♪ - (both) Ow!
- Wow! They're really good at dancing!
- Wow, those dance moves. That's something.
- This is cool. - How do they do that?
- ♪ Bow wow wow ♪
- "Burn it all, bow wow wow." (laughs) - I liked that one.
- I want more of that.
- More.
(FBE giggles) Keep going.
- It just-- I don't know.
I like my K-pop a bit softer.
- Oh, a ballad.
- Oh, this is a sad song, right?
- Okay, they're changing it up a little.
- Oh my gosh, your eyes.
- This is the Instagram filter we all need.
- ♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
- This is so dramatic.
- Did they just make a Snowpiercer reference?
- I don't know. - Yes. That's a good movie.
- Ooh.
- Yep. Oh, here comes the cake.
- The cake is flying through the air! - Oh.
- Oh my gosh! No! - No-no-no-no-no!
- I wanna see the cake in the face.
♪ (sweeping melody) ♪
- Oh.
- Did he just pierce his ear with a safety pin?
- Their skin is so smooth. They look like angels.
- Their style-- like, the range is all over the place.
It's so cool.
- Oh. Whoa.
Where are these places? They look amazing.
- I want to know their skin care routines. That's all I care about.
- Cleanse, tone, and moisturize, Dan.
- I think they do a lot more than that.
- I love how I started this being like, "Huh, okay, interesting."
And now I'm like, "I want to rub their faces."
♪ (dramatic pop music) ♪
- Abandoned warehouse with some ninjas. [Bleep] yeah.
- I think this is the one I've seen before.
- (voice-over) A day may come...
- I love these hair colors. Amazing.
- (voice-over) A day may come
where we lose.
♪ (music intensifies) ♪
- Wait, I feel a little intimidated.
- I know. This is kinda scary.
- Here we go. Drop the frickin' K-bass.
- ♪ No, not today ♪
♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
- This one actually has a good beat.
- It's interesting to listen to the mashup
of Korean and English together.
- ♪ (singing in Korean) ...extra ♪
♪ But still part of this world ♪
- ♪ Extra plus ordinary, heh ♪
♪ (singing in Korean) ♪ - Oh, that was cool.
That was a cool move. - I'm loving this one.
- I like this song the best.
- Okay, this is pretty epic though.
- Yeah, where are they filming this?
- Where did everyone else go?
Are they kicked out of the band now?
Oh no, here they are.
- Well, they just did a jump spin into frame.
- I feel like I'd love to see them live. They'd be so good.
♪ (dance break) ♪ - Whooooa!
♪ (dance break) ♪ (both gasp)
- Whoa! - All their things...
- Whoa! - ...go flying through the air.
- Whoa!
- This is my favorite BTS song.
- ♪ (singing in Korean) Hands up ♪
- I can literally watch them dance all day.
- ♪ (singing in Korean) Hands up ♪
♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
- This is insane.
- Oh, that's really cool! I like the shoulder moves.
- ♪ Not, not today ♪
- Aw, this is awesome.
- There's so many of them! It's like an army!
- ♪ (singing in Korean) ♪
(gun cocks, fires)
(song fades)
- Cool. Yeah, I like them now.
- That actually kinda got me going.
Not today. Do you hear me? (assertively) Not today.
I loved it. It was so good.
- It started off real strong. I really like their style.
- The music is so intense.
- I liked it. I would actually listen to some of those songs.
I'm gonna go look up K-pop songs now
and add them to my playlist.
- (FBE) So we gave BTS their own episode,
as they have gotten so huge.
And years back, we covered them on YouTubers React.
And a lot of people let us know part of how they found them
was this show, and they want more.
- Yes, I love the ARMY. They always support me.
So I'm like, "Yes, ARMY!" (chuckles)
- (FBE) They even recently beat out stars like Justin Bieber
and Selena Gomez to win a Billboard Music Award
for top social artist of the year here in America.
- Wow. - Impressive.
- You always feel like the K-pop community
is quite on the internet, and then they won that Billboard Award.
And it was quite funny seeing people that weren't aware
being like, "Who?" - "What?
What is this?" - "What?" And then you go on Twitter.
It's like, "Oh wow, they're like 10 times more popular
than everyone else, but I've never heard of them."
- (FBE) So now that you've heard more
and seen some of their videos,
how would you say that they stand out?
- Well, they definitely have that boy band thing going on
that has been a proven recipe for success.
- They're incredibly good at dancing. They're all very in sync.
- They put a lot of passion into their performance.
- A lot of people are afraid to listen to music
that they don't understand, but it's just about the vibe
and the passion that they put into it.
- Despite being how successful they are,
they're still very thoughtful about
their assistants that work with them
or people that aren't classes, like a high social status
with an industry that work for them.
They still treat them very, very well.
And I think that's very refreshing to see in an artist.
- They're clearly very, very talented.
And they do have that very well-produced music.
But it definitely has a message with it.
- They're the most well-rounded, talented group, I think.
'Cause they got the looks. They got the style.
- Yeah. - They got the good music.
- They've got amazing choreography. - Mm-hmm.
- And at the right time, you know.
And that social media, it keeps getting bigger and bigger
and more possible to grow a fan base.
And it's just like, "Smack, BTS, we're here. Boom."
- And it all combines together and just slaps you in the face.
- (FBE) So BTS incorporates elements of different genres
across their music, like hip hop and rock and more.
They've also tackled more serious social issues in their music,
like school bullying, the pursuit of happiness,
and challenging societal norms. - Really?
That sounds great.
- It's really impressive that they do all of that, you know?
Not very many groups are really involved in the social aspect.
- (FBE) The group also co-writes and produces
a lot of the songs they release.
- Wow. - That's cool.
- (FBE) So what do you think about
the multilayered aspect of this group?
- I think they're talented.
It's hard to do those things.
- It's super cool if they get to kind of like
stretch their creative muscles.
It's better when they feel more involved in their music.
- That's good to know they at least write their own music,
'cause it does seem like the kind of band or music
that could just be jumped out of one of these factories.
- The industry's known for, you know, highly produced,
manufactured, doing what's popular.
So it's really nice to hear that there's a K-pop group
taking a stand for all these social issues.
- These guys are running their own world,
creating their own music, writing their own lyrics,
and really getting a message that they feel is important out.
And I think that's why people choose YouTube
over mainstream television and over-produced television shows.
And I love they're tackling tough topics. Nobody does that.
- (FBE) Many Korean K-pop artists stem from huge labels,
but BTS was formed by Big Hit Entertainment, a smaller label,
and still have this huge success.
In entertainment, can you talk about the difference
working between big and smaller companies? - Yeah.
I mean, I think obviously you're at a disadvantage,
like when you don't have a huge platform
or a huge company to back you.
But I think also that makes it more of an accomplishment.
I came from a bigger company,
where I used to work there for a couple of years.
And it's definitely something that's scary when you first leave.
But I think that going outside of that and testing your mettle
and see what you're made of is always worth it.
- I've also signed with a company as well in China
in the entertainment industry.
And I chose the company because they were also small.
For me, it's not about the prestige.
It's about working with people
that have the same vision and attitude as you.
And I think that's why BTS has done so well,
because they've chosen, you know, to grow with a small company
that maybe shares the same values and vision as them.
- Working with smaller companies, you always get, I feel like,
a little bit more attention.
So they can focus on you a little bit more.
Bigger labels, you know, they usually get pushed aside.
I'd work with a-- we work with small people.
- Well, also, the creative control is great,
because you don't have to answer to anyone.
- In bigger companies, sometimes you might get overshadowed
by those people that are already huge.
The smaller companies, they focus on you.
And then you can grow a lot easier.
- That's a positive thing.
But a negative thing stemming from a very small company is
it takes a long time to pave that pathway.
- But it shows how much determination and hard work
they put in to become successful,
coming from the littler company. - Yeah.
- (FBE) Finally, the K-pop industry is booming,
some would say due in part to YouTube's reach.
Similarly, recent articles have come out
that young people aspire to be YouTubers,
as one of the top dreams young people have today.
- Oh wow.
- (FBE) What do you think about how YouTube has impacted
not just your own life or BTS's life
but the major impact the site has had
to also make so many new dreams come true
that may have never even been considered because of it?
- In terms of BTS, I think it's amazing
that a band from the other side of the world
can reach a global audience like that.
- If you want to be a YouTuber because you want to be creative
and that's your passion, whether it's making videos
or filming makeup tutorials and that's what you want to share,
that's great. But it doesn't mean that you have to
change your otherwise direction of life, like not go to school
because you're determined to become a YouTuber.
I think you can do both.
- When I was growing up, we didn't have YouTube.
It was just traditional media.
With YouTube, it's like the public gets to decide
who gets that place in the top.
- I think it's great that kids are aspiring
to do something creative.
To have YouTube be a viable option as a career is very exciting.
- The great thing about YouTube
is people are searching for what they want to watch
rather than looking at a TV schedule.
- That was me, and I saw--
I was inspired by a lot of YouTubers.
And I was like, "I can do this."
And I always like to make people laugh.
And now I'm here. So that's ridiculous.
- For so many years, we've lived in this international,
gated, walled system where certain music was only allowed
to be played in the United Stations
and licensed in the United States.
And music from other countries can't make it here,
and our television shows can't make it there.
But now with this new global market,
you can consume media from all over the world.
Who wouldn't want to create content that now
not just the people in your state or city or country can consume
but the whole world? That's awesome.
- (both) Thanks for watching this episode of YouTubers React!
- Subscribe to all the creators in this episode.
Links are in the description.
- So long!
- Bye!
- (both) Hi, ARMYs!
- I'm Kenira. - I'm Kelsey.
- Thanks for watching this episode of YouTubers React.
- Let us know what other K-pop bands
you want us to react to in the comments.
- (both) Bye!