It’s already been a milestone year for K-pop superstars BTS.
After setting a new YouTube record for having the most-watched music video within 24 hours, they've also now become the first Asian band to win one of the main categories at the MTV Video Music Awards, taking home the trophy for Best Pop for On on Sunday.
And, while it’s a good start, this doesn’t feel like nearly enough recognition.
This year, the Korean group were up for three main VMAs: Best Choreography, Best Pop and Best K-Pop for their music video for On – they swept up the categories they were nominated in. They also won the fan-voted award for Best Group, too.
But for a band that has had a meteoric rise to fame in the past couple of years, why weren’t they also nominated for the night's most prominent awards, such as Video of the Year, Artist of the Year or Song of the Year?
An increased focus on K-pop
It was only last year that MTV announced the addition of a Best K-pop category at the VMAs, and the decision drew immediate backlash. After all, the MTV Europe Music Awards have already had a Best Korean Act category since 2013, but they also honour acts from other countries (such as Best Indian Act or Best French Act).
The sudden inclusion of the genre was viewed as move specifically catered to BTS and their fans rather than one that truly recognised and honoured the best of the Korean pop music industry. It essentially seemed as though it was another way to get BTS at the show and draw ratings without having to give them an award that was seemingly reserved for a western artist.
However, it isn’t just the VMAs where this happens. In the past, other US award shows have followed a similar suit, such as the American Music Awards (AMAs) and Billboard Music Awards, which have given BTS the fan-voted Favourite Social Artist or Top Social Artist awards.
'The time will come'
The group made history at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards by taking home the trophy for Top Duo/Group, beating acts such as Maroon 5 and Imagine Dragons – although that shouldn't really be too surprising. By the time the awards aired in May, the septet of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook had already scored their third No 1 album on the Billboard 200 charts.
However, what originally looked like a promising awards season was followed by disappointment as fans felt the group were snubbed at the 2020 Grammy Awards, viewed as possibly the highest honour a musician can receive.
There were high hopes their track Boy with Luv, a collaboration with Halsey, would get a nod for Song of the Year or, at the very least, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance or Best World Music Album.
Halsey even tweeted her thoughts at the time, writing: "BTS deserved many nominations. I am, however, unsurprised that they weren't acknowledged. The US is so far behind on the whole movement. The time will come."
But do these awards actually matter?
Despite the lack of nominations, BTS have continued to just do what they do best: sell records and entertain fans. Earlier this month, they released their first English-language track Dynamite, with a new album set for the end of the year.
The group may not be as laden with awards in America as they are in South Korea – where they have won several Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year honours – but there's no denying their popularity. After all, their first concert in the US sold out in 20 minutes and they continually top charts around the world.
But is success in America, or more importantly at American award shows, what defines success overall? Even when it comes to the coveted Grammys, there are artists who win Song of the Year and go on to become one-hit wonders, never topping the charts again, while those who have never won a Grammy continually find success in their careers.
So, while it is disappointing they’re still being passed over for top awards, their most recent win at the VMAs does at least feel like a step in the right direction, especially for a group that's already broken many barriers on the way to conquering the (music) world.
Scroll through our gallery below to BTS over the years:
Common%20symptoms%20of%20MS
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EFatigue%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3Enumbness%20and%20tingling%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ELoss%20of%20balance%20and%20dizziness%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EStiffness%20or%20spasms%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETremor%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPain%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBladder%20problems%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBowel%20trouble%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVision%20problems%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EProblems%20with%20memory%20and%20thinking%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Company profile
Name: GiftBag.ae
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2011
Number of employees: 4
Sector: E-commerce
Funding: Self-funded to date
Super heroes
Iron Man
Reduced risk of dementia
Alcohol consumption could be an issue
Hulk
Cardiac disease, stroke and dementia from high heart rate
Spider-Man
Agility reduces risk of falls
Increased risk of obesity and mental health issues
Black Panther
Vegetarian diet reduces obesity
Unknown risks of potion drinking
Black Widow
Childhood traumas increase risk of mental illnesses
Thor
He's a god
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3
Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)
Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)
Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
Notable cricketers and political careers
- India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
- Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
- Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
- Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
