The Soft Power of BTS

The Soft Power of BTS

From Critics at Large | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

March 26, 2026 · 46 min

About this episode

The episode discusses BTS's return with their new album 'Arirang' and explores the dynamics of their fandom and cultural significance.

The K-pop group BTS—by many metrics, the most popular band of all time—had a meteoric ascent before its members were called away by mandatory South Korean military service. Now, nearly four years later, the group has returned with a new record, “Arirang.” On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz delve into the album as well as the live-streamed concert and documentary that have accompanied its release, both on Netflix. “Arirang” is being framed as a return to the group’s Korean roots, albeit one that signifies a new, more mature era for its members, who are now in their late twenties and early thirties. The hosts consider BTS’s meticulously crafted image and its relationship to its devoted followers, known as ARMY. Intense fandom is nothing new—just ask the Beatles—but K-pop stans are particularly invested in the lives (and livelihoods) of their favorite idols, even paying for the chance to message them directly. “This further privatization of what we call parasociality,” Cunningham says, “if that can be monetized and organized, it really is the final frontier of the pop star.” Read, watch, and listen with the critics: BTS’s…

People in this episode

Hosts: Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, Alexandra Schwartz

Topics covered

  • BTS
  • K-pop
  • music industry
  • fandom
  • military service
  • cultural impact

Keywords

  • BTS
  • Arirang
  • K-pop
  • fandom
  • military service
  • music
  • pop culture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BTS, Netflix, The New Yorker

Books & works: Arirang, BTS: The Return, KPop Demon Hunters, Swag, The K-Pop King, Judy Blume: A Life, Let It Be

More episodes of Critics at Large | The New Yorker

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Critics at Large | The New Yorker podcast page.