Transcending Boundaries: Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS) as a Transnational Icon of Cosmopolitanism

Cosmopolitanism studies regained popularity in the 1990s. Case studies on individuals are finally emerging, mainly on celebrities, but they are still dominated by Western actors and limited to charitable movements for the poor and the ill. To fill this gap, we bring the South Korean music group Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS) into the discourse. The research questions are, in what respects does BTS represent a cosmopolitan outlook? What kind of behaviours and actions do they demonstrate? How do their behaviours and actions influence others? We adopt cosmopolitanism and the transnational actor concept to answer these questions. We use a descriptive-qualitative approach through the use of primary and secondary sources. As a result, we found that anti-racism and anti-discrimination are the two main issues that represent BTS’ cosmopolitan views. Their practices are reflected in their daily conversations, music, donations, and advocacy. They spread their influence to large-scale fans through various media.