Evolution of BTS: From grungy, cute to being badass boys
South Korean boy-band BTS has managed to impress many with their latest track Butter. A fresh take on K-pop, the song is already being touted as one that will fetch them a Grammy. BTS always experimented with their videos, music, looks, and everything, and has drastically evolved over time with the only constant being the love from BTS ARMY. Here's tracing the transformation.
- 2013: Lots of grunge, black eyeliner, and emo music
- 2014: Gripping storylines take center stage; changes in dressing style
- 2015: And we got the Bangtan Universe!
- 2016-2019: The boys mixed it up; went global
- 2020: Entering the big league with 'Dynamite'
- 2021: The boys are now smooth, 'Butter'-y criminals
2013: Lots of grunge, black eyeliner, and emo music
If you watch BTS's debut music video, No More Dream from 2013, you will be stunned. The boys had a grungy look with mostly rock music and a hint of rap. They wore deep black eyeliner and hardly ever smiled through their videos. We Are Bulletproof Pt.2 is also of the same genre. What's familiar is the killer dance moves and well-shot videos.
2014: Gripping storylines take center stage; changes in dressing style
The boys were no more just musicians, they were storytellers, too. Videos like Boy in Luv and Just One Day thrived on their storylines as much as they did on music and dance. Their black-leather clothes changed to white cardigans, and they became more relatable.
2015: And we got the Bangtan Universe!
In 2015, the Bangtan Boys gave us the Bangtan Universe. A fictional universe with music videos and short films inspired by members of the band, the universe solidified the connection between BTS and ARMY and it dealt with intense, sometimes dark themes, in videos like I Need U. It also introduced the tasteful use of green screen by the band, which continues to date.
2016-2019: The boys mixed it up; went global
In 2016, BTS released Epilogue: Young Forever that still remains an ARMY anthem. The video style changed somewhat, with the use of grainy texture to match the serious mood. 2017 was the year BTS went global. We saw the fun factor coming in with a shift in energy with DNA. This also had them changing their look, with the boys getting funky hair colors.
2020: Entering the big league with 'Dynamite'
BTS's first English single Dynamite solidified their stature as a global icon. The grungy darkness completely vanished and was replaced with light pastel colors and big smiles. The dance moves got more intense and the signature big finale sequence took the green-screen use a notch higher.
2021: The boys are now smooth, 'Butter'-y criminals
BTS's latest single is a testament to how it changed the whole K-pop landscape that made it a global phenomenon. The band members aren't just cute boys-next-door, but also are risque men. They wear suits and basketball jerseys with equal ease and make the ARMY go weak in the knees with the various tributes they pay, like Jungkook kissing his ARMY tattoo multiple times.
