The cultural shareability of Korean popular media in India: A reflexive thematic analysis of BTS music videos

Abstract

In this article, the BTS phenomenon in India was examined by looking closely at the music of this South Korean band. A reflexive thematic analysis was performed on five BTS music videos followed by interviews with self-identified Indian BTS fans. Three salient themes were identified in the music videos and fans’ interview responses: the fusion of multiple music video genres, cultural hybridity and love as an evolutionary process. It is suggested that these identified themes are culturally shareable with Indian fans. The cultural shareability of the music of BTS has gradually created a mere-exposure effect amongst Indians, which is responsible for their growing affinity for Korean popular media.