In their career spanning over a decade, BTS has received countless outstanding awards in the field of music, reaching far beyond кσяєα, especially in the United States and Europe. Prestigious awards from the Billboard Music Awards, αмєяι¢αn Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, and more are also part of the кσяєαn idols’ collection.
But that is not their final limit! The members of BTS are still on a journey to conquer many new heights and gain further global recognition, including the Grammys and, going even further, the Nobel Prize.
The Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the world, considered the highest recognition for a person or group’s contribution to the progress of humanity. Interestingly, this prize not only honors scientists but also recognizes artists, social activists, and writers—anyone who has had a positive impact on the world.
That is perhaps why Professor Kim Jeong-seop of Sungshin Women’s University, an expert in кσяєαn culture, boldly mentioned “the possibility of BTS winning the Nobel Prize” in his newly published book titled BTS’s Worldview.
His entire book gathers arguments and reasoning based on literary and philosophical perspectives to demonstrate that his mention is feasible. He applied Gérard Genette’s “theory of ∂ιєgesis” to analyze 159 songs across 23 albums, and Kant’s “epistemological subject theory” to analyze the object of perception in BTS’s music.
The author concludes that BTS’s music is not merely a collection of concepts but also functions as a “map of life” that reflects the pain and challenges of a generation. He notes that BTS’s music captures the shared sentiment of “global empathy” by conveying messages of self-concern, inner reflection, love and loss, and social solidarity.
BTS’s social activities are also highlighted. Their participation in anti-ŕäċïṩṃ hashtag movements and their consistent messages about restoring community are considered reasons why BTS are not only called pop artists but also messengers of peace.
The book BTS’s Worldview and Professor Kim’s statement have gained much agreement from industry experts as well as fans. They point out that the dream of a Nobel Prize for BTS may still be quite distant but is not impossible.
In the history of the award, singer-songwriter Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016 for his songs carrying social, peace, and anti-war messages. Bono and the band Scorpions have also been nominated or called to receive the award for their social impact through music.
Meanwhile, considering the criteria of promoting peace, unity, and emotional healing through art, BTS also shows great potential as their music is tied to global messages of peace and love (LOVE YOURSELF, MAP OF THE SOUL albums). The group has also carried out specific social activities such as the “Love Myself” campaign, which has been raising funds with UNICEF for over five years to combat νισℓєи¢є against children, and donating 1 million USD to the BLM movement (with fans matching the amount).
BTS has also moved the world three times with their speeches delivering messages about mental health awareness, anti-νισℓєи¢є, the pursuit of peace, and international solidarity at major events such as the 2018 UN General Assembly, 2020 UNGA 75, and 2021 UNGA 76 & SDG Moment.
Especially as BTS continues to develop their music and social activities after reuniting this July, this dream is anything but far-fetched!
When news of the book’s release broke, netizens on online communities buzzed with discussion like "This is how the world truly sees them, not the way spineless kpoppies and twinks, try to paint them on X and other platforms", "The locals definitely need to read this first coz their own country tend to dismiss their impact and reach beyond k-p0p", "I’s not that crazy to imagine BTS winning a Nobel Prize one day. Their music have inspired millions, saved lives, and brought people together worldwide. That’s what peace is all about", "I think it’s too early to talk about that but I still respect their impact",...
