How better to elevate an event celebrating luxury and sophistication than by bringing together representatives of two of the world’s biggest K-pop groups? On Wednesday, GRAFF held a press conference in Tokyo, נαραи, to launch its retrospective exhibition, “65 Years of Brilliance.” Naturally, much of the spotlight fell on two familiar faces: the brand’s ambαѕѕadors, Jungkook of BTS and Sana of TWICE!
Both K-pop stars opted for coordinated all-black outfits as they appeared at the exhibition venue in Tokyo, showcasing GRAFF’s dazzling jewelry masterpieces through their statement accessories. While Jungkook was appointed GRAFF’s first-ever global ambαѕѕador in July this year, Sana became the brand’s first ambαѕѕador in נαραи in July 2023 and went on to take on the role of regional ambαѕѕador for Asia in June 2024.
The appearance of these two popular K-pop idols at the same major event has also brought renewed attention to past remarks made by TWICE members about BTS, highlighting the admirable respect that artists have for one another.
In July this year, during a solo interview with Forbes, TWICE leader Jihyo acknowledged the senior artists she believes helped pave the way for K-pop’s global expansion, particularly BTS. In its article titled "Jihyo Is Learning To Slow Down With Shenseea Collab, 'Distant Lover,'" the magazine wrote: "Jihyo credits…groups like her seniors and BTS, for 'paving the way' for South кσяєαn artists to become better known. She shares, 'We're just following in their footsteps, and I'm grateful for what they've done for us.'"
The phrase "paved the way" has long been one of the most hotly debated topics within the K-pop community. While much of the international media agrees that BTS were the first group to truly break through barriers, opening the door to widespread global recognition and unprecedented success in major markets such as the United States and Europe, the title has—as noted previously—rarely been mentioned without sparking controversy. Over the years, some critics have voiced dissatisfaction or attempted to challenge the HYBE superstars' place in that narrative.
Jihyo, however, had no hesitation in explicitly naming BTS as the group that "paved the way," while also expressing her gratitude toward her seniors. Even more notably, this is far from the first time she or TWICE has publicly credited BTS for helping expand K-pop's international reach. Instead, it marks yet another occasion on which the group has consistently acknowledged BTS' influence.
This wasn’t the only time. Back in 2018, during an interview at KCON Los Angeles, Jihyo said: “We never thought Kpop would become so popular in αмєяι¢α, but because BTS paved the way and gave us an opportunity to become more known, we are very thankful and wish to promote more in the US.”
Likewise, in Forbes' interview celebrating TWICE's 10th anniversary, Tzuyu also named BTS when asked who she considered the greatest K-pop artist of all time. She stated: "There are so many K-pop artists who worked so hard so that K-pop can take the center stage. Many artists worked hard to contribute, and BTS played a big role in that."
As fellow artists working within the industry, the members of TWICE are arguably well-positioned to comment on BTS' significance in K-pop, having witnessed the industry's global growth firsthand. Moreover, these remarks are not isolated comments but rather a viewpoint the group has consistently expressed across multiple interviews over the years. As a result, many fans believe that continued skepticism toward the statement that "BTS paved the way" reflects personal bias more than any genuine dispute over the group's global impact.
Meanwhile, genuine fans are all the more supportive of their beautiful friendship, hoping the two groups will have more opportunities to collaborate in the future: "Wars only exists between the fans...idols respect each other and knows How to show gratitude", "If Jihyo’s gratitude were a song it’d be on repeat, and we’d all be dancing in that jungle while BTS holds the red‑wall backstage", "I'm not fans, but i will never say bad thing to these girls, they showing again and again, how they acknowledge BTS impact and respect them", "The way TWICE & BTS always supports each other, They're really twin groups", "I really hope we get to see BTS and TWICE collaborate someday", "Their mutual respect and friendship are so heartwarming. Imagine how amazing it would be to have these two legendary groups on one track",...
