Okay, so the whole “BTS Paved the Way” had been a rather overused statement that both is a boasting remark by Armys and well hated statement when put together and shoved at any fandom from older generation. This statement had been an extremely heated argument over the course of BTS’s fame in Western countries, and I have seen the salty, the bitter, and the egoistic remarks all fandoms including Armys have with this statement.

Fair warning, that this answer of mine is really based on my thoughts for this question. You are free to argue, debate or if you’d like throw in a long opinion yourself about this as well.

Here goes. When Armys coined the term “BTS Paved The Way” it was in no way about saying kpop didn’t exist before BTS. Haha, no, but all the same other kpop groups find the statement offensive. Or a complete disregard on the “history” of Kpop.

Uh, sit down 2nd Gen Fan, I can bet 90’s generation kpop fans hadn’t go boasting around kpop groups from the 1900 to early 2000’s the way 2nd gen are. Even from a really brutally honest opinion I have with this statement, for me, BTS really did showed Kpop in a immensely different light from the previous general idea the western music industry had with Kpop in general.

Way back during the 2nd generation of kpop, unless most 2nd gen fans have turned a blind eye to this fact, PSY is still on record one of the top disliked videos on youtube with a whooping 2million dislikes. Whenever other kpop fans disregard Armys with the “Paved The Way” remark

“Um PSY was the first to break into Western Market! He was so viral! And what about BigBang, Wonder Girls, and 2ne1!”

Before Gangnam Style, groups like BigBang, Wonder Girls, 2ne1 and even groups like Shinee and Super Juniors had been making their own footing outside South Korea, however! they have also started the common stereotypes of Kpop, basically, they made it even harder for kpop to be taken seriously outside of South Korea, heck there are even biases within South Korea itself about Kpop.

When kpop knocked on Western music scene around 2010, came with it are the huge hype and culture shock of the world. While there was a percentage that like the concepts of kpop back then, there were plenty that criticized it. However when it was exposed that kpop was described to be leaning on a “factory-made” kind of industry, the western music industry clearly didn’t take kpop seriously. From the attire, the songs itself, or even the music videos. Only a percentage find kpop attractive, but it did stay the whole idea that “Kpop is gay” or “kpop is weird” and other remarks.

When Psy’s Gangnam style hit popularity in the Western side of the globe, it only increased the initial idea to general public that while Kpop does have good dances to their songs, it was still mostly viewed as a joke. It didn’t helped that the vast majority of fans were teenagers, and a large consumer of kpop were girls.

All in all, outside of South Korea, over the years, kpop was never really taken seriously as a music worth listening to for radioplay. Then came along BTS. I am not skipping the whole “OTHER GROUPS ARE BETTER BEFORE AND AFTER BTS” let’s all stop the hate for five seconds.

When the fandom, Armys, grew in numbers outside of South Korea, there were numerous questions over the internet on “Who exactly are these BTS boys?” take note, that during the steady increase of popularity of BTS back in 2015, unlike most kpop groups where the fandom is larger within the country that internationally. BTS had a strong fanbase outside South Korea, while maintaining a tightly dedicated fanbase within. Through the persistent push to get them on the charts while producing their own music and a combination of involving the fandom to their own interpretation of their music and videos.

BTS may have sparked a journey where being consistently involved with music and the fandom, and the fandom working together to get the recognition for the group. BTS music itself involved plenty of research for both the group and the fandom. Knitting different cultures and ages. Because of this chemistry, the word “BTS” had given a rise of a new wave of curiosity over the years to the western music scene. It was rare to find a fanbase extremely dedicated to the group, and it was even rarer to find a group with a critical eye toward what they perform and give to their fans.

In a sense, BTS represented not only kpop, but shedding light into Korean culture and world culture as well through not only their music but their variety shows. The perception on kpop had been slightly changed for many after BTS, or at least through BTS they become a tad bit aware that maybe Kpop can have good music.

Through BTS, many global music audience see that music from Asia could be known in the Western market, and certainly more and more groups have been now making names and popularity in the western market because of the successful demand for kpop after BTS. Be honest with me, but before BTS, buying Kpop albums from Amazon was difficult. Before the fame of BTS in Billboard, it was rare for western media to even notice the kpop acts that charted on billboard unless the group’s in the US. Before BTS, streaming on youtube wasn’t paid attention by the kpop industry, and after BTS, you can walk into Target, Walmart, and even commercialized music stores in other countries suddenly have an entire shelf for Kpop albums.

Back then, you’d need to find kpop stores or order online for albums and other merch. Now, the western market is more open to kpop idols. To say that BTS paved the way doesn’t mean it is easier to other groups to make a name for themselves though.

It is still faced with judgement, however, BTS did made a change in the view of the genre in western music. Kpop is taken a bit more seriously now than before. Can other groups achieve the same attention BTS has? Hmm possibly, it’s a plausible thing, if not only the group but the fandom can get them the recognition the group deserves outside South Korea.