The themes for this year's conference are 'BTS In South-East Asia' and 'BTS And The Future'. Photo: AP
Calling all Malaysian BTS fans!
After the success of the Third BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference in Seoul last July, the fourth conference is set to be held at Universiti Malaya (UM) in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 16 and 17.
The event is hosted by the International Society for BTS Studies (ISBS) and organised by the Department of East Asian Studies at Universiti Malaya.
The ISBS was established in January 2020 in conjunction with the first BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference at Kingston University, London.
It comprises a group of scholars and fans from around the world who are interested in studying the phenomena of BTS and its dedicated fandom, the Army.
“It’s not just a typical organisation of scholars. Pop culture is not something new as research (material).
“But the idea of having a fun and inclusive academic space dedicated to a specific artiste made by fans for fans is,” said research professor Lee Ji-young from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, in Seoul.
During The Star's virtual interview, Lee added that having academic conferences about BTS and its impact is necessary as the septet’s influence extends beyond pop culture.
“BTS’s influence has changed not just to the way society perceives Korean culture, but activism, politics and fandom culture too.
“For example, when BTS donated US$1mil to Black Lives Matter in 2020, Armys from across the world banded together on social media to raise the same amount.
“By studying the group’s impact, we can gain a unique insight on areas like politics and cyberculture,” she reasoned.
The themes for the upcoming BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference in Kuala Lumpur are “BTS In South-East Asia” and “BTS And The Future”.
“BTS In South-East Asia” shines a light on the impact of BTS in the South-East Asian region and explores the important developments and changes that are taking place among Armys in this region.
BTS halted group activities last June due to its members undertaking mandatory military service. Photo: Handout
“While BTS is a household name in South-East Asia, most scholars and media in the region often talk about the group's impact in the United States and Europe.
“Last year, many people from Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries in South-East Asia attended the Third BTS Interdisciplinary Conference in Seoul. That's the reason we wanted to bring the fourth conference to this particular region.
“Through 'BTS In South-East Asia', our goal is to put the spotlight on what the group has achieved in the region and the impact it has made here,” said UM's associate professor Jimmyn Parc who is from the Department of East Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
Meanwhile, the future of BTS is at an interesting juncture. Last June, the band put its group activities on hold as some members have to enrol into mandatory military service.
At present, members Jin and J-Hope have already enlisted. The remaining members – RM, Suga, Jimin, V and Jungkook – are focusing on their solo careers.
“What is the future for BTS? Or what is the group’s influence upon the future? What about the future of its fan base, particularly the Army?
“Answering these questions in 'BTS And The Future' will provide insightful findings that can be shared academically among aca-fans,” said the organisers in a statement.
Those who wish to present at the conference need to submit their abstract of 300 words on any topic pertaining to the themes "BTS In South-East Asia" and "BTS And The Future".
The abstract should be accompanied by a short bio of 200 words max and submitted by June 10 to cfp.papersubmission@gmail.com
Registration fee is RM500 for presenters and RM300 for conference participants and students.
