In just a decade since their debut in 2013, BTS has achieved remarkable impact beyond the music and entertainment activities of a K-pop group. They have succeeded in gaining interest and popularity as an icon of the contemporary global youth generation, not as fictional characters but as real people with Asian faces who are facing difficulties in the uncertain current and future conditions. At the same time, their actions have world-historical significance beyond the realm of popular culture. This is not only what BTS means, but also what K-pop and Hallyu mean. In this respect, BTS have faithfully fulfilled their role as pioneers. First published in Korean in 2020, the book has since been translated into Japanese (2021), Vietnamese and Indonesian (2022), English (2023), and French (2024). This talk will provide reflections on the challenges of translating Korean academic works into different languages.

Presenter: Seok-Kyeong Hong (Seoul National University)
Discussants: Ju Oak Kim (Texas A&M International University), Michelle Cho (University of Toronto)
Moderator: Sojeong Park (The Center for Hallyu Studies)