VIDEO 'BTS father' to students: 'Fight against wrong practices with fury'
Bang Si-hyuk, the “father” of BTS, delivers his commencement speech on Tuesday at Seoul National University. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min
By Dong Sun-hwa
Bang Si-hyuk, the “father” of K-pop superstar band BTS, said anger is his driving force, telling the graduating class of Seoul National University Tuesday to fight with fury to fulfill their goals.
In his commencement address during the 73rd graduation ceremony of his alma mater, Bang said: “Fury has been my own source of energy. I do not have any dream, but I have endless discontent. I raise complaints whenever the situation is not at its best, even if it is irrelevant to my work.”
The founder and CEO of Big Hit Entertainment added, “My dissatisfactions evolve into fury when there is still no enhancement despite raising issues over the problem.”
Revealing he has been in the business for 21 years, he said: “My colleagues and juniors are still having a tough time due to evil practices and unfairness in the industry. Many of them are even ashamed of speaking about their professions.”
K-pop artists who earned worldwide recognition also have fallen prey to groundless accusations and their fans have been disrespected, according to Bang.
“So I am infuriated,” he said. “Although I am not a revolutionist, I have tried to fight irrationalities. I will fight until the music industry treats them fairly and common sense takes over.”
He called the students for action as well.
“Don't let the absurdities prevail and don't forget that you are the solution.”
Bang also asked them to challenge the other's criteria, saying: “That is not your 'swag' ― you should set your own definition of happiness and pursue it.”
K-pop titan BTS. Courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment
BTS, Bang's creation, has set many records, he said.
It has clinched Billboard's Top Social Artist Award for two consecutive years and sold out all 40,000 tickets for its Citi Field gig in New York. The band was invited to the Grammy Awards about two weeks ago too.
Still, Bang was modest when he said that the group has been “over-praised” by some international media as the “YouTube generation's Beatles,” being compared to an iconic English band of the 1960s and 1970s.
“Our new boy band TXT has grabbed attention before its official debut too. Based on these, Big Hit is becoming a 'unicorn company.'”
Bang stayed until the end of the ceremony. The Korea Times asked him whether he is shunning publicity but he did not respond.
Bang majored in aesthetics at SNU in 1991. He joined JYP Entertainment as a composer in 1997 and created myriad hit tracks such as “Like Being Shot by a Bullet.” He established Big Hit Entertainment in 2005 and the agency's powerhouse, BTS, has become a game changer in K-pop after reigning atop the Billboard 200 Chart in 2018.