Nineteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

K-pop band BTS’ song Dionysus plays on art as an intoxication metaphor in which fans can free themselves from oppressive societal expectations, echoing the frenzied worshippers of the Greek God Dionysus offering liminal spaces during transformative spaces for sexual maturity, fertility, and removal of inhibitions reaching ecstasy. The thyrsus becomes BTS’ mic to initiate the celebrations for reception to the spiritual eye, or pineal gland in the brain, named for a pine cone, a symbol at the top of Dionysus’ thyrsus. The mostly female followers of the outcast god of wine are described as frenzied, dancing in the forest, highly protective of their wine god, and presenting a sense of rebirth in a more powerful form after the festivities. The BTS ARMY fandom, mostly women but marginalized or mature fans of all demographics, describes the same transformative experience from BTS performative art.