Nineteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

The beautiful young men of the warrior society known as Hwarang created during Korea’s Silla Dynasty (57 BCE - 935 CE) were said to have softened a barbaric age with their adolescent gentleness while also ennobling it with their courage. But the description could just as easily be applied today to the K-pop band BTS, whose members exhibit boyish charm while performing precision choreographies requiring strength, discipline, and skill. Drawing upon ancient and contemporary sources, this paper explores the striking parallels between the Hwarang and BTS, the similarities in their training and their role as national symbols, as well as the way their popularity may mark the emergence of a new model of non-toxic masculinity. According to the Samguj Sagi chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, the Hwarang consisted of good-looking young boys of noble families who received ethical, artistic, and military training aimed at advancing national power and defending the homeland against enemies. They learned writing and martial arts, upheld Confucian values, wrote poetry, used cosmetics, and attired themselves in sartorial splendor. Similarly, the Entertainment Houses of the K-Pop industry demand rigorous, multi-faceted training of “idols” who are also expected to complete military service. The public persona of BTS often reflects Korean core values of diligence, humility, filial piety, and national pride. In our own “barbaric age,” the global popularity of BTS offers a refreshing alternative to heteronormative masculinity that may help transform global attitudes about gender identity.