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These BTS superfans in the Philippines show you're never too old to be a K-pop stan

BTS swag is raffled off at an in-person event hosted by the Titas of BTS on March 10. Some 40 women gathered at a bar in Quezon City to celebrate the March birthdays of BTS members Suga and J-Hope. Ashley Westerman/NPR hide caption

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Ashley Westerman/NPR

World

These BTS superfans in the Philippines show you're never too old to be a K-pop stan

The K-pop phenomenon BTS is on a break right now. But their fans are not — especially thousands of them in the Philippines, who call themselves the "titas" or aunties of BTS. All of them are over 30.

These BTS superfans in the Philippines show you're never too old to be a K-pop stan

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How Korean Culture Went Global

Kwak Sin-ae, Bong Joon-ho, cast and crew of Parasite at the 92nd Oscars in February, 2020. Eric McCandless/Eric McCandless via Getty Images hide caption

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Eric McCandless/Eric McCandless via Getty Images

Throughline

How Korean Culture Went Global

From BTS to Squid Game to high-end beauty standards, South Korea reigns as a global exporter of pop culture and entertainment. How does a country go from a war-decimated state just 70 years ago, to a major driver of global soft power? Through war, occupation, economic crisis, and national strategy, comes a global phenomenon - the Korean wave.

How Korean Culture Went Global

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To understand BTS, it helps to reach beyond the hits

V, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope of BTS attend the Grammy Awards in 2022. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy hide caption

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Pop Culture Happy Hour

To understand BTS, it helps to reach beyond the hits

The Korean pop sensation BTS recently announced that its members are taking a break to pursue solo projects. The band has had massive success in the U.S. with songs like "Dynamite" and "Butter", but their discography is farther-reaching than casual fans might think. So we thought now would be a good time to showcase some of the best deep cuts in the BTS catalog.

To understand BTS, it helps to reach beyond the hits

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For BTS fans in South Korea, there's resignation as the band takes a break

A poster showing K-pop group BTS members is displayed at a tourist information center in Seoul on June 15. Global superstars BTS said they are taking time to focus on solo projects, but the company behind the groundbreaking K-pop group said they are not taking a hiatus. Ahn Young-joon/AP hide caption

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Ahn Young-joon/AP

World

For BTS fans in South Korea, there's resignation as the band takes a break

Some fans say they can relate to the artists' need to pause. For Korean stars, "in exchange for a chance at worldwide fame, they give up a lot of control over their own life," a K-pop expert says.

For BTS fans in South Korea, there's resignation as the band takes a break

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K-pop sensation BTS is going on a break but promises to return

Korean group BTS appears at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022. Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP hide caption

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Music News

K-pop sensation BTS is going on a break but promises to return

The boy band announced their break during a dinner filmed for social media. The group officially debuted in 2013.

K-pop sensation BTS is going on a break but promises to return

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K-Pop stars BTS went to the White House to talk about anti-Asian hate crimes

Korean band BTS appears at the daily press briefing with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, to discuss Asian inclusion and representation, and addressing anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Music News

K-Pop stars BTS went to the White House to talk about anti-Asian hate crimes

K-Pop stars BTS met with President Biden Tuesday to talk about inclusion and representation. There's been an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders.

BTS returns to the stage reuniting their ARMY of fans after a 2-year hiatus

Two separate groups of fans from the Philippines take a photo together before the BTS concert at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Nov. 27. Hannah Yoon for NPR hide caption

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Hannah Yoon for NPR

The Picture Show

BTS returns to the stage reuniting their ARMY of fans after a 2-year hiatus

Fans from across the country and the world came to see the Korean boy band perform in Los Angeles for their first live concert in two years. Photographer Hannah Yoon documented fans before the show.

BTS Spoke At The UNGA. And That's Not The Only Surprise At The U.N. Event

V (from left), Suga and Jin of BTS at the launch of the U.N. General Assembly's 76th session on Monday. The popular boy band from South Korea sang (in a video performance viewed online by more than 1 million) and spoke. John Angelillo/Pool/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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John Angelillo/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Goats and Soda

BTS Spoke At The UNGA. And That's Not The Only Surprise At The U.N. Event

The appearance of the popular boy band from South Korea is one of many unexpected moments at the U.N. General Assembly — everything from a U.N. TikTok to a groundbreaking food summit.

BTS: The Band That Moves The Economy
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The Indicator from Planet Money

BTS: The Band That Moves The Economy

Korean boy band BTS is a global music phenomenon. The group has millions of fans called A.R.M.Y., who happily support the group with their wallets. Today on the show, we dive deep into the economic impacts of BTS and what makes the group special.

BTS: The Band That Moves The Economy

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A Modern History Of Boy Bands In Five Songs

BTS performs at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. John Shearer/Getty Images for dcp hide caption

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John Shearer/Getty Images for dcp

Pop Culture Happy Hour

A Modern History Of Boy Bands In Five Songs

Boy bands have been a staple of pop music for generations. They've won over millions of fans and provided gateways to fandom and pop-cultural obsession. From New Edition and New Kids On The Block in the '80s to BTS today — with a whole lot of acts like *NSYNC and The Backstreet Boys in the middle — there've been countless boy bands to choose from. Today we're offering up a brief modern history of boy bands.

A Modern History Of Boy Bands In Five Songs

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Our Songs Of Summer For 2021

Doja Cat and SZA's song "Kiss Me More" has been one of 2021's most inescapable tracks. Jamal Peters/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jamal Peters/Courtesy of the artist

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our Songs Of Summer For 2021

Every summer gets its own unique soundtrack — a fresh batch of hit songs, all vying for an unofficial title: Song Of The Summer. Often these songs are on the wind, everywhere, dominating not just the airwaves, but also the cultural conversation. And sometimes, a song of the summer is just a great new music discovery. So we gathered together a bunch of NPR Music contributors and asked them to name their Song Of The Summer.

Our Songs Of Summer For 2021

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BTS And Beyond: A Guide To K-Pop

BTS performs onstage during the KIIS FM's iHeartRadio Jingle Ball at in 2019. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

BTS And Beyond: A Guide To K-Pop

Last year, the South Korean pop group BTS topped the U.S. charts with the blockbuster earworm "Dynamite." Now, they've got a new hit, called "Butter." But the story of K-pop extends well beyond BTS. And it goes back decades with a huge array of styles and sounds.

BTS And Beyond: A Guide To K-Pop

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