South Korean K-pop stars BTS hit the right note of how to wield cultural power
Fox News
BTS's 2022 military service decision validates South Korea's soft power strategy, but the country risks undermining future cultural success by scrutinizing champions.
South Korea’s cultural preeminence did not emerge from a government plan. It sprang from creative ambition, commercial ruthlessness, and just enough regulatory space for experimentation. Ambassador Robert C. O’Brien (ret.) was the 27th U.S. national security adviser from 2019-2021 and serves as chairman of State Armor’s Board of Advisors.
The cynics predicted career suicide. Instead, BTS demonstrated that soft power isn’t built on avoiding obligations — it’s built on embracing them. When they reunite on stage, they’ll do so with enhanced credibility, having proven their success didn’t exempt them from the responsibilities of ordinary citizens. Americans remember Elvis taking a similar course at the height of his fame.
The great thing about soft power is that, while generated by creative individuals and companies, it’s to the entire nation’s benefit. Like economic and martial power, soft power generates influence that can be used to bolster a nation’s standing. Examples of soft power abound from Britain’s cricket legacy and rock ’n’ roll "invasion" of the 1960s to French and Italian cinema to America’s NBA, jazz music and Hollywood’s entertainment machine. Now, South Korea is stepping up.
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