Burn the Stage
The Rise of BTS and Korean Boy Bands
by Marc Shapiro
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Pub Date Dec 14 2018 | Archive Date May 31 2019
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Description
There are two sides to the BTS story. The all too familiar rags to riches odyssey in which seven young South Korean boys (RM, Suga,V, J-Hope, Jin, Jimin, Jungkook) emerge from obscurity to become true superstars in the pop music universe. Of equal importance was the relationship between the wide-eyed group members and the forward-thinking head of their record company, Bang Si-hyuk, which resulted in newfound freedom and a new way of creating the K-Pop sound. Both of these elements and more are the subject of the book Burn the Stage: The Rise of BTS and Korean Boy Bands by New York Times-bestselling author Marc Shapiro. This timely look at BTS and the K-Pop genre, told in quotes and anecdotes from BTS, delves into the history of K-Pop music, its pivotal twists and turns, insights into the modern K-Pop training and audition process, as well as the rise of BTS and their personal and professional development on the road to worldwide popularity. Author Marc Shapiro acknowledges that making the BTS story more than a mere rehashing of familiar material was a challenge. “This was an opportunity to follow the story of what many considered ‘The Next Big Thing’ hand in hand with the group in fairly real time. Seeing what they experienced as it happened rather than looking back on their lives years later. There was a sense of immediacy that appeared more in tune with the way the world turns now. Which is fast.” As with the current state of pop culture, BTS and the K-Pop world are constantly evolving and presenting new challenges and ideas. Burn the Stage: The Rise of BTS and Korean Boy Bands chronicles BTS in the now. There will certainly be a future.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781626014909 |
| PRICE | $6.99 (USD) |
Links
Featured Reviews
Kalyn A, Librarian
This book is an interesting look at why it is that BTS managed to become such a phenomena both in South Korea and around the world. Shapiro examines the foundation of Big Hit Entertainment and how its philosophies around creativity helped to create the cradle in which BTS was formed. This book is great for both fans of BTS and those who are just curious about “that Korean band” they keep hearing about. It covers the individual members and how they came to be a part of BTS and what it is that they bring to the table in order to create the phenomena that BTS has become. I definitely recommend this book for any fans of K-Pop (and BTS in particular) as well as for the casually curious.
Tracy T, Librarian
Please note, there are some glaring errors.
Min Yoongi's solo mixtape is Agust D (not August D)
Kim Tae-hyung appeared in multiple episodes of Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth, not just one episode.
Lara L, Media/Journalist
At 45 years old, I am quite sure I’m not the target audience for this book, but I wanted to see what BTS were all about since my 10-year-old is into them, and a book seemed the best answer. I learned enough things to hold my own in a conversation with fifth graders.
Marc Shapiro’s biography places the band neatly in history, giving an introductory chapter on the history of trot music and the evolution of K-Pop. He details the creation of the band, their songs, and their tours. Shapiro manages to impart a level of affection and admiration for the band that’s contagious. We see them not as plastic celebrities, but as sweet guys who enjoy their downtime yet are completely devoted to the band. They come across as a tight-knit family, even when off doing solo projects.
Whether you enjoy K-pop or not, the relevance of this band—the first K-Pop band to ever be nominated for a Grammy—is unquestionable. Shapiro’s book gives a thorough run-down that is informative, well-researched, and astonishingly up-to-the-minute. It would make the perfect gift for BTS fans everywhere.
Reviewer 510061
This was a very interesting read. My sister is the real BTS fan in the family and even she didn’t know some of the things mentioned in the book. It was fascinating to see that BTS went from selling 100,000 copies of their CDs to 2,000,000 now. My only real issue was that the editing needs to be brushed up. There were typos, missing words, etc. In Chapter 13 the author mentions Suga’s mixtape as August D. It’s actually Agust D. Other than that I really enjoyed the book. I’m not a super fan like my sister so this book was a nice way for me to get to know the members and their history better. It seemed well researched to me, and I liked having quotes from the members of BTS. Overall a well done book and I’d recommend it for die hard fans and newbies alike.
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