5th BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference to be Held in Jeonju Next Month

A global academic conference shedding light on the group BTS and their fandom, 'ARMY,' will be held in Jeonju next month.

The International Society for BTS Studies (ISBS) announced that it will host the '5th BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference' under the theme of 'The Next Generation of Hallyu and BTS' at the JBNU Convention Center in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, from July 2 to 3.

Since its inception at Kingston University in London, UK, in 2020, this conference has been held four times, both online and offline.

This year's event will feature presentations from 50 scholars representing 10 countries, including South Korea, the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Mongolia, the Czech Republic, Canada, Australia, and Japan.

Han Sang-jin, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Seoul National University, will take the podium to speak on 'Three Theoretical Approaches to BTS in the Midst of Global Transformation: The 2026 Comeback Performance.' In a keynote speech, Lee Ji-haeng, a professor in the Department of K-Entertainment at Jeonbuk National University, will analyze the social and cultural significance of the new chapter for BTS following their return from military service, focusing on aspects such as fandom, digital technology, global communication, and socio-political practices.

An interview with Bao Nguyen, director of the Netflix documentary 'BTS: The Return,' will also be unveiled at the conference.

Comparing BTS's military service and return to the Greek myth of the 'Odyssey,' Director Bao Nguyen remarked, "BTS was like Odysseus leaving for the battlefield, and 'ARMY' was like Penelope, longing for their return."

He added, "I never wanted to simplify Korea or BTS for Western audiences. By constructing the film through observation rather than relying on external expert commentary, I was able to create a much closer and more intimate result," noting that "it was important to see them as seven individual human beings, not as a monolith."

The closing ceremony will feature a performance of 'Arirang,' which is also the title of BTS's 5th album. Following the event, a cultural program titled 'ARMY Tour' will be provided for participants, including a visit to BTS filming locations in Wanju and a traditional Hanji fan-making workshop.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.