How BTS Became an International Pop Phenomenon

BTS were already massive in their native South Korea in 2017 when they scored one of their defining hits, the emotional ballad Spring Day. It was a poignant tale of grief and loss. Three years later, Dynamite showed a totally different extreme of their music, going for dancefloor kicks. The Chicstyle disco rush of Dynamite was a blast of sunshine, during the bleak days of the pandemic in the summer of 2020. But different as they are, both songs show how BTS became international superstars, breaking beyond the world of Kpop and conquering the planet. On this weeks episode, hosts Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos discuss Dynamite and Spring Day, and how they display different sides of BTS music. Theyre joined by journalist Michelle Hyun Kim to break down the BTS phenomenon: how it began, how it grew, how it spread worldwide, and how these songs play differentbut complementaryroles in the groups story. 00:00 Introduction to the 500 Greatest Songs Podcast 00:15 BTS s Break