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BTS is not allowing their extreme global success to distract them from the realities of violence and hateful rhetoric against Asian people.
BTS touch on the parallels between their career trajectories and anti-Asian sentiments in a new Rolling Stone cover issue.
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“We are outliers, and we came into the American music market and enjoyed this incredible success,” says RM. “Now, of course, there is no utopia. There’s a light side; there’s always going to be a dark side. The way we think is that everything that we do, and our existence itself, is contributing to the hope for leaving this xenophobia, these negative things, behind.”
“It’s our hope, too, that people in the minority will draw some energy and strength from our existence. Yes, there’s xenophobia, but there are also a lot of people who are very accepting,” he adds. ”The fact that we have faced success in the United States is very meaningful in and of itself.”
Jin, the group’s oldest member, shares his thoughts on BTS potentially moving on while he completes his mandatory military service once he turns 30.
“I have no doubt that the other members will make a good decision,” Jin says. “Because, you know, this is not something that I can tell them what to do. If BTS does spend time as a six-piece. I’ll be sad, but I’ll be watching them on the internet and cheering them on.”
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To that effect, group member Jimin can’t imagine not being part of BTS.
“I don’t think I’ve ever really thought of being not a part of this group,” he says. “I think when I become older, and I grow my own beard, I would like to think that at the end, when I’m too old to dance, I would just like to sit on stage with the other members and sing and engage with the fans. I think that would be great, too. So I’d like to keep this going as long as I possibly can.”
