# BTS-have you heard of them? The ads have officially turned sentient **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 3, 2019, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426 "2019-05-03T16:00:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/41 "2019-05-04T00:44:21Z")
> [@ambivalid](#): > > ??? I give up on you dude. Smh lol 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/42 "2019-05-04T00:45:23Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Never heard of them. > > Even having read this thread I _still_ haven’t heard of them. The rock I’m under is goddamn impenetrable. Well, for you to hear of them, you’d have to learn something new. Something you said you never do 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/43 "2019-05-04T00:52:43Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Well, for you to hear of them, you’d have to learn something new. Something you said you never do 🙂 Im beginning to think those smilies are not actually denoting warmth and friendliness. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/44 "2019-05-04T01:03:41Z")
I had never heard of them until I saw them on Saturday Night Live. After my initial “what the hell was that” reaction, I looked them up. As for their androgynous look, let’s pause and remember [Justin Bieber’s first album.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ab/Justin_Bieber_-_My_World.png/220px-Justin_Bieber_-_My_World.png) ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/45 "2019-05-04T01:15:59Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Do the letters BTS stand for anything in particular? > > ETA: (in answer to the question posed in the thread title: no.) It means B.uy T.his S.tuff!!! Its the ever present subliminal feedback loop that is the undercurrent to all their music. Im telling you guys, all the pop up blockers, Tivos and HBOs have come back to bite us. The ads just adapted, grew stronger. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/46 "2019-05-04T01:37:37Z")
To quote the oft-quoted: _“I used to be with it, but then they changed what ‘it’ was, and now what I’m with isn’t it. And what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary to me.”_ This is happening more and more each day that passes. Particularly with technology, something I used to pride myself for being quite clued up on. But music goes without saying. It all looks strange and unpleasant and cookie-cutter bland. When I think back on my youth, music was innovative and making strides in new directions and it was amazing. Now it just seems like a dull tuneless hum. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/47 "2019-05-04T01:59:43Z")
I hadn’t heard of them. I blame satellite radio. I never listen to broadcast music except through SiriusXM, and my wife and I share hours. She selects the station during the odd hours and I select the station during the even hours. My presets are Symphony Hall, Alt Nation, and Met Opera Radio. She listens to Classic Vinyl, NPR Now, and Deep Tracks. BTS doesn’t show up on any of those stations, and I just don’t feel the need to shop around the dial. In the old days when traveling you’d lose your home presets after less than an hour so you’d have to look around for an acceptable alternative. That way you were almost forced to listen to different genres. Now, I can drive clear across the continent and never have to touch the dial. It’s easier, but maybe not better. It might do me some good to force myself to listen to other stuff. I may have heard their music as background in movies or TV but not been aware of the source; I wouldn’t recognize them by sight or sound. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/48 "2019-05-04T02:03:13Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Im beginning to think those smilies are not actually denoting warmth and friendliness. 😊 It’s the only way I can show a friendly, somewhat serious question on this board 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/49 "2019-05-04T02:15:57Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > I hadn’t heard of them. I blame satellite radio. I never listen to broadcast music except through SiriusXM, and my wife and I share hours. She selects the station during the odd hours and I select the station during the even hours. My presets are Symphony Hall, Alt Nation, and Met Opera Radio. She listens to Classic Vinyl, NPR Now, and Deep Tracks. > > BTS doesn’t show up on any of those stations, and I just don’t feel the need to shop around the dial. In the old days when traveling you’d lose your home presets after less than an hour so you’d have to look around for an acceptable alternative. That way you were almost forced to listen to different genres. Now, I can drive clear across the continent and never have to touch the dial. It’s easier, but maybe not better. It might do me some good to force myself to listen to other stuff. > > I may have heard their music as background in movies or TV but not been aware of the source; I wouldn’t recognize them by sight or sound. Highly doubtful you would like them, but one never knows. As I said, I don’t particularly like them, and I love kpop. But facts are facts: They are astoundingly popular. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/50 "2019-05-04T02:32:18Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > It’s the only way I can show a friendly, somewhat serious question on this board 🙂 It’s starting to come scross, to me at least, as a tad passive-aggressive. But I’m usually wrong in my convictions, so take that as a good sign and keep on keeping on. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/51 "2019-05-04T03:07:12Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > It’s starting to come scross, to me at least, as a tad passive-aggressive. But I’m usually wrong in my convictions, so take that as a good sign and keep on keeping on. I agree, it might be a tad. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/52 "2019-05-04T03:18:30Z")
Their music is shit and their videos are shit, like all “k-pop.” What’s the surprise here? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/53 "2019-05-04T03:27:51Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I agree, it might be a tad. 🙂 Ok that time it was funny. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/54 "2019-05-04T03:29:19Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Ok that time it was funny. 🙂 \*like 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/55 "2019-05-04T03:29:42Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Their music is shit and their videos are shit, like all “k-pop.” What’s the surprise here? Only at discovering its existence in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/56 "2019-05-04T06:10:34Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I mean, I get it: it’s just the boyband thing with the pretty boys, except crossing the language barrier. We already crossed to international with some other bands, but now it doesn’t even have to be English. I think that’s a detail which can be shocking to someone living in an English-speaking country, but which many other people are already used to. Most of the fans of Metallica or of Justin Bieber have no. Fucking. Idea. What the lyrics say. I’ve had people ask me to translate one of their favorite songs: I always begin by asking repeatedly if they’re sure, because the immense majority of the time they are shocked and disgusted to discover that “Rehab” is about wanting to go on drinking and doing drugs, or that the reason you’re supposed to “Love yourself” is because nobody else will love you… ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/57 "2019-05-04T10:41:11Z")
Despite being in my mid-50s, I listen to K-pop all the time… while I work out. Nothing kills the urge to sing along like not knowing the words in the first place. 🙂 Aside from “Dope” and “Not Today,” can’t say I’m a big fan of BTS. I still listen to EXO and Big Bang more often. It seems to me that it’s simply a matter of K-pop cresting in the US while they were the top Korean boy group, rather than anything outstanding about them. And while I like Blackpink more, I think they’re benefiting from the same phenomenon. Which kinda sucks because I think 4Minute had just found their sound before they broke up and disappeared. And note to the K-pop companies - I don’t think any group with nearly 10 members or more will ever take off in the US. I could never keep all the members of Girls Generation straight and Twice is just as confusing; I never even tried to figure out EXO. I only know the nine members of Momoland because they started with seven and Nayun disappeared for a year, so I just had to add Daisy and Tae-Ha to the members I already knew. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/58 "2019-05-04T12:48:12Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > I don’t think any group with nearly 10 members or more will ever take off in the US. I could never keep all the members of Girls Generation straight Eight members? _Eight_ members? [_Ha_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AKB48)! . ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/59 "2019-05-04T13:50:29Z")
There’s nothing weirder in this BTS video than there was in Madonna’s song at the Billboard Awards, and that was done live: I have to accept now that musical acts will suddenly rise into my view regularly. I will assume that they apparently just got together yesterday, but then I will be told that they've been performing for years and that they are now the hottest thing around. That happens a lot now for the musical guest on \*Saturday Night Live\*. You can't be on that show unless you're relatively well known, but somehow I often find that the group or performer is new to me. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426/60 "2019-05-04T14:29:31Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Despite being in my mid-50s, I listen to K-pop all the time… while I work out. Nothing kills the urge to sing along like not knowing the words in the first place. 🙂 Aside from “Dope” and “Not Today,” can’t say I’m a big fan of BTS. I still listen to EXO and Big Bang more often. It seems to me that it’s simply a matter of K-pop cresting in the US while they were the top Korean boy group, rather than anything outstanding about them. And while I like Blackpink more, I think they’re benefiting from the same phenomenon. Which kinda sucks because I think 4Minute had just found their sound before they broke up and disappeared. > > And note to the K-pop companies - I don’t think any group with nearly 10 members or more will ever take off in the US. I could never keep all the members of Girls Generation straight and Twice is just as confusing; I never even tried to figure out EXO. I only know the nine members of Momoland because they started with seven and Nayun disappeared for a year, so I just had to add Daisy and Tae-Ha to the members I already knew. People all have different experiences. The first K-Pop song I ever heard was “Gee” by Girls’ Generation, and I was blown away. It was utterly different from anything going on in American pop music. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bts-have-you-heard-of-them-the-ads-have-officially-turned-sentient/833426.md?page=4)