▲ This poster for the 5th "BTS: A Global Interdisciplinary Conference" is provided by the International Society for BTS Studies (ISBS). "The 5th BTS: A Global Interdisciplinary Conference"

 

SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- A global academic conference exploring BTS and its fandom, ARMY, will be held next month.

 

The International Society for BTS Studies (ISBS) said Thursday it will host "The 5th BTS: A Global Interdisciplinary Conference" under the theme "Next-Generation Hallyu and BTS" at the JBNU Convention Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, from July 2-3.

 

The conference was first launched at Kingston University in London in 2020 and has since been held four times in both online and offline formats.

 

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

 

Han Sang-jin, an emeritus professor of sociology at Seoul National University known for his work as a critical sociologist, will deliver a presentation titled "Three Theoretical Approaches to BTS Amid Global Transformation: The 2026 Comeback Concert."

 

Lee Ji-haeng, a professor in the Department of K-Entertainment at Jeonbuk National University, will give a keynote speech examining the social and cultural significance of BTS' new chapter following the members' completion of military service. His lecture will analyze the group's fandom, digital technology, global communication, and political and social engagement from multiple perspectives.

 

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

 

Nguyen compared BTS' military service and return to the Greek myth of the Odyssey, saying, "BTS were like Odysseus departing for war, while ARMY resembled Penelope longing for their return."

 

"I never wanted to simplify either Korea or BTS for Western audiences," he said. "By relying on observation rather than outside experts' explanations, I was able to create a result that felt much closer and more intimate to their story. It was important to see them not as a monolith but as seven individual human beings."

 

The closing ceremony will feature a performance of "Arirang," which is also the title of BTS' fifth studio album.

 

Following the conference, participants will be invited to join an "ARMY Tour," featuring visits to BTS filming locations in Wanju and cultural activities such as making traditional Korean hanji paper fans.

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