The global K-pop phenomenon continues to expand its reach, captivating audiences of all ages and backgrounds. A trailer for the upcoming documentary “BTS ARMY: Forever We Are Young” highlights this growing diversity, featuring members of the “Silver ARMY” – an informal yet passionate group of older international BTS fans. Captured from X and YouTube
The Rise of the Silver ARMY
Among them is Vicki Ronn, a professor of English at Friends University and a vibrant BTS fan in her 60s. Her enthusiasm is infectious; she even gifted her adult son a vinyl copy of J-Hope’s solo album “Jack in the Box,” successfully turning him into a dedicated fan. Ronn’s journey into the world of BTS began in 2020. It was watching their electrifying performance of “On” in front of New York’s Grand Central Terminal on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” that first sparked her interest. During the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, their dynamic stage presence and profound lyrics provided a much-needed escape, leading her to fall deeply in love with their music.
Ronn shared a poignant reflection with the Hankook Ilbo at Jeonbuk National University, stating, “‘Black Swan’ is a song about the fear of losing your passion for what you love. Listening to it made me reflect on how I had been losing my passion as a scholar.” Her insights resonate deeply with many.
Ronn was among numerous fans who traveled to Korea to attend a BTS conference at Jeonbuk National University. Her compelling presentation delved into themes of aging, participatory culture, and the reimagining of women, illustrating how BTS has profoundly transformed the lives of older fans abroad and fostered new social connections through vibrant fan communities.
From Passive Consumption to Active Participation
As a prime example of the “Silver ARMY,” Ronn introduced Dori Jacobson, an 89-year-old resident of Las Vegas. Jacobson became a social media sensation in December 2023 when she posted a photo holding a sign that read, “IF AN 89 YEAR OLD ARMY CAN WAIT UNTIL 2025 FOR BTS TO RETURN, SO CAN YOU GUYS! STAY STRONG!” Her message aimed to comfort younger fans grappling with the group’s hiatus during their mandatory military service, beautifully demonstrating how older BTS fans are actively shaping the fandom rather than merely consuming content passively. This shift reflects a broader trend: K-pop fan culture, known for its passion and solidarity, is now embraced by middle-aged and older adults worldwide.
The “Silver ARMY” phenomenon underscores a significant evolution within the global K-pop fandom. K-pop is no longer exclusively the domain of teenagers and young adults in their 20s. As the consumer base diversifies to include older demographics, the very culture of fandom is undergoing a transformation. Older fans are emerging as an increasingly vital consumer group for K-pop. Sociology professor Grace Kao from Yale University, who attended BTS concerts in Las Vegas on two consecutive days in May, observed many audience members in their 50s and older, noting a similar demographic in her Connecticut ARMY community. She explained via email that “Middle-aged fans often have the time and disposable income to travel for concerts and view K-pop as a wholesome alternative to Western pop, raising the overall age profile of the fanbase.” Members of the BTS Over 40 ARMY Club pose for a photo. Korea Times photo by Yang Seung-joon
Why BTS Resonates with Mature Audiences
Ronn identified intergenerational connections as a key differentiator between traditional American pop culture fandoms and the older BTS fanbase. She emphasized K-pop’s role as a new platform for mature American women, marking a new frontier for the Hallyu wave. “People who experienced the feminist movements of the 1970s and 1980s have found their voices again through BTS,” Ronn shared. Her observations echo widely in American online communities, where a 98-year-old American woman holding a BTS lightstick at a concert recently became a viral sensation. Vicki Ronn, right, an English professor at Friends University in the United States, listens to a presentation during the 5th International BTS Conference at Jeonbuk National University Convention Center, Sunday. Courtesy of The 5th BTS: A Global Interdisciplinary Conference
Social media is rich with personal testimonials. A 64-year-old British fan credited BTS with pulling her out of severe depression after a heart attack in 2022, while a 68-year-old psychotherapist wrote that BTS instilled a renewed motivation to live in her clients facing terminal diagnoses.
This profound impact prompts a natural question: why do mature Western audiences choose BTS over familiar local artists like Taylor Swift? Ronn offered her perspective: “I think Taylor Swift mainly sings about what I felt in my teens or 20s. Of course, many of my college students are Taylor Swift fans and connect deeply with her lyrics, but BTS’s lyrics feel to me like a more universal narrative that crosses generations. They contain a philosophy of life.” U.S. pop star Taylor Swift performs on stage. Captured from Taylor Swift’s social media The professor found “Fake Love” particularly moving. “Women of my generation grew up being told that we had to hide ourselves. There was social pressure to live as a ‘false self’ rather than show who we really were,” she explained. “I think that’s why women my age find BTS’s music more relatable.”
K-pop group BTS poses for a photo after performing “Dynamite” at the FIFA World Cup halftime show in New Jersey, July 19. Courtesy of BigHit Music
BTS’s Universal Message: Impact on Youth and Society
While BTS energizes older fans globally, the group also serves as a crucial guiding force for youth, particularly in Mongolia. During the conference, 17-year-old Mongolian student Anujin Mungunkhu shared how she coped with anxiety after entering 10th grade by listening to the 2020 track “Life Goes On.” “The song’s message is, ‘Things may be hard now, but do not worry too much. Life goes on, so let us keep living together.’ It comforted me,” she recounted.
Anujin’s presentation was part of research by Professor Tsengel Davaasambuu of the Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture, titled “The BTS Effect and the Physicality of Hallyu: A Socio-Economic Analysis of the Korean wave in Post-Nomadic Mongolia.” She highlighted how BTS’s “Love Yourself” campaign resonated deeply with local youth navigating rapid social transitions. “More than half of Mongolia’s population is now concentrated in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. This sudden shift to city life has left people used to the relaxed pace of a traditional nomadic society feeling completely disoriented,” Davasambuu explained to the Hankook Ilbo. “For teenagers growing up in the middle of all this massive change, BTS’s message to ‘believe in yourself’ has really struck a chord.” Mongolian student Anujin Mungunkhu, left, and Tsengel Davaasambuu, a professor at the Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture, pose at Jeonbuk National University Convention Center during The 5th BTS: A Global Interdisciplinary Conference, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Yang Seung-joon
K-pop’s influence extends beyond individual comfort. In a powerful demonstration of its broader societal role, Girls’ Generation’s “Into the New World” echoed outside Japan’s National Diet in Tokyo during an April rally defending the country’s pacifist constitution. Demonstrators gather their K-pop lightsticks to take a picture during the “No War” street rally in Osaka, Japan. The K-pop wave continues to prove its versatility, offering solace, empowerment, and a platform for expression across diverse generations and cultures.
