Why BTS members are better suited on a Korean variety program versus an American talk show

Like most International ARMY, my introduction to BTS was through their various American TV programs! I first watched BTS on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The boys were making their second appearance on the famous talk show in 2018. They were the talk of the town, the studio was filled with young fans screaming and cheering for them. I realised only one member spoke fluently in English, whilst the others upped their charms to match up to their non-fluency. Ellen being Ellen asked them a bunch of ridiculous and cheesy questions like, Have you hooked up with an ARMY? How do you feel being in America? The boys dodged the cheesy questions with some aegyo, visibly uncomfortable with the intrusion of their privacy. 

Finally, Ellen played the 'scare prank' on the boys, scaring the living daylights out of them. I laughed looking at their hilarious reactions, but also kind of felt bad. It was obvious they were new to American culture and had no idea what to make of Ellen's prank. It was wonderful to see the boys taking everything in stride and playing along, but they weren't very comfortable and this was just the beginning. Since then BTS has made countless appearances on some of the biggest American talk shows and late-night programs. The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Late Late Show with James Corden, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. While BTS may have made countless appearances on these American programs, only a few of them worked wonders and the problem lies with American programs and not BTS!  

Since their massive International success in the year 2017, BTS members have become household names in America, however, their most successful appearances have been on The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Both Jimmy Fallon and James Corden understood BTS and ARMY's collective pulse and made them comfortable instantly. It helps that they are fans themselves. I like how Jimmy Fallon and James Corden went out of their way to make the boys comfortable and organise games and activities that requires them to just be themselves, without putting any of them in the spot. Kudos to their respective creative teams, from riding on New York's subway, Olympic style games and Carpool Karaoke; these are super cool yet non-intrusive games that put the boys at ease and provided some great entertainment too.

In 2021, BTS made their first major appearances on Korean variety shows in years! We started the year with tvN's You Quiz On The Block hosted by Yoo Jae Suk and Jo Seo Ho and Let's BTS, where they discussed their journey, career, achievements and incredible discography. I was happy to see the boys genuinely happy and comfortable on Korean variety programs in comparison to their American counterparts! Now, Korean shows do have an added advantage of the familiarity of language, but that cannot be the only reason, right? We have tried to decode a couple of reasons why BTS members are better suited to Korean variety shows versus American talk shows.

1. Unique concepts

I will reiterate this a million times over that Korean variety shows have such interesting and unique concepts in comparison to American TV shows. You Quiz On The Block was filmed at a traditional spot outdoors. The members were so comfortable and relaxed, it was heartening to see them at ease.

2. The Hosts

I instantly warmed up to Yoo Jae Suk, who hosted them on You Quiz On The Block and Let's BTS' charming host, Jang Do Yeon who impressed the boys with their wit and charm. I personally prefer the Korean MCs over some American hosts, Jimmy Fallon, however, can be ruled as an exception. 

3. The Questions

I'm glad, they were asked questions about their life, music and career, instead of the over-done collab and dating questions. Such a refreshing change. 

4. ARMY

Korean programs respect the fans as much as the artists. In You Quiz On The Block, they invited the dancing sensation, high-school student and ARMY Kim Jung Hyun to perform in front of the boys and in Let's BTS, legions of ARMY joined BTS in singing, Life Goes On. Surreal! 

ALSO READ: Big Hit's new building to have a special BTS museum, to showcase the group's amazing achievements

Do you agree with our opinion? Do you prefer Korean variety programs or American talk shows? Share your thoughts with Pinkvilla in the comments below.