Apoorva Gupta: “BTS IS MORE THAN JUST ENTERTAINMENT; THEY ARE AN INSPIRATION”

A lover of K-pop, specifically BTS, she has been exploring the world [K-pop] using her art.

It all started when I was very bored after my 12^th board exams, somebody had told me about this K-drama. I’m not going to name the show, it’s a very common one, and I’m sure most of them have watched it. The first thing that struck me was [getting excited] this guy turned around, he smiled, I couldn’t take my eyes off him, [high-pitched voice] and he looked so pretty! That was it, I couldn’t stop, and I continued watching more in the last few years.

Ms. Apoorva Gupta is an artist, a designer, and a proud cat mom of Pixel based in Lucknow, India. Most often she is seen busy scribbling on a piece of paper or making digital sketches [fan arts]. A lover of K-pop, specifically BTS, she has been exploring the world [K-pop] using her art.

Later, I got into K-pop, I watched a few music videos, and BTS is my favorite! I’m very sure everybody knows BTS. Since then, it has been good. I have been following Korean music, movies, and shows.

You have continued indulging in Korean culture since 2016, it has almost become an inevitable part of your identity. What is about it [Korean culture] makes it easily consumable?

When I talk about [Korean Culture], I think it is quite like ours [Indian culture]. To give an example, the way we talk to our elders is completely different from how we talk to someone who is younger in age. There is a change in tone and the words we use. It’s the same in Korean language, they use honorifics which was something I related to.

“The culture itself instills a sense of hard work from a very young age and this has always inspired me to do more.”

Korean culture is vast, are they any specific elements from it that inspires you?

What inspires me is BTS [yes, the band] and I follow them religiously. [Excited] I know what show they are going to appear on next, I know when their music video is going to be released. They are hard-working and consistent. The idol culture in Korea is that people become trainees in agencies at a very young age [13-14], and they continue training along with studies, and school, after which they debut as groups and manage their studies along with their idol duties, like shows, performances, etc. which I feel is quite commendable. The culture itself instills a sense of hard work from a very young age and this has always inspired me to do more.

Wow, honestly, I have not looked at it this way. Do you think these values might also resonate with other populations of India as well? Especially those who are currently dipping their toes in the hallyu wave?

I think they do; I particularly can explain this better with BTS. BTS is hard on their values, and they address issues which they have faced in their life, which has resonated with many people across the world. The celebrities [K-pop idols] have an [open] relationship with their fans, they have variety shows, and online platforms [like V LIVE]. A fan gets to know the celebrities on a day-to-day basis. The celebrities come on live and have dinner with us, it is almost like a Skype call, it is very chill. They show the other side of their lives, and I feel that makes us [fans] connect with them better.

Recently when BTS released butter, I came across your fanart for that music video on my feed. Your style is very minimal yet cute. How did you get started with K-pop fanart?

Fanarts are very simple [to me]; I just take a picture or their concept and either try to include my own meaning behind it or recreate it in my own style. Recently, I wanted to learn 3-D software and you know, it is not that easy. I needed some sort of motivation, so I picked up BTS. I started creating room scenarios/ room scenes for their songs or inspired by them.  That is how I navigated through hours and hours of tutorials and sitting in front of a laptop. 

The room series that I made was inspired from a photoshoot that they [BTS] did. They have extensive stuff; it’s not just releasing a music video. They have photoshoots, music videos, backstage scenes, and explain to us the whole thought process behind it and how they have incorporated the same. Every part of their process can be a point of inspiration. Sometimes, I take a very direct inspiration, I recreated the photoshoot of the rooms into 3D renders. Apart from that, I made a small animation for a song [everythinggoes, by RM of BTS] of BTS. It was me reflecting on the emotion that I felt while listening to it. I’m doing a lot of work inspired by their work or by them. Even the members, as I mentioned, are open to us [fans] and we see them on so many shows. They also have their own show where they play games, they [the episodes] are about 30 minutes long and there are 150 episodes so far. You just see seven guys chilling around, hanging out, and doing their own thing. That’s where I connect personally because it is something I do with my friends as well. It is quite domestic, I must say. It is also very fascinating to see celebrities of such fame and grandeur are still very much like us, this gives me a boost to do and be better.

“You look at piece of art and if you are an artist, it would be so cool for you to listen to the artist tell you about their process.”

As I understand, you have a very distinct style. Has it evolved once you started getting more into it [K-Pop]?

As a person who does art, [I wouldn’t call myself an artist] or for anyone who wants to create art, they like to look at the process. You look at a piece of art and if you are an artist, it would be so cool for you to listen to the artist tell you about their process.  You will be fascinated to hear them tell you about where they started, what inspired them, and how they put different things together. Then you get to learn, get to learn a process. I’m not sure about other bands, but BTS share all the songs in detail. The leader [of the band] Kim Namjoon, after all the songs are released, comes online, and explains the songs in detail. He talks about his inspiration, and what he felt when he wrote the song. This can be efficiently translated into my art as well; the way he explains his process of taking and using his inspirations gives me a direction to try things out their way and later, I figure out how I want to go about it.

Wow, BTS must be so proud about how much they are influencing the younger generation in a good way. Tell us more about the fandoms, or the fan communities. Does that help you in any way to stay motivated?

You receive a lot of support from the fandom. Especially in the K-pop community, the support is massive, specifically the BTS fandom. The other fandoms in general [in the K-pop scene], the support is great, and it is encouraging for the artists and for other creatives as well. As I mentioned earlier, the room series got me a lot of attention from different people and professionally landed me in a freelance gig [big smile on the face].

Would you say that you have a community of people who share similar interests? Where are they from?

I mainly use twitter as my social media to connect to other people who are part of the [K-pop] community. This was the first time I made friends online and I made amazing friends. I even got to meet a few of them in real life and I’m forever grateful to BTS for that. I am connected to people who live in different parts of the world through social media, they often tweet about their lives which gives me an insight to different cultures and creative practices followed by people in other countries.

It is a very interesting way to network too. You have been following K-culture for a while now, have you noticed any shifts immediately around you in recent times?

[Excited] Yeah, it is very evident right now. I was at H&M [Lucknow] the other day and I heard them play a Korean song that wasn’t mainstream! I think it was an edited song, which is cool. A couple of years ago, if I came across places that played Korean songs, I would get super excited. But it has become very common now, almost a norm.

“It is not just K-pop and K-drama, but it’s beyond that.”

It really is becoming mainstream faster than we think. Moving on, where do you think the hallyu wave is headed in India?

Right now, I think it’s moving fast. A year ago, it was hard to get Korean ramen in your local grocery store, but it isn’t the case anymore. People are so invested in their [Korean] culture. They have a lot of content, when you see it, you want to understand what they are saying. I know people who have started to learn the language, and people visiting South Korea [for concerts]. Apart from that, Korea is a beautiful country, students often go there to study. Some colleges [in India] have also started providing [Korean] language classes as there is a lot of demand for it. The demand for Korean beauty has also increased. I think people are also trying to incorporate the idol culture that they have, the training from young teenage years to become pop stars. In India there are various Korean cultural contests that happen across the country. People perform and there is a lot of stuff that goes on. It is not just K-pop and K-drama, but it’s beyond that.

Do you think the fans are women dominated? With squid game, the fan base has increased rapidly.

Yes, everybody is talking about the squid game, and even with parasite, it attracted a new set of fans. But when we talk about male population, we still have a long way to go. Korea’s boy bands have men who are pretty, they are beautiful [assertive]; they are. I hope by the passage of time, people get over the stereotypes and unlearn.

“I just hope people are open minded so they can appreciate what that [Korean culture] has to offer.”

You mentioned stereotypes; Are there any, even these days that are associated with the K-culture?

There are plenty. I wish people would stop being prejudiced. Even as a BTS fan, I don’t outright tell people that I’m a BTS fan because I have had people laugh at me. I think the reputation the word ‘boy-band’ associated with is perceived wrongly; they don’t take it seriously, “Oh, their fandoms are just crazy teenagers” – these are the words people use. I surround myself with people with healthy mindsets who do not judge me for my choices. These days, people are aware of it, and they appreciate them [boy bands]. I just hope people are open minded so they can appreciate what that [Korean culture] has to offer.

Yes, we have a long way to go. But as we are introduced to new cultures, I hope we become more understanding towards it. Before we wrap it up, can you describe what you feel when you think about K-dramas or K-pop?

It is something I use to de-stress and something I would want to go to before I go to bed. It helps me relax and they make me smile. I would like to describe them as “heartwarming”, “comforting”.

 

 

 

You can check out Ms. Apoorva Gupta’s artworks on her Instagram @0501.99. Interviewed and edited by Ms. Poornima S, Trendspotting Coordinator, VisioNxt.