Call for Participation
The 5th BTS: A Global Interdisciplinary Conference
The Next Generation Hallyu & BTS
Date: July 2-3, 2026
Venue: International Convention Center, Jeonbuk National University(JBNU), Jeonju, South Korea
Launched in the United Kingdom in 2020 and subsequently held in the United States, Korea, and Malaysia,
the BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference will return in July 2026, this time hosted in Jeonju, Korea.
We are pleased to invite you to join us at Jeonbuk National University, located in the heart of Jeonju—home to key K-culture assets such as hansik (Korean cuisine), hanok (traditional housing), and hanji (traditional paper).
This conference seeks to explore the phenomenon of BTS as a driving force of the global Korean Wave (Hallyu)
and to examine the academic significance of the group’s “New Chapter”—a period marked by their return after
completing mandatory military service and the social meanings reshaped through this transition. This inquiry goes beyond
the mere resumption of activities by BTS as a group. It seeks to examine how the artistic maturation
signaled by BTS’s New Chapter—grounded in self-reflection and creative renewal— intersects with the forward
trajectory of the next generation of Hallyu, particularly in its expansion of global citizenship that encompasses
locality, inclusivity, and geopolitical awareness.
By considering how individual subject’s multidimensional growth can align with collective identity and wider social
transformation, the conference encourages interdisciplinary inquiries across the following areas:
Cultural Studies and Media Studies: fandom, platforms, technology, transnational media ecology, AI
Sociology and Political Science: youth culture, social movements, gender and subjectivity, digital citizenship
Area Studies and Global Studies: glocality, cultural diplomacy, the reconfiguration of Asian and non-Western cultures
Arts and Humanities: music, performance, narrative, textual analysis, aesthetics
Themes
The Evolution of K-Culture & Locality
- Historical layers and aesthetics of locality embedded in BTS content
- Theoretical analyses of how local elements transform into global identities
- The impact of K-culture’s global expansion on the meaning of locality within Korea
Inclusivity and Fan Subjectivity
- The pluralistic communities and non-exclusionary identities shaped by A.R.M.Y.
- The influence of diversity—across gender, race, religion—on the persistence of the BTS phenomenon
- How BTS’s messages contribute to individual subjectivity and amplify intersectional minority voices
- Governance of global fandom practices in digital platform environmentss
Next-Generation Model of Glocalization
- Cultural reverse flows facilitated by BTS as a non-Anglophone cultural agent
- Misunderstandings, reception, and creative reinterpretations emerging in cultural translation
- Methodologies through which BTS content merges localization with global standards
Political and Social Subjectivity
- The influence of BTS’s public activities (UN and APEC speeches and campaigns) on youth political efficacy and
civic engagement - Critical examinations of how Korean cultural diplomacy deploys the BTS phenomenon and the political
implications that follow - Civic activities of A.R.M.Y.—donations, electoral participation, social movements—as forms of political subjectivity
- On the functions and constraints of idols—understood as commercialized cultural subjects—within the public
domain
AI and Data-Driven K-Culture
- Aesthetics and ethical issues in content featuring virtual idols and digital humans
- The impact of AI-based lyric-writing, composition, and arrangement technologies on the K-pop music industry
- The influence of recommendation algorithms and personalized services on K-pop consumption
- Debates on originality and creative ownership arising from AI implementation
- Ethical considerations surrounding data privacy and the use of fan-generated data
Extended Submission Due
Date: Mar 31, 2026 (Notification of acceptance is scheduled for early May)
Send to: btsconference2026@gmail.com
Submission Format
- Abstract of approximately 300 words, including author information (affiliation, position, email)
- Short Bio
- Language: English
Publication of Selected Papers
- Following the conference, the Publication Committee will coordinate a separate track for selected papers. These will be
invited for publication in either an edited volume with a reputable academic publisher or a special issue of a
peer-reviewed
international journal.
Registration Fees & Benefits
- Presenters: $200
- Must pre-register upon acceptance
- Accommodation for two nights at the Jeonbuk National University Residence Hall, and lunch for both days of
the conference will be provided to the presenters with the support from Jeonbuk National University.
- In the case of co-authored presentations, each individual author must complete the registration process
separately, and
we recommend a format where one author delivers the presentation and the other leads or participates in the Q&A session.
- General Attendees: $50 per day
- Payable on-site during the conference
Conference Information
Organized by: ISBS (International Society for BTS Studies)
Hosted by:
Namwon Glocal Campus Administration, JBNU
Center for Glocal University Project, JBNU
Department of K-Entertainment, JBNU
Big Movement
Organizing Committee(in alphabetical order):
Ahn, Byong-jin (Professor, Kyung Hee University)
Cho, Sung-eun (Professor, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)
Kim, Young-mi (CEO, Big Movement)
Lee, Jeeheng (Assistant Professor, Jeonbuk National University)
Lee, Jiyoung (Research Professor, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)
Song, Jung Eun (Lecturer, Jeonbuk National University)
Inquiries to: btsconference2026@gmail.com