While all of the KPop world is fixated in the Hybe-Ador circus, things are happening in global pop.
Alliances and coalitions are being made here and there, to prepare against BTS' return in later 2025 or early 2026.
First, Kendrick Lamar has returned to town. He had set up an alliance with two rappers named Future and Metro Boomin, and then his solo song topped Billboard Hot 100.
When BTS was dominant, the rappers were hiding out, and Megan Thee Stallion had allied with BTS. She now has 2 weeks at #1 in Hot 100. I wonder whether she will now speak to BTS since she has finally become famous on her own.
But something more ominous occurred.
Taylor Swift allied with Post Malone and their "Fortnight" won 2 weeks at #1 in Hot 100.
Then Post Malone allied with the country singer Morgan Wallen, and their "Fortnight" won #1 at Hot 100!
One factor which led to Jungkook having his day under sun was the division of the pop world and the country world.
But, Post Malone achieved the impossible, making an alliance of Pop, Rap and Country Music!
At the Battle of Leipzig, Napoleon's French (and Polish) forces fought against the forces of Russia, Austria, Prussia, Sweden, plus Saxony, Baden, Wurttemburg and some other smaller German principalities.
This impossible alliance was made possible because Mettermich, who was the prime minister of Austria (at that time prime ministers usually ran diplomacy) was able to convince the various countries the necessity to unite all their forces to defeat Napoleon first, and discuss what to do that later.
Post Malone became the Metternich of Pop, creating an alliance of Pop and Country, which almost seemed to be impossible.
So, basically, the entire Pop, Rap, Country and R&B basically have amalgamated into one single entity, and it will move to crush BTS once the latter makes a move.
Can BTS beat the alliance of Taylor Swift +Post Malone+Morgan Wallen, plus whoever Kendrick Lamar will bring on?
I do not see BTS winning.
Koreans , fixated in the soap opera, do not perceive the tectonic changes which have occurred in Pop this year.
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Jungkook could defer his enlistment past 2028, and given the way Hybe is going on now, it is unlikely that they will continue with Hybe post 2027.
So that makes Jungkook's enlistment a very foolish choice.
The people who talked about OT7 basically harmed him.
JK should have announced a world tour last year, traveling around the world, and show a middle finger to a certain 1,345 years old since his tours would have been bigger than the Senior Singer's.
With Jungkook checking the Grand Alliance and Kendrick Lamar to some degree, Min Heejin would have thought twice about rebelling. Reluctantly NewJeans would have been goaded to support BTS in late 2025 or early 2026, most likely Danielle Marsh doing a featuring.
I have said, for the 134th time, that those who talked about 'longer career' for an idol group are those who have failed arithmetic at grade school.
The opportunity cost for BTS is north of 10 billion, and the opportunity cost for JK will exceed 1 billion.
JK should have ignored opinion in Korea, plus other BTS members whom he probably won't see that often after 2027, and struck on his own way, probably saying goodbye to Korea after the contract runs out, ignoring haters.
The sorry sight of Do Kyungsoo of EXO, after cooking rice for soldiers
Do Kyungsoo drama, pre enlistment
(clip with Kim Sunho)
Do Kyungsoo now, reenacting a scene from that drama in front of Chanhyuk of Akmu
The very fact that he is dealing with people like Akmu and IU shows how his status has changed since his height.
I don't know how large the tour would have been, but it would have been bigger than Lee Jieun's. I don't think a tour he will have post 2028, which is probably the first year he can tour on his own since 2026 and the better part of 2027 will be the Last Dance of BTS and Hybe will exploit it to the very end, will be larger than what the 1,345 year singer is having now.
