From an SM stan, I think that really only SM groups have paved the way...

Hi, I'm new here and have been lurking for a few weeks. I have no idea if this thread has already been made or if I broke any rules so pls forgive me if so. I just had a thought and wanted to see if anyone agreed with me so I decided to make an account. This will probably be my only thread ever.

Now, hear me out! Sorry I am not so eloquent. I'm an SM stan and have been one since 2010! I 95% of the time love their releases and I think that out of all of the groups that are/have been active in Kpop, they have had some of the most historical, most important, and largest contributions to the Kpop music industry in general. Many of the groups have revolutionized the history and business of Kpop and become the foundation of how kpop groups are made. SM groups have paved the path that almost all other groups are walking on now, and most other groups active today are following in their footsteps.

Now I do strongly believe that it is mostly SM groups and Big Bang who have done this. I don't think I'm forgetting any but I might be.

I personally don't think BTS is paving the way, and the reason is this: how can BTS pave the way when they're not walking anymore??? They are literally FLYING. The way I see it is, how are they paving the way when no one else is EVER going to follow in their footsteps?? I honestly believe that no other kpop group ever in a million years will achieve what BTS has achieved. No other kpop group will be able to reach the heights they have reached. Not sure if what I am saying makes sense but basically BTS is just so far out of reach that they are not paving the way and we are just left sitting in their dust. (Not trying to shade any groups if it seems like I am; while I mostly like SM groups, I listen to and like quite a number of other groups as well!)

Tl;dr

Only SM groups have paved the way. To pave the way means to pave the way for other groups to follow in your footsteps. BTS is not paving the way because they are literally soaring and no one else will ever be able to follow in their footsteps. Does anyone else see what I'm saying or am I just rambling? Or both??

EDIT: THANKS EVERYONE for their insight!! Really interesting seeing what other people think regarding my random 3am thoughts. I just really wanted to see if anyone might have the same opinion as me or be able to see it from my view. Which i have actually slighty tweaked thanks to the various feedback I've gotten: SM groups did good deal of paving, fans also contributed a lot, bts participated in paving but are now flying. Still very interested in seeing what others think/have to say and sorry for all the verbal diarrhea

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Rambling, wasn't I? Pls ignore my 3am why am i not yet asleep thoughts.

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Thanks!! Can't wait for IU to f*** shit up the charts up again!!!

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But BTS paved the way for BLACKPINK & all those random irrelevant international-fandom-only groups to come to America & have guestings on important late-night talk shows etc....

I don't think a lot of those groups are irrelevant/fandom only. And BTS is not the first to appear on these shows. I know at least SNSD has done this before like a decade ago.

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Mostly I agree, though. Giving speeches at the UN? No other random K-pop groups will ever achieve what they have, even if they work hard until the day they die.......

BTS have mostly paved the way for BLACKPINK & themselves. And that's it, really.

I think I can *kind of* agree with you there! I also semi think calling BTS a kpop group doesn't make sense anymore, as they are now so much bigger than that. More like cultural icons.

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but barely anybody did it after SNSD

after BTS blew up in the US, late night show appearances are now the norm for all bigger group comebacks, that's what I call paving the way. And BB 200 rankings are also normal for bigger groups now after BTS. Before it was literally just the top of the top groups ranking super low, now that everyone has followed BTS in terms of getting physical distribution (and doing some extra boosting that BTS don't need), top 20 rankings are completely normal.

Hmm i guess that is true... guess i never really thought of it like that, so thanks for your thought provoking input! Gonna slightly change what i said before. I definitely agree with you here. Perhaps BTS did participate in paving the way up to this part, so other groups have followed in their footsteps in guesting on american shows, but i think this is maybe the end? Meaning like from here BTS takes off and is soaring. I love and respect other groups as well, but i do believe this is the farthest they will reach for western audiences. Again, not shading, i respect every group's success and think they can achieve even more, but BTS heights of success are impossible. Not sure if what I say is making sense though...

im very tired and about to ptfo

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Yes they did! 👍 2NE1 X The Black Eyed Peas American album (that sadly never happened ) x Where Is The Love? performances, CL X GD X Skrillex with Dirty Vibe, Big Bang GD's w/Sky Ferreira, SNSD w/Snoop Dogg, etc etc......I just made a million Tweets about it like yesterday lol 🙈

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OFC 2ND GEN PAVED THE MOTHERF*CKING WAYYYYY FOR 3RD GEN!!!!!!

I just mean that BTS paved the way RECENTLY for ex. BP X Selena Gomez, BP X Lady Gaga etc w/their collabs w/Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheetan, The Chainsmokers etc

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Sry for lack of clarity on my part 😅😅

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I miss 2nd gen so much miss bigbang and 2ne1 . Not that i don't love ygs current roster but those two groups were really something special.

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fans pave the way at the end of the day

without fans no artist can achieve anything

it's not which artist paved way for another artist, it's fans making it possible for artists to achieve success

Kpop fans paved the way, Army paved the way for BTS, Sones paved the way for SNSD, etc etc.

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Wait i kind of love this outlook??? but i do also think that having precedents and predecessors certainly help, like guiding stars or goals to reach almost. But ofc fans will take their faves the farthest. Anyways thank you for your wonderful insight!