Why BTS Is So Popular in South America, According to Experts

K-pop group BTS streams in Brazil have jumped 727% since the group resumed full-group activities, Billboard Brazil reported. The surge is part of a wider rise across South America, where local experts are examining what has made the group so popular.

The attention comes as BTS tours the region. The South American leg of "BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG'" began on Oct. 2 in Bogotá, Colombia. The tour also includes Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile; La Plata, Argentina; and São Paulo, Brazil.

Experts point to two main factors behind the group's popularity: the messages in its music and the activities of its fandom, ARMY.

Constanza Jorquera, a professor of political science at Diego Portales University in Chile, recently discussed the group on local news outlet T13. She said BTS songs addressing themes such as self-love inspire young people and help build emotional connections. She also cited the effort and resilience the members have shown throughout their careers as reasons audiences relate to them.

Ademar Díaz Aparicio, a sociologist and anthropologist at the National University of San Marcos in Peru, also highlighted the social messages in the group's music.

"BTS delivers interesting social messages that other groups don't address, while charting its own path," he told local outlet RPP.

Fans have also played a major role. Argentine news outlet Infobae examined how ARMY helped spread BTS's music ahead of the group's full-lineup concerts. Fans translated Korean lyrics and shared them online, organized listening parties and promoted the group's music through social media. Infobae reported that these efforts helped raise BTS's profile in Argentina.

Streaming figures reflect that growth. According to Spotify, BTS streams in Colombia rose about 300% over the past three years. The group accounts for roughly one-third of all K-pop streams in the country. Billboard Colombia reported that BTS had accumulated about 250 million streams, the highest figure among Korean artists.

Argentina has seen similar growth. From Oct. 2025 through Sept. 2026, BTS streams on Spotify in the country increased 193% compared with the previous 12 months.

In Brazil, Billboard Brazil reported a 727% increase in BTS streams following the group's return to full-group activities.

Following a concert on Oct. 28, BTS will conclude the South American leg of its tour with two more shows in São Paulo on Oct. 30 and 31. The group will then begin its Asian leg in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Nov. 19.