The Meaning of Jungkook: The Triumph of Bts and the Making of a Global Pop Superstar

 
★致敬改寫流行文化的韓國音樂奇蹟
★從釜山少年到全球頂流，走進Jungkook的音樂世界
 
　　Jungkook（柾國）是全球最炙手可熱的明星之一，首張個人專輯《Golden》在發行當天銷量衝破200萬張，並連續24週登上告示牌200大專輯榜，這位來自南韓的音樂天才，如何一躍成為改寫音樂史的重要人物？
 
　　《The Meaning of Jungkook》是一本非官方的Jungkook紀錄，收錄Jungkook締造今日輝煌成績的所有點點滴滴，呈現他從釜山出發、一步步邁向巔峰的歷程，更以生動的方式將Jungkook崛起的過程與K-pop歷史相結合，探索韓流、網路文化，以及BTS粉絲Army發揮的龐大力量。
 
　　在書中可以發現，Jungkook苛刻的自我要求，其實是來自韓國文化追求卓越的極致展現。他的舞蹈風格承襲麥可・傑克森，而且展現出來的視覺魅力既符合韓國人對美貌的嚴格標準，又以不羈的紋身與穿環顛覆了這一個標準。
 
　　Jungkook的成功絕非偶然。他的天賦、訓練過程、與粉絲的互動、外貌、以及全球化帶來的機會等，共同塑造了這位韓國流行指標：一位被暱稱為「黃金忙內（Golden Maknae）」（即團體中最年輕成員）、打破常規又改變流行文化規範的韓國流行音樂巨星。
 
　　《The Meaning of Jungkook》這本探討Jungkook現象的致敬之作，不僅獻給Jungkook的粉絲，也為了對韓流、K-pop現象感興趣的讀者而寫，以生動的文字、豐富的內容，帶領讀者走進這位征服全球數百萬粉絲的音樂偶像世界。(文/博客來編譯)

Celebrate Jungkook, the once-in-a-generation talent at the center of BTS, in this illuminating look into the forces that have made him a global icon.

Jungkook is one of the world’s biggest stars, period. His first album, Golden, sold more than 2 million copies on the day of its release and stayed on the Billboard 200 for twenty-four consecutive weeks. How did a young prodigy from South Korea make music history?

The Meaning of Jungkook is an unofficial kaleidoscopic exploration of the forces that made Jungkook into the triumph he is today. The book does more than chronicle his humble beginnings in Busan and meteoric rise to fame. A lively narrative, it places Jungkook in a larger cultural and historical context, shedding light on the inner workings of the K-pop industry, internet culture, ARMY, and more. We learn that Jungkook’s ruthless work ethic is a symptom of Korean culture and its singular pursuit for excellence; his style of dance places him in the lineage of Michael Jackson; and ＂the soldout king＂ has a unique visual appeal that meets high Korean beauty standards but also subverts it with his irreverent piercings and tattoos.

Jungkook’s success is not an accident. Talent and training, the livestreams and good looks, globalization and timing all contributed to the making of Jungkook, ＂the Golden Maknae,＂ the South Korean pop superstar who overcame the odds, and through his success, changed the status quo. This is an unauthorized elevated tribute to the singer, for both his fans and others interested in the genre. Monica Kim has delivered a tour-de-force, filled with vivid detail, that makes sense of the world of a music icon who has captured the devotion of millions of fans worldwide.

Monica Kim spent five years at American Vogue as the senior fashion news editor. Currently based between New York and Seoul, she became Yaeji’s stylist in 2018 and works with brands such as Kozaburo, Rokh, Rare Market, We11done, Laura Lombardi, Penultimate, and others. The Meaning of Jungkook is her first book.