Kpop Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Kpop Wiki

2,3, bangtan! Hello, we are BTS!
(둘, 셋, 방! 탄! 안녕하세요, 방탄소년단입니다!)

—BTS

BTS (Korean: 방탄소년단 (Bangtan Sonyeondan); Japanese: 防弾少年团 (Bōdan Shōnendan); also known as the Bangtan Boys and Beyond the Scene) is a seven-member boy group under BigHit Music.[n 2] They debuted on June 13, 2013 with their first single 2 Cool 4 Skool.

History

Pre-debut

BTS first came to prominence after winning Big Hit's "Hit It" auditions in 2010 and 2011, establishing their final lineup in 2012. In the time leading up to their debut album, the group members began engaging with fans through social media outlets like Twitter, video blogs as well as releasing songs via their YouTube page.

Prior to joining the group, RM was an established underground artist having released several tracks. Suga was also an established underground rapper, and Jin was a university student. J-Hope had been a member of a street dance team called NEURON and was an active participant in the underground dance scene. Preceding his addition to BTS, Jimin was a student at Busan High School of Arts, but later transferred to Korea Arts High School. Although Jung Kook was in high demand by several talent agencies, he decided to join BTS after hearing RM perform.

2013: Debut with "2 Cool 4 Skool", O!RUL8,2?

BTS 2 Cool 4 Skool group photo 2

Concept photo for 2 Cool 4 Skool.

On May 26, the group's Debut Trailer was released.[2] On June 2, V was introduced as the group's first member,[3] followed by Jin, Jimin and Jung Kook on June 3,[4][5][6][7] and RM (then known as Rap Monster), Suga and J-Hope on June 4.[8][9][10][11]

The group debuted on June 13, 2013 with the release of their debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool with "No More Dream" as the title track. A music video for the track "We Are Bulletproof Pt.2" was released in July.

On September 11, they released their first mini-album O!RUL8,2? with "N.O" as the title track.

2014: Skool Luv Affair, Dark & Wild, and Japanese debut

BTS Dark & Wild group photo 1

Concept photo for Dark & Wild.

Their second mini-album Skool Luv Affair was released on February 14 with "Boy in Luv" as the title track. A repackage was later released on May 14 and the group used "Miss Right" for their follow-up promotions.

BTS released their first Japanese best album 2 Cool 4 Skool / O!RUL8,2? on April 23, which consists of songs from their first two releases in Korea. Later, they made their Japanese debut by releasing their first Japanese single "No More Dream" on June 4.[12]

Dark & Wild, their first full-length album, was released on August 20.

2015–2016: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life trilogy and expanding popularity

The group released their third mini-album The Most Beautiful Moment In Life, Pt. 1 on April 29, 2015. Their title track "I Need U" was performed on various music shows, finally winning first place on SBS's The Show on May 5, their first music show award since their debut. "Dope" was used for follow-up promotions in June.

On March 17, 2015, the group's leader RM (then known as Rap Monster) released his first solo mixtape, the eponymous RM, for free on the streaming service SoundCloud. The mixtape was ranked 48th on the "50 Best Hip Hop Albums of 2015" list published by Spin Magazine.[13]

Their fourth mini-album The Most Beautiful Moment In Life, Pt. 2 was released on November 30, 2015. The group completed their trilogy with the release of the special album The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever on May 2, 2016.

The group has an extremely large social media presence and was noted by Forbes magazine as the most retweeted artist in March 2016. Following this, Twitter released a K-pop themed emoji featuring the group ahead of their Asia tour.

On August 16, 2016, Suga released his first solo mixtape titled Agust D for free on SoundCloud. The mixtape was listed among the "Top 20 Mixtapes of the Year" by Fuse TV.[14]

2016: Youth and Wings

BTS Wings promotional photo

Concept photo for Wings.

On September 6, BTS released their second Japanese album Youth. Later in September, their agency announced that the group would be releasing their second Korean full-length album Wings on October 10.[15] Pre-orders for the album exceeded 500,000 copies.[16] Upon its released, their album's title track, "Blood Sweat & Tears," achieved an all-kill on the music charts.[17] BTS included solo tracks for the first time in their Wings album. The accompanying music video reached 6 million views within a day, beating the previous record.[18]

The album also debuted at #26 on the US Billboard 200 charts, marking it as the highest charting K-pop album ever and was the group's third entry onto the chart, another first for a K-pop artist in the US market. They also set the record for best album sales week for a K-Pop group the album selling 16,000 units.[19]

2017: You Never Walk Alone, Love Yourself: Her, and international recognition

BTS You Never Walk Alone promotional photo

Concept photo for You Never Walk Alone.

BTS released a repackage of Wings titled You Never Walk Alone on February 13. The title track "Spring Day" swept the Korea music charts, achieving another all-kill for the group. In the United States, the track became the first song by a K-Pop group to break into the top 10 on the iTunes songs chart, and marked the first BTS appearance on the US's Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at #15.[20][21]

On April 10, BTS was the first K-pop group to be nominated for a Billboard Music Award (BBMAs). The group won "Top Social Artist" at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards on May 21, beating such noteworthy artists as Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and Shawn Mendes. In their awards acceptance speech, the group said: "We still cannot believe we’re standing here on this stage at the Billboard Music Awards…Most importantly, this award belongs to the every people all around the world that shine the love and light on us by the million and make BTS proud."[22] The group was also named "Best Dressed Boy Band" at the awards by Vogue Magazine.[23]

On July 5, Big Hit Entertainment and BTS revealed a new logo for the band in a video released on the official YouTube channel. This video was accompanied by the announcement that in addition to being known as Bangtan Sonyeondan or Bulletproof Boy Scouts, their acronym would also stand for "Beyond The Scene" as part of their new brand identity.[24]

BTS 'Her' Concept Photo V version

Concept photo for Love Yourself: Her.

On September 8, BTS released their fifth mini album titled Love Yourself: Her. The album debuted at number one in Korea on the Gaon Album Chart while its title track "DNA" debuted at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart.[25] Internationally, BTS broke the record for most No. 1 spots held on iTunes Album Charts by a K-Pop group, with the album ranking No. 1 on the charts in 73 countries as of September 18.[26] The album also debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart, making it the highest charting K-pop album of all time, and the first K-pop album in the top 10 of the chart. The album became the group’s fifth entry on the Billboard 200 chart, breaking their previous record set earlier the same year of four entries on the chart. BTS remains the only K-pop group to have three or more entries on the Billboard 200.[27]

Both of the top two spots on the Billboard Social 50 Chart were held by K-Pop groups for the first time in Billboard history, with BTS holding the No. 1 spot, and EXO holding the No. 2 spot for the ranking dated September 23, 2017.[28]

On a special Naver V Live broadcast on September 18 to celebrate their comeback with Love Yourself: Her, the group announced their goal of making it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "DNA" entered the Billboard HOT 100 at No. 85 for the week of October 7, becoming BTS' first entry on the HOT 100 and achieving this goal for the group.[29][30]

BTS at the American Music Awards (November 19, 2017)

BTS at the American Music Awards on November 19, 2017.

At the American Music Awards (AMAs) hosted on November 19, BTS performed "DNA" in their first American music award show performance, making them the first K-pop group ever to be invited to perform on the show.[31] Following the performance, Guinness World Records announced that BTS will be included their 2018 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records for having the world's most Twitter engagements and specifically for most Twitter engagements by a music group.[32] BTS was also named by Twitter to be the most tweeted-about artist of 2017, and ranked 1st worldwide in yearly social media engagements with 502 million likes and retweets.[33][34]

The group released a remix version of "Mic Drop" by producer Steve Aoki featuring rapper Desiigner on November 24, titled "MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)". The single debuted at No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the highest-charting entry by a K-pop group on the chart.[35] The song also debuted at No. 1 on the US iTunes chart, breaking their previous record for the highest-charting song for a K-pop group, which was set by "DNA" reaching No. 4 on the chart. This also made BTS the first K-pop group to reach the No. 1 spot on the Apple download service.[36]

On December 12, BTS was represented on six of the Billboard "Year End" Charts. The group ranked No. 1 on the "World Albums Artists" chart, No. 2 on the "World Albums" chart, No. 1 on the "Social 50 Artists" chart, No. 2 on the "Top Artists – Duo/Group" chart, and No. 32 on the "Independent Albums" chart. They also ranked as No. 10 on the "Top Artists" chart and are the only K-pop artists to have made the list.[37]

2018 (1): Hope World, album certification, and international accolades

BTS Mic Drop DNA Crystal Snow promotional photo

Concept photo for "MIC Drop/DNA/Crystal Snow".

On January 15, 2018, the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) announced that the Japanese single "MIC Drop/DNA/Crystal Snow" had recorded over 500,000 album sales and was certified double platinum. BTS was the only foreign artist to reach this level of certification in 2017.[38]

On February 3, BTS' single "MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)" was certified gold (500,000 units) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), becoming the first Korean group to have ever earned an RIAA certification.[39] On February 12, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced that "DNA" was certified Gold for earning 500,000 units as of February 9. BTS previously became the first Korean group to ever earn certification by the RIAA with "MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)", and are now the only Korean group to hold more than one certification.[40] Two days later, BTS won two Gaon Chart Music Awards: "Album of the Year - 1st Quarter" for You Never Walk Alone, and "Album of the Year - 3rdQuarter" for Love Yourself: Her. The group's frequent producer, Pdogg, also won the award for "Composer/Lyricist of the Year".[41] For the February 17 issue, Billboard Magazine featured BTS as their cover artist. This is the first time BTS has covered a U.S. magazine, and also the first time Billboard Magazine has released individual covers for members of a band.[42]

The mixtape Agust D by Suga was released unannounced on Spotify and iTunes worldwide for the first time on February 22, over 2 years since its original release. Within 24 hours, the album reached No. 1 on the worldwide iTunes charts and the iTunes Pop Charts.[43] The following week, the album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard World Albums chart dated March 3, 2018.[44]

On February 28, BTS won "Musician of the Year" at the Korean Music Awards, making the group the first K-Pop group to have received the award.[45]

On March 2, J-Hope released his first solo mixtape titled Hope World for free download on Google Drive, streaming on Spotify and SoundCloud, and for purchase on iTunes. The mixtape was accompanied by music videos for the title tracks "Daydream" and "Airplane". The music video for "DNA" reached 300 million views on March 6, 2018, making it only one of 3 K-pop videos to reach the benchmark and the fastest video to do so to date.[46] On March 11, the music video for "Fire" reached 300 million views, making it the 4th K-pop video to reach the benchmark and making BTS the only K-pop artist to have 2 videos achieve the accomplishment.[47] On March 11, BTS won both the "Best Fan Army" and "Best Boy Band" awards at the 2018 iHeartRadio Awards held in California, although the group declined to attend the event due to a busy schedule as they prepare for their upcoming album release later this year.[48]

BTS won a Kid's Choice Award for "Favorite Global Music Star", presented by Nickelodeon at a ceremony held in California on March 24, 2018.[49]

2018 (2): Face Yourself, Love Yourself: Tear and Love Yourself: Answer

BTS Face Yourself promotional photo

Concept photo for Face Yourself.

On Wednesday, April 4, 2018, BTS released their third Japanese album, Face Yourself, for purchase and streaming worldwide.[50] At midnight on April 5, Big Hit Productions released a video titled "Euphoria : Theme of LOVE YOURSELF 起 Wonder" on their official YouTube channel. The 9-minute long video appeared to tease the release of the next mini-album in the 'Love Yourself' series and featured a new track titled "Euphoria". On April 16, the group announced on Twitter the upcoming release of a new album titled "Love Yourself: Tear", which was slated for release on May 18. Love Yourself: Tear was confirmed to be the sequel to Love Yourself: Her, but would be a full-length album including 12 new tracks and is their third full-length LP following Dark & Wild and Wings.[51] On April 28, the music video for "Dope" reached 300 million views, making it the 5th K-pop video to reach the benchmark and making BTS the only K-pop artist to have 3 videos achieve the accomplishment.[52]

BTS released a video titled "LOVE YOURSELF Tear 'Singularity' Comeback Trailer" on May 6 at midnight KST in advance of the release Love Yourself: Tear on May 18.[53] The video features V as the solo vocalist for the track, his second solo track for the group and first as an album intro track singer. Within one hour and 29 minutes of its release, the music video reached 1 million likes on YouTube, making it the fastest BTS video to reach this milestone. Having surpassed the record of 8 hours set by "DNA", this also made "Singularity" the fastest music video ever to reach 1 million likes.[54][55] Following the release of the "Singularity" video, BTS' choreographer Son Sung Deuk declared V to be a member of the "Dance Line" on his Instagram account, placing V alongside Jung Kook and Jimin as the groups' Main Dancers under J-Hope as the Lead Dancer.[56] Love Yourself: Tear was released worldwide on Friday, May 18 on all streaming and download services.[57] The music video for the title track, Fake Love, was released simultaneously and broke the world record for the fastest music video to reach 1 million likes by reaching the milestone in just 39 minutes.[58] This broke the previous record of 1 hour and 29 minutes previously set by their song Intro: Singularity.

BTS Love Yourself Tear group concept photo O version

Concept photo for Love Yourself: Tear.

On May 20, BTS was awarded the Top Social Artist Award at the 2018 Billboard Awards in Las Vegas, having captured 94% of the overall fan vote.[59] A week later, BTS became the first K-pop act in charts history to top the Billboard 200 as the group's Love Yourself: Tear opened at Number One. The album sold 135,000 album-equivalent units (including 100,000 pure album sales), becoming BTS' highest-charting and first number one album in the US, the first K-pop album to top the US albums chart, and the highest-charting album by an Asian act. "FAKE LOVE" peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 that same week, becoming the band's highest reaching song on the chart as well as their first in the top ten. Overall, "Fake Love" is the seventeenth non-English song to reach the top ten, and the first for a K-Pop group. The single also debuted at number seven on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart with 27.4 million streams earned in the week ending May 24, giving BTS its first top ten on the chart and making “Fake Love” the first K-pop song to land on top ten since Psy's “Hangover” feat. Snoop Dogg in 2014. Love Yourself: Tear also reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart, marking the group's first top ten album in the country.[60]

BTS Love Yourself 'Answer' Group Concept Photo F version

Concept photo for Love Yourself: Answer.

On July 17, the group announced the release of their second compilation album Love Yourself: Answer for August 24, 2018, with seven new tracks added to the release.[61] Their 2018 world tour, titled BTS World Tour: Love Yourself, began the following day in Seoul. For the final stop of the North American leg, the band will perform at Citi Field, marking the first time a Korean act has performed at a U.S. stadium. All 40,000 tickets for the stadium date were later confirmed by Big Hit Entertainment to have sold out in under 20 minutes.[62] On August 24, 2018, the album was released, along with the music video for "IDOL" and an alternative version of the track featuring Nicki Minaj.[63] Debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200, the album became BTS' second number-one album—their second of 2018—and their highest sales week in the country to date. It earned 185,000 album-equivalent units, which comprises 141,000 in pure album sales, 25,000 SEA units (39.01 million on-demand audio streams of the album's songs) and 19,000 TEA units.[citation needed] Making BTS the only K-pop act with two Billboard 200 toppers and the first pop act with two number one albums in less than a year since One Direction topped the chart with Four in 2014, which followed their 2013 album Midnight Memories. In Canada, "Love Yourself: Answer" became the band's first number-one album on the Canadian Albums Chart, earning over 10,000 consumption units. The single from the album, "IDOL", reached number five on the Canadian Singles Chart, marking BTS' first top-ten hit in Canada.[citation needed]

On September 19, BTS was invited to attend the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly. According to UN sources, BTS will be attending the launch of UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund)’s “Generation Unlimited” partnership that will take place on September 24 at 12 p.m. local time at the UN Headquarters in New York, a day before the general debate will begin. “Generation Unlimited” is a new global partnership that is “dedicated to increasing opportunities and investments for children and young people aged 10 to 24.” BTS is said to have been noted by the United Nations for their UNICEF campaign called “Love Myself,” which launched in October 2017 and has raised over 1 million dollars as of June 2018. A UN diplomat expressed how exceptional it is for a K-pop artist to be invited to attend one of UN General Assembly’s regular sessions. Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta H. Fore, South Korean First Lady Kim Jung Sook, and several others are expected to attend.[citation needed]

On October 14, they performed at the Korea-France Friendship Concert in Paris, a summit meant to show the friendly relations between France and South Korea. Around 400 officials attended the meeting, including South Korean president Moon Jae-in.[64] Four days later, Big Hit Entertainment sent an email to its company employees and stakeholders announcing that BTS had renewed their contract with the agency. According to the email, the renewed contract is 7 years in length.[65]

On October 20, RM announced via BTS' twitter to announce the release date for his second mixtape titled mono with the tracklist and a message "RM's playlist 'mono.' 10/23". RM describes mono as a playlist, though some publications have referred to it as a "mixtape".[66] On October 21, 2018, rapper RM released mono on digital and streaming platforms for free alongside a music video for its final track "Forever Rain". The playlist includes lyric videos for its second and third track, "Seoul" and "Moonchild", respectively. Mono debuted at number 1 on the global iTunes Top Albums chart, and later peaked at number 1 in 88 countries.[citation needed]

Crossing over to film, Burn The Stage: The Movie was released in theaters worldwide on November 15, 2018. In the United States it accumulated $1.2 million on opening day for a total of $3.54 million over the three day weekend, breaking the record for for highest grossing event cinema musical production which was previously set in 2014 by the band One Direction. It ranked at number ten in the box office despite selling at only 620 locations compared to the 2,000-4,000 locations for the other top ten sellers.

On November 6, 2018, BTS won eleven awards at the MBC Plus X Genie Music Awards, including Album of the Year and Artist of the Year. On November 29, 2018, BTS won the grand prize ("daesang") at the 3rd Asia Artist Awards.[67] On December 1, 2018, BTS won a total of seven awards at the 2018 Melon Music Awards, including Album of the Year with Love Yourself: Tear, and Artist of the Year.[68] On December 14, 2018, BTS won ten awards at the Mnet Asian Music Awards, including Album of the Year and Artist of the Year. This marked their third year in a row winning the Artist of the Year award.[citation needed] On November 9, 2018 "Love Yourself: Answer" became the first Korean album to be certified Gold (500,000+ units), and BTS became the first Korean group to get a Platinum (1,000,000+ units) certification with the single "MIC Drop" in the United States.[69]

According to StubHub BTS was one of 2018's best selling concerts in the world, second to only Ed Sheeran.[70]

In December 2018, Billboard reported that BTS ranked #8 in their year-end Top Artist Chart, alongside the likes of Drake and Taylor Swift. They were also the No. 2 act of the year in the Duo/Group ranking, only behind Imagine Dragons. In the same month they made the Bloomberg 50, citing their willingness to address social issues, mental health, and politics despite being in a genre that can be painted as bubble gum pop.[citation needed] Later in the month, it was announced that Love Yourself: Tear had been nominated for a Grammy Award for 'Best Recording Package'.[71]

2019: Map of the Soul: Persona and stadium world tour

BTS Map of the Soul Persona group concept photo 3

Concept photo for Map of the Soul : Persona.

In January 2019 they released a webtoon entitled "Save Me" that followed an Alternate Universe in their music video's and short films.[72] Later on in the month, it was announced that BTS had begun production on an upcoming album, with a planned release date between late April and early May. The album, titled Map of the Soul: Persona was announced on March 11, 2019, with the release date officially slated for April 12. On February 4, 2019, BTS were confirmed to attend the 61st Grammy Awards, held on the tenth of the same month. They were also announced to be presenting an award making them the first Korean to do so. It was their first time attending the event following an appearance by the group at the LA Grammy Museum in 2018.

BTS announced a stadium tour called Love Yourself: Speak Yourself in March 2019, with dates in multiple stadium venues including Wembley Stadium, Stade de France, MetLife Stadium, Rose Bowl, and Soldier Field. All dates had sold out within 2 hours, and shortly after, Big Hit announced second dates for all venues.

On March 27, RM released their latest comeback trailer, titled: Persona. The music video hit over 4 Million views in less that 6 hours. The video features similar clips from their comeback trailer, 'Skool Luv Affair'.

2020 (1): Map of the Soul : 7, Map of the Soul : 7 ~ The Journey ~, "Dynamite"

On January 7, the group announced the release of their fourth Korean full-length album, Map of the Soul : 7, on February 21, with pre-order sales beginning on January 9.[73] On March 26, it was reported that BTS would be releasing a new Japanese album in the summer and would include the track "Stay Gold", to be used as the theme song for the Japanese drama Rasen no Meikyū.[74] On May 7, BTS confirmed that they would be releasing their fourth Japanese full-length album, Map of the Soul : 7 ~ The Journey ~, on July 15.[75] "Stay Gold" was released on June 19, 2020 as a pre-release single.[76]

On July 27, BTS announced that they would be releasing an English digital single on August 21, ahead of their upcoming album which will be released in the second half of the year.[77]

On August 21, BTS released their first English single, "Dynamite". It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed for a continuous two weeks, becoming the 2nd group ever to do so.

2020 (2): Be, Suga's hiatus

BTS Be group concept photo 1

Concept photo for Be.

On November 6, it was announced that Suga would be going on a hiatus, halting any promotions with the group to recover from a recent shoulder surgery. Big Hit Entertainment released a statement saying, "Suga underwent surgery to repair his torn shoulder labrum on November 3. The surgery, to address a problem that had constantly been a health and wellness issue for Suga, was completed successfully, and he is currently resting and recovering following his physician’s advice that Suga must undergo a strict and unhindered period of recovery."[78] On November 20, the group released their seventh Korean mini album, Be. The music video for its title track, "Life Goes On" became their 27th music video to reach 100 million views.[79] Four days later, the group was announced as nominees for the "Best Pop Duo/Group Performance" category at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards for their song "Dynamite", making them the first ever K-pop group to be nominated.[80]

On December 1, South Korea passed the new 'BTS Law' affecting all big kpop stars and delaying their mandatory service. This came right before Jin's 28th birthday, when he would've left the group for enlistment around the next month, in January 2021.[81] With the new law, he won't need to serve until he's 30.

2021: BTS, The Best, "Butter" and "Permission To Dance"

BTS Butter group concept photo 1

Concept photo for "Butter".

On March 25, BTS announced through their official Japanese fan club that their newest Japanese best album, BTS, The Best, would be released on June 16. A single titled "Film Out" was released on April 2, two months before the album's official release date.[82]

On the midnight of April 27, it was announced that BTS would be releasing their second English-language digital single, "Butter", on May 21.[83][84]

On July 9, BTS released their first English CD single "Butter". On July 23, they released the English remix single "Permission to Dance (R&B Remix)".

2022: Proof and Jin's military service

BTS Proof group concept photo 1

Concept photo for Proof.

On April 17, 2022, BigHit Music released a statement through Weverse which announced that BTS would be releasing an album on June 10, 2022 with more information will be shared at a later date.[85] A logo trailer was posted on May 5 which announced the name of the album to be, Proof.[86] BigHit later explained that Proof is an anthology album that looks back at the group's nine-year history and contains three new tracks.[87]

On June 3, it was announced that BTS would be returning to perform on music shows for the first time after over two years.[88] On June 14, the members revealed during their 2022 BTS Festa dinner that the group would be going on indefinite hiatus to focus on solo activities.[89][90]

In October 2022, it was announced that the group will be on hiatus for their military service, with Jin being the first to enlist. The group is expected to reunite by 2025.[91] On December 12, BigHit revealed that Jin would be enlisting as an active duty soldier on December 13.[92]

On November 1, in a interview with Rolling Stone magazine between RM and Pharrell Williams, Pharrell announced that BTS will be featured in a song on his upcoming album Phfriends.[93]

2023: Military enlistments, Bastions' OST, Beyond The Story: 10-Year Record of BTS and "Take Two"

On February 26, 2023, BigHit Music announced that J-Hope applied for the termination of his enlistment postponement and will soon start his military service.[94] On April 1, 2023, BigHit released a statement stating that J-Hope will be enlisting into the military as an active duty soldier.[95] On April 18, J-Hope enlisted in the military as an active duty soldier.[96]

On April 14, Thymos Media announced that BTS as a full group would be singing the theme song of the new 3D animated superhero film Bastions that will premiere on May 14.[97] The song is titled "The Planet" and will be released on May 12.[98]

On May 11, U.S. publisher Flatiron Books announced Beyond The Story: 10-Year Record of BTS, an oral history of the group, written along with journalist Kang Myeongseok. It will be released simultaneously in South Korea and the United States on July 9.[99]

On May 31, it was announced that BTS will release the digital single "Take Two" on June 9 to celebrate the group's 10th anniversary.[100]

On August 7, BigHit Music announced that Suga applied for the termination of his enlistment postponement and will soon start his military service.[101] On September 17, 2023, BigHit released a statement stating that Suga will be enlisting into the military as a public service worker on September 22.[102]

On September 20, all seven members renewed their contracts with BigHit Music, which will begin in 2025, after taking into account the members' military service status.[103]

On December 5, BigHit Music announced that RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook are about to start their military service, without providing an exact date due to safety reasons.[104]

Members

Name Position(s) Years active
Inactive (military service)
Jin (진) Vocalist, Visual 2013–present
Suga (슈가) Lead Rapper 2013–present
J-Hope (제이홉) Main Dancer, Lead Rapper, Sub Vocalist 2013–present
RM[n 3] Leader, Main Rapper 2013–present
Jimin (지민) Main Dancer, Lead Vocalist 2013–present
V (뷔) Lead Dancer, Vocalist, Visual 2013–present
Jung Kook (정국) Main Vocalist, Lead Dancer, Sub Rapper, Center, Maknae 2013–present

Discography

Korean

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Mini albums

OST albums

Special albums

Single albums

Digital singles

Remix singles

Promotional singles

Collaborations

OSTs

Other releases

Japanese

Studio albums

Best albums

Singles

Digital singles

English

Digital EPs

Singles

Digital singles

Remix singles

Collaborations

Features

Concerts

Online concerts

Asian tours

  • BTS Live The Most Beautiful Moment in Life On Stage (2015–2016)
  • BTS Live The Most Beautiful Moment in Life On Stage: Epilogue (2016)

Japan tours

  • BTS 1st Japan Tour 2015 Wake Up: Open Your Eyes (2015)

World tours

Concert participations

Fanmeetings

  • BTS 1st Fan Meeting: Muster (2014)
  • BTS 2nd Muster: Zip Code : 17520 (2015) (cancelled)
  • Halloween Party with BTS (2015)
  • BTS 2nd Muster: Zip Code : 22920 (2016)
  • Happy BTS Day Party (2016)
  • BTS 3rd Muster: Army.Zip + (2016)
  • BTS Home Party (2017)
  • BTS 4th Muster: Happy Ever After (2018)
  • BTS Prom Party -Re;View & Pre;View- (2018)
  • BTS 5th Muster: Magic Shop (2019)
  • BTS 2021 Muster Sowoozoo (2021)

Japan fanmeetings

  • BTS Japan Official Fanmeeting Vol.1 (2014)
  • BTS Japan Official Fanmeeting Vol.2 -Undercover Mission- (2015)
  • BTS Japan Official Fanmeeting Vol.3 ~Reaching You~ (2016)
  • BTS Japan Official Fanmeeting Vol.4 ~Happy Ever After~ (2018)
  • BTS Japan Official Fanmeeting Vol.5: Magic Shop (2019)

Filmography

Films

  • Burn The Stage: The Movie (2018)
  • BTS World Tour: Love Yourself in Seoul (2019)
  • Bring The Soul: The Movie (2019)
  • Break The Silence: The Movie (2020)
  • BTS Permission to Dance on Stage - Seoul (2022)
  • BTS Permission to Dance on Stage - LA (2022)
  • BTS: Yet To Come in Cinemas (2023)

Dramas

Reality shows

  • BTS: Burn The Stage (YouTube Premium, 2018)
  • Bring The Soul: Docu-Series (Weverse, 2019)
  • Break The Silence: Docu-Series (Weverse, 2020)
  • BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star (Disney+, 2023)

Variety shows

  • Rookie King: Channel Bangtan (SBS MTV, 2013)
  • BTS American Hustle Life (Mnet, 2014)
  • BTS China Job (YinYueTai, 2014)
  • BTS: Lucky Draw (V Live, YouTube, 2015)
  • Run BTS!
    • Season 1 (V Live, 2015–2016)
    • Season 2 (V Live, 2017–2018)
    • Season 3 (V Live, Weverse, 2019–2021)
    • Specials (V Live, Weverse, YouTube, 2023)
  • BTS Gayo
    • Season 1 (V Live, 2015)
    • Season 2 (V Live, 2017)
  • BTS: Bon Voyage
    • Season 1 (V Live, 2016)
    • Season 2 (V Live, 2017)
    • Season 3 (V Live, 2018)
    • Season 4 (Weverse, 2019–2020)
  • BT21 Universe
    • Season 1 (YouTube, 2017)
    • Season 2 (YouTube, 2019)
    • Season 3 (YouTube, 2020)
  • In the SOOP BTS ver.
    • Season 1 (JTBC, Weverse, 2020)
    • Season 2 (JTBC, Weverse, 2021)
  • MapleStory X BTS (YouTube, 2020)
  • Free Fire X BTS Show Series (YouTube, 2022)
  • BTS Become Game Developers (YouTube, 2022)
  • MBTI Lab (YouTube, 2022)
  • The Tales of Bangtan Kingdom (YouTube, 2022)

Bibliography

Books

  • The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: The Notes 1[n 7] (2019)
  • We Can Laugh When We're Together (2020)
  • Learn! Korean with BTS Book Package (2020)
  • The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: The Notes 2[n 7] (2020)
  • BTS Lyrics Inside (2022–2023)
  • Beyond The Story: 10-Year Record of BTS (with Kang Myeongseok) (2023)

Photobooks

  • BTS Wings Concept Book (2017)
  • BTS Map of the Soul ON:E Concept Photobook (2021)
  • Me, Myself, and (2022–2023)
  • 'Beyond The Stage' BTS Documentary Photobook : The Day We Meet (2023)

Web novels

  • 7Fates: Chakho[n 8] (2022–2023)

Webtoons

  • The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt.0: Save Me[n 9] (2019)
  • 7Fates: Chakho[n 10] (2022–2023)

Games

  • SuperStar BTS (2018) (shut down)
  • BTS World (2019)
  • BTS Universe Story (2020)
  • BTS Island: In the Seom (2022)

Crossover games

  • Kstars Wonderland (2014) (shut down)
  • Rhythm Hive (2021)

Endorsements

  • PUMA (Korea) (2015–2017)
  • Tales Runner (Korea) (2016)
  • SNOW App (2016)
  • BBQ (Korea) (2016–2017)
  • SMART Uniform (Korea) (2016–2018)
  • SK TELECOM (Korea) (2016–2018)
  • SMART TV (Korea) (2016–2018)
  • VT Cosmetics (Korea) (2017–2019)
  • Lotte Duty Free (Korea) (2017–2021)
  • MEDIHEAL (Korea) (2017–2019)
  • Love Myself (UNICEF) (2017–present)
  • Seoul Tourism Ambassador (2017–2022)
  • Yahoo WiFi (Japan) (2018)
  • PLAY/UP (Japan) (2018)
  • KB Kookmin Bank (Korea) (2018–2021)
  • Cold Brew Coffee by Babinski (Korea) (2018)
  • PUMA (Global) (2018)
  • LG Electronics (Global) (2018)
  • Coca Cola (Korea) (2018)
  • Hyundai (Global) (2018–2022)
  • Mattel (Global) (2019)
  • MTPR (Korea) (2019)
  • KwangJuYo (Korea) (2019)
  • CASETiFY (USA) (2019–present)
  • Lemona (Korea) (2019–2020)
  • Tokopedia (Indonesia) (2019–present)
  • FILA (Global) (2019–2021)
  • Baskin Robbins (Korea) (2020)
  • Starbucks (Korea) (2020)
  • HANDSOME (Korea) (2020)
  • STONEHENgE (Korea) (2020)
  • MapleStory (2020)
  • Lotte Chilsung (Korea) (2020–2021)
  • Samsung (Global) (2020–present)
  • Bodyfriend (Korea) (2020)
  • SMART (Korea) (2021–present)
  • McDonald's (Global) (2021)
  • Coca Cola (Indonesia) (2021)
  • Helinox (2021)
  • BUILT New York (USA) (2021)
  • JAMIE WANDER (Korea) (2021)
  • XYLITOL (Korea) (2021–present)
  • Louis Vuitton (Global) (2021)
  • WEBTOON (Global) (2021–2023)
  • Coway (Korea) (2021–present)
  • Snickers (2022)
  • Free Fire (2022)
  • Cookie Run: Kingdom (2022)
  • LEGO (Global) (2023–present)

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by BTS

Records

Main article: List of records set and broken by BTS

Recognition and honors

BTS was named "Best Dressed Boy Band" at the Billboard Music Awards by Vogue Magazine in May 2017.[23]

BTS was named one of the "Top 25 Most Influential People on the Internet" by Time Magazine in June 2017, based on "their global impact on social media and their overall ability to drive news."[105]

On December 30, 2017, fashion website Polyvore named BTS their "Top Male Fashion Icons of the Year" for 2017.[106]

For their March 2018 issue, J-14 Magazine named BTS the winner of their 2017 Teen Icon Award for "Iconic International Star" as determined by fan vote.[107]

Big Hit Entertainment received an award at the 2018 iF Design Awards in Germany on February 8, 2018, in the Corporate Identity/Branding category under Communication Design, for their redesigned logo and brand identity for BTS. The iF Design Award is considered one of the world's top three design awards.[108]

TIME Magazine named BTS No. 1 on their list of "Best K-Pop Artists" published on February 9, 2018. The list called BTS "music’s biggest social media phenomena" and recognized their "upbeat onstage energy and their distinctive personalities."[109]

BTS was announced as the winner of the 2018 TIME 100 Poll, a reader poll opened to the public in the process of determining the official TIME 100 inductees for the year. While TIME editors are responsible for selecting the TIME 100, the reader poll is influential in determining which public figures are included in the final lineup; BTS received 15% of the overall public vote, with the next highest percentage at 5%.[110]

Trivia

  • Their official fan club name is called A.R.M.Y. (stylized as ARMY), which stands for "Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth."[111]
  • The literal translation of their Korean name (방탄소년단, or Bangtan Sonyeondan) in English is "Bulletproof Boy Scouts."

Gallery

Main article: BTS/Gallery

Notes

  1. The group is in hiatus of group activities but they are still active releasing music as full group, they are expected to comeback in 2025.
  2. 2.0 2.1 BigHit Music was previously known as Big Hit Entertainment (2013–21)
  3. RM previously went by another stage name: Rap Monster (랩몬스터) from June 2013 to November 2017
  4. Previously called Dynamite (Deluxe)
  5. Only sung by Jin, Jimin, V, Jung Kook
  6. The drama is part of the BTS Universe, with each character representing a member of the group.
  7. 7.0 7.1 The book is part of the BTS Universe, with each character representing a member of the group.
  8. The web novel is part of the BTS's 7Fates: Chakho universe, with each character representing a member of the group.
  9. The webtoon is part of the BTS Universe, with each character representing a member of the group.
  10. The webtoon is part of the BTS's 7Fates: Chakho universe, with each character representing a member of the group.

References

  1. Soompi: BTS Confirmed To Be Leaving Columbia Records For Universal Music Group
  2. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (May 26, 2013)
  3. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (June 2, 2013)
  4. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (June 3, 2013) (1)
  5. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (June 3, 2013) (2)
  6. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (June 3, 2013) (3)
  7. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (June 3, 2013) (4)
  8. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (June 4, 2013) (1)
  9. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (June 4, 2013) (2)
  10. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (June 4, 2013) (3)
  11. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (June 4, 2013) (4)
  12. allkpop: BTS make a strong Japanese debut on the Oricon Daily Chart + F.T. Island, B2ST, and Boyfriend rank in the Top 10 on Weekly Charts
  13. Spin Magazine: The 50 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2015
  14. Fuse TV: THE 20 BEST MIXTAPES OF 2016
  15. Soompi: BTS Announces Date For Comeback With 2nd Full Album
  16. Soompi: BTS Sells A Whopping 500,000 Copies Of “WINGS” In 1st Week Of Pre-Sale
  17. Soompi: BTS Achieves All Kill With “Blood Sweat & Tears,” Takes Over Charts With “WINGS”
  18. Soompi: BTS’s “Blood Sweat & Tears” MV Breaks Another Record As Views Continue To Soar
  19. Billboard: BTS' 'Wings' Sets New U.S. Record for Highest-Charting, Best-Selling K-Pop Album
  20. Soompi: BTS' "Spring Day" Breaks US iTunes Record For K-Pop Groups, New Album Tops Global Charts
  21. Mwave: BTS Reaches Number 15 on Billboard’s ‘Bubbling Under Hot 100’
  22. Billboard: BTS Thanks Fans For Top Social Artist Win at Billboard Music Awards 2017
  23. 23.0 23.1 Vogue Magazine: BTS Is the Best Dressed Boy Band at the Billboard Music Awards
  24. Billboard: BTS Extends Identity to Mean Beyond the Scene
  25. Soompi: BTS’s “Love Yourself: Her” Sets New Gaon Chart Record In 16 Years With 1.2 Million Albums Sold
  26. Soompi: BTS Breaks K-Pop Records With Amazing Results On iTunes Charts For “Love Yourself: Her”
  27. Billboard: BTS Score Top 10 Debut on Billboard 200 With 'Love Yourself: Her' Album
  28. Billboard: BTS & EXO Nos. 1 & 2 on Social 50, First Time K-Pop Rules Top Two
  29. Soompi: BTS Enters Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart For First Time With “DNA”
  30. Allkpop: BTS say they'll have surprise for fans if they reach their goal of entering Billboard's 'Hot 100' list
  31. Asiaone: BTS makes appearance at AMAs as first K-pop group to be invited
  32. Huffington Post: K-Pop Group BTS Broke A World Record Because Of Course They Did
  33. Billboard: BTS Is the Most Tweeted-About Artist of 2017, Plus More Twitter Year-End Data
  34. Soompi: BTS Liked Or Retweeted Half-Billion Times on Twitter, Ranks First
  35. Billboard: BTS Earns Highest-Charting & First Top 40 Hot 100 Hit for a K-Pop Group With 'MIC Drop'
  36. Metro: BTS break record as first K-pop band to top US iTunes chart
  37. Allkpop: BTS, Big Bang, G-Dragon, EXO, and Seventeen listed on Billboard's 'Year End' charts for 2017
  38. Soompi: BTS Is Only Foreign Artist To Be Certified Double Platinum In Japan With 2017 Single
  39. Billboard: 'Mic Drop' Remix With Steve Aoki and Desiigner Certified Gold by RIAA
  40. RIAA: Gold & Platinum
  41. Alllkpop: Winners of the '7th GAON Chart Kpop Awards'!
  42. Billboard: BTS Speaks Out In Seoul: The K-Pop Megastars Get Candid About Representing a New Generation
  43. Celeb Mix: BTS Suga’s ‘Agust D’ Mixtape Claims #1 Spot on Worldwide iTunes Album Chart
  44. Soompi: BTS, Suga (Agust D), SEVENTEEN, BoA, And CLC Earn Spots On Billboard’s World Albums Chart
  45. Yonhap News: BTS wins Musician of the Year at 2018 Korean Music Awards
  46. Soompi: BTS’s “DNA” Hits 300 Million Views In Fastest Time Ever For A K-Pop Group MV
  47. Soompi: BTS’s “Fire” MV Surpasses 300 Million Views
  48. Variety: 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards: Complete Winners List
  49. Soompi: BTS Wins Favorite Global Music Star At 2018 Kids’ Choice Awards
  50. Billbaord: BTS Releases Third Japanese Album 'Face Yourself' Featuring 4 New Songs
  51. Billboard: BTS Announce New Full-Length Album 'Love Yourself: Tear' To Be Released in May
  52. Soompi: BTS’s “Dope” Becomes Their 3rd MV To Reach 300 Million Views/
  53. Billboard: BTS' V Reveals Haunting New Song 'Singularity' Ahead of 'Love Yourself: Tear' Album Release: Watch
  54. Twitter: 'Singularity' MV has surpassed 1 MILLION likes on Youtube.
  55. Allkpop: BTS become the fastest K-pop group to reach 10 million views and 1 million likes!
  56. @sonsungdeuk on Instagram: 태형이
  57. Billboard: BTS Releases Expressive 'Love Yourself: Tear' Album: Listen
  58. Twitter: FAKE LOVE become the Fastest MV to hit 1M Likes on YouTube history in just 39 Minutes
  59. Billlboard: BTS Wins Top Social Artist Award at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards
  60. Forbes: BTS Is Currently Enjoying The Best Week Of Their Career On The U.K. Charts
  61. Soompi: BTS Reveals Exciting Track List For “Love Yourself: Answer”
  62. HelloKpop: BTS Sells Out "Love Yourself" US Stadium Show Within 20 Minutes)
  63. Billboard: BTS’ ‘Idol’ Video Featuring Nicki Minaj: Watch
  64. Billboard: BTS Performs at Korea-France Friendship Concert in Paris with South Korean President in Attendance
  65. Billboard: BTS Renews Contract With Big Hit Entertainment
  66. Soompi: BTS’s RM Announces New Solo Mixtape + Reveals Track List
  67. Soompi: Winners Of 2018 MBC Plus X Genie Music Awards
  68. Soompi: Winners Of The 2018 Melon Music Awards
  69. Billboard: BTS Recognized by RIAA for First Platinum Single & First Gold Album
  70. USA Today: 2018's best-selling live artists: Ed Sheeran, Bruce Springsteen, BTS
  71. Forbes: BTS's 'Love Yourself: Tear' Receives Grammy Nomination For Best Recording Package
  72. Soompi: BTS Releases “Save Me” Web Comic Series In Partnership With Naver Webtoon
  73. Soompi: BTS Announces Release Date For "Map Of The Soul: 7"
  74. Soompi: BTS To Release New Song As OST For Upcoming Japanese Drama
  75. BTS Official Japan Fanclub: 日本4thアルバム『MAP OF THE SOUL : 7 ~ THE JOURNEY ~』2020年7月15日発売決定&予約受付のご案内
  76. BTS Japan Official Fanclub: 新曲「Stay Gold」先行配信決定!
  77. Soompi: BTS Announces Release Of New Single In August
  78. Metro UK: BTS's Suga taking break from activities after undergoing surgery
  79. Soompi: BTS's "Life Goes On" Becomes Their 27th Full Group MV To Reach 100 Million Views
  80. StyleCaster: BTS Had The Best Reaction to Their Historic First-Ever Grammy Nomination
  81. Billboard: 'BTS Law passed in South Korea'
  82. (JP) BTS Official Fanclub: ベストアルバム『BTS, THE BEST』6月16日(水)にリリース決定!予約受付のご案内
  83. Allkpop: BTS to release their new digital single this May
  84. Variety: BTS’ Second English-Language Single, Butter,’ Due Next Month
  85. (KR) Newsen: 방탄소년단 측 "6월 10일 컴백 확정, 新챕터 여는 앨범"(공식)
  86. @BIGHIT_MUSIC on Twitter (May 5, 2022)
  87. Weverse: [공지] BTS ‘Proof’ 발매 안내 (+ENG/JPN/CHN)
  88. Soompi: BTS To Return To Performing On Music Shows After Over 2 Years
  89. Billboard: BTS Announce They’re ‘Going on Hiatus’: ‘We Have to Accept That We’ve Changed’
  90. Soompi: BTS Announces Indefinite Hiatus From Group Activities + Opens Up About Their Concerns
  91. BBC News: K-pop stars BTS to take time out for military service
  92. Soompi: BIGHIT MUSIC Releases Additional Statement Regarding BTS’s Jin’s Military Enlistment
  93. Soompi: Pharrell Confirms BTS Collab Is On The Way
  94. Soompi: BTS’s J-Hope Begins Military Enlistment Process
  95. Soompi: BIGHIT Announces BTS’s J-Hope Will Be Enlisting In Army As Active-Duty Soldier
  96. Soompi: BTS Sends Off J-Hope As He Enlists In The Military
  97. Soompi: Watch: BTS To Release New Song As Full Group For Animated Film OST
  98. YouTube: 【The Planet M/V 】<nowki>ㅣBTSㅣ</nowiki> ‘베스티언즈’ 타이틀곡 ‘THE PLANET 뮤직비디오 Teaser 공개!
  99. Soompi: BTS Confirmed To Release Their Own Book In July
  100. Soompi: BTS Announces Digital Single “Take Two” With All 7 Members For 2023 BTS Festa
  101. Soompi: BTS’ Suga Officially Preparing For Military Enlistment
  102. Soompi: BTS’ Suga Announces Military Enlistment Date
  103. Soompi: All 7 BTS Members Renew Contracts With BIGHIT MUSIC
  104. Soompi: BIGHIT MUSIC Confirms Enlistment Plans For BTS’s RM, Jimin, V, And Jungkook
  105. Time Magazine: The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet
  106. Twitter: If you don't know about @bts_bighit yet, you will now
  107. J-14 2017 Teen Icon Awards, Baur Media Group, pg. 22, J-14 Magazine, March 2018.
  108. Soompi: Big Hit Awarded For BTS’s Logo And Brand Identity
  109. Time Magazine: These Are the Best K-Pop Groups You Should Know About
  110. Time Magazine: K-Pop Group BTS Wins TIME 100 Reader Poll
  111. Billboard: Meet the Fans of BTS: Profiles of American ARMY

Official links

Korean
Japanese
Chinese

Advertisement