BTS, The group's name, is an acronym for the Korean expression Bangtan Sonyeondan, literally meaning "Bulletproof Boy Scouts" debuted in 2013. Since bursting onto the music scene five years ago, South Korean boy band BTS has become an incredible force for good. This year alone, the collective – which consists of members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook – has won several awards for their fan engagement, while tickets for their world tour sold out in minutes. Their third full- length album, Love Yourself: Tear, became the first non-English language album to top the Billboard 200 in 12 years.
When asked what BTS meant while doing a TV interview, member J-Hope said, "The meaning of 'bangtan' is to guard against something. So [our name] means that we will boldly defend our music and our worth."With three letters and seven members, BTS must be the biggest thing in music globally today. Already huge successes for several years in Japan, China and their native South Korea, this year they have achieved the impossible and converted Western audiences to hyperactive pop sung largely in Korean. The group has released six albums, four compilation albums, five EPs and 22 singles since the boys’ debut in 2013, they have had two number one albums in the US this year. Over here, two O2 sellouts is a mighty feat for the first trip to London.
Despite BTS' phenomenal success in their homeland South Korea and recently claiming the title as the world's biggest boy band, entering the Official UK Singles Chart is still a massive deal for the seven-member group.
In the closing moments of their first and long sold-out show at London's O2 Arena last night (October 9), member RM said: "We have waited for today for like, years! When we first heard about breaking the UK charts, it was so amazing and surprising because the UK chart is so well respected. "You have the greatest musicians in your country, and in this city, so we feel so grateful for that. We’ll never take it for granted. Thank you so much. We love you London!"
When writing about BTS – arguably the biggest band in the world these days – it pays to remember that the K-pop giants also have the biggest and most devoted fan base in the form of the BTS Army, who are always ready to spring to the defense of their idols. Because the band name translates to Bulletproof Boy Scouts, the fan name symbolizes the army that stands with them.
BTS is not infallible, but they deal with criticism as honestly and openly as any other issue in their music. After being called out for referring to traditional gender roles in older music and tweets, the band released the following statement:
Through self-review and discussion, we’ve learned that we can’t be free of societal prejudices and mistakes … things that are seen and learned in society … Please continue to watch BTS grow, and if you would continue to point out our shortcomings, we will continue to work hard.
At a time when so many young people are struggling to find their place, it is almost no surprise that BTS has been such a big hit. Their impressive work goes to show that pop music can be about so much more than broken hearts or catchy lyrics – it can make a world of difference.
If you don't know them yet, here are the things to know.
1. They have four studio albums, five EPs, and some other recorded projects under their belts.
2. They are well-known for their socially conscious songs that focus on social issues, including bullying, mental health, societal pressures, and political criticisms.
3. They are breaking their own chart records in the US.
4. They made history as the first K-pop group to perform at an American awards ceremony.
Americans who don't speak Korean might not understand the BTS song lyrics, but that hasn't stopped them from becoming obsessed with the music.
BTS was the No. 1 most tweeted about the musical group in the U.S. in 2017, according to Twitter, topping Justin Bieber, Rihanna, and Nicki Minaj. When the group arrived in the U.S. to perform at the 2017 American Music Awards, Ellen Degeneres described the scene in Los Angeles "like the Beatles were here."
At a 2017 BTS concert in Chile, screams from the audience reached 127 decibels, "well past the noise level at which permanent hearing loss becomes a serious concern," according to The New York Times Magazine.
In 2014, BTS first visited Los Angeles to film a Korean reality show called "American Hustle Life," and were introduced to the culture of hip-hop. Initially, the group's sound was closer to rap than pop, according to Vogue. But in 2015, they began creating more upbeat dance tracks.
Soon, the group had a hit: "BTS as a group sort of took off with the success of our 2015 album that had our hit single 'I NEED U,'" RM tells Time. "We didn't realize we were becoming famous until we were invited to KCONs [K-pop music festivals] in the U.S. and Europe in 2014 or 2015.
The group's 2018 album, "Love Yourself: Tear," explores the "dark side" to love and live according to RM. "We sometimes compare ourselves to others and sometimes get really depressed," he tells Entertainment Tonight. "The final goal of my whole life is to love myself."
And that's something you don't need to understand Korean to experience through music, BTS member Suga, says: "I think we can all share in the same message."
