K-Pop 20 Reasons Why Everyone Should Listen To BTS
Whether you have heard about the K-pop boy band BTS or not, they are rapidly becoming a musical sensation. Comprised of seven members for the last three years, their K-pop songs are so crowd-pleasing that they have managed to rise to US charts such as the Billboard 200.
Despite their success, they have not yet become a household name in the US, even though they are just as cute as the ones formed on American soil.
Intrigued yet? You've come to the right place. We have all the facts and little-known details about this blossoming boy band that is taking the U.S by storm. Check out these 20 little-known details about K-pop band BTS and why everyone should be listening to them.
20 A Name Is Everything To A Band
When it comes to a band name, it's important to find a balance between creative and accessible; it's the title that will carry a band through their entire career.
BTS gets its namesake from "Bangtan Sonyeondan," a Korean phrase which when translated to English means “Bulletproof Boy Scouts.”
At the time of their release, however, some fans thought the name was cheesy because of its affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America; in an effort to save face, the band quickly shortened it to the acronym BTS.
19 They Have Their Own Twitter Emoji
As of 2016, BTS became the only K-pop band to receive its own Twitter Emoji. This was due in large part to the 2015 "Gold Tweet" in Korea compounded by their massive social media following.
Fans are able to use the hashtag of the band's emoji-which consists of the BTS bulletproof-vest logo on their personal Twitter accounts. The emoji was part of the band's goal to garner a bigger fanbase in countries like Russia, Turkey, and Brazil.
18 BTS Has Made K-Pop History
Every time the band releases something new, it's bigger and better than before.
Wings release was one of the highest-charting and best-selling K-pop albums in the United States and they continue to hit the top 200 on the Billboard list surpassing albums released by K-pop bands, EXO and 2NE1.
BTS also stood apart from other artists by being the only Billboard 200-charting Korean act not backed by one of the Big Three: South Korea's largest entertainment agencies (YG Entertainment, SM Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment).
17 Seven Is Their Lucky Number
Most American bands only have five members; we've never really seen it go beyond that. It seems to be the magic number that works.
But for the boy bands, this number is quite low (some bands have gone into the double digits!) BTS strikes an even middle ground with seven members: Jin, Jungkook, V and Jimin (vocals) Suga, Rap Monster and J-Hope (rappers).
While Jungkook and Jimin don't go by their stage names, the other band members do.
16 BTS Managed To Get On Forbes
It's not just anyone who can hit a Forbes list, and you know you're doing something right when you do.
In March 2016, the band was listed by Forbes as "Most Retweeted Artist of the Year." That's pretty impressive considering they were evaluated on a global scale against -well every artist in the world. But BTS has a massive social media presence, and that definitely seems to help. On Instagram alone, the band has over 14.3 million followers.
15 Band Member Jungkook Loves Sailor Moon
So much so that he dressed up like her. If you don't believe us, the proof is all over YouTube.
For those of you that aren't familiar, Sailor Moon is a Japanese character in a shōjo manga series by Naoko Takeuchi. She was hugely popular in both the U.S, and Canada all through the '90s. Many of us grew up on her cartoons, and we're not the only ones apparently; Jungkook is such a big fan that he presents as her in real life!
14 The Band Has A Large Collection Of Tracks
If this is your first time hearing about the band, the good news is that they have a lot of music for you to listen to!
They've already released 4 albums, which includes 22 singles and 29 music videos.
They introduced their first album: Dark and Wild on August 19, 2014, then recorded two more albums called The Wake Up which has Japanese versions of the songs Youth!, Danger, No More Dream, and Boy in Luv.
13 They Produce Most Of Their Own Music
When it comes to writing music, these guys are not leaving the job up to anyone else. All seven members have writing credits in the group's discography.
The most well-known producers in the group are Rap Monster and Suga, and while most songs are co-written by the entire group, they also collaborate with producers Pdogg and Slow Rabbit. Being so close to the music has allowed them to maintain their distinct hip-hop infused dance style that has made them so popular.
12 BTS Is A Huge Fan Of Trilogies
We're not talking books here, but albums.
Dark and Wild and Wings are the only full-length albums that they have done; the rest of their music has consisted of two EP trilogies with strong narratives. Skool, for example, deals with the lives of students and the hardships that they endure; many of these songs carry aggressive messages.
Similarly, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life is another trilogy about the struggles of adulthood, but consist of more nuanced meanings and experimental sounds.
11 "The Album Love Yourself: Her" Sold Millions
While they may not be on everyone's radar, their songs are selling in the millions. The album Love Yourself: Her sold 1.2 million copies on South Korea's Gaon Album chart during the first month of its release.
It was the biggest selling album for that time period in over sixteen years. Now that's pretty impressive for a band that hasn't hit the United States yet.
10 They Are Starting To Explore Hip-Hop Origins
Its no secret that they have mastered the K-pop game, but now BTS wants to take on hip-hop as well.
It wouldn't be too far of a stretch because hip-hop has had an influence on K-pop since the '90s, but Korea is currently is in the midst of a rap renaissance so it may be difficult for the band to completely turn over.
They have made inroads for audiences who love bubblegum pop and they've done a lot of research on the history of hip-hop; the band routinely watches shows like American Hustle Life.
9 Rap Monster And Suga Are More Than Meets The Eye
BTS is a force to be reckoned with and they have proven that in more ways than one. The band continues to push boundaries, including traditional K-pop norm. Generally speaking, K-pop bands don't usually produce their own music.
Over the past few years, that's been changing slowly as more and more Korean artists show off their production skills, with Rap Monster and Suga at the head of the pack.
Both have released personal mixtapes that display their individual sound and talent. Suga's Agust D mixtape took on heavier themes like depression and anger.
8 BTS Donates Rice To Charity
In 2015, the band donated seven tons of rice for charity at the K-Star Road opening ceremonies held in Apgujeong-dong!
The event was a great way for celebrities who are making a ton of money off their fans to give back. Providing food for the ceremony was something the band held close to their hearts.
7 They Have Won Over 53 Awards In Their Career
That's not a small feat for a boy band.
“We feel it all the time,” says Jimin. “On this tour, we played some very large venues, and it makes us see that people really love us. Being inundated by all these emotions, it kind of got to me.”
Over 53 awards and still going strong! It's no wonder this band is going places.
6 They've Been On TV
In 2013, the band appeared on a variety TV show called SBS-MTV's Rookie King Channel Bangtan with the goal of garnishing more exposure.
BTS likes to keep busy! They have also done three worldwide tours and four tours in Asia.
5 BTS Makes Music That Is Important To The Younger Generation
When it comes to high school and puberty, there are lots of things that young people go through that can leave them troubled.
BTS doesn't just sing about the girl next door; they also target relevant teen issues. Through their songs, they have explored female empowerment, bullying, nonconformity, mental health issues, and societal ideals.
While these are heavier messages than usually seen in the K-pop genre, its what has rendered them so popular among fans.
4 They Make Themselves Accessible To Fans
There are some bands and singers that will only do so much for their fans in terms of accessibility, but BTS always goes the extra mile.
They tour outside of Asia frequently and enjoy meeting fans on a global scale. They love to live stream-as a group and individually- and they regularly update their Twitter accounts.
If that's not enough their Bangtan Bomb web series allows fans to keep tabs on their lives with daily video clips and tour updates. Don't speak Korean? Have no fear, the band always incorporates subtitles for their English audiences.
3 Their Fanbase Is Fierce
BTS fans are called an army for a reason: they are fierce.
Their transparency with followers has enabled them to grow a huge fan base, beloved not only for their music but for their individual personalities.
In 2016, BTS took part in Billboard's Fan Army Face-Off and although they didn't make it to the finals, they ended up with 450,000 votes in just one round.
Their "Army" has also helped them get major hits on YouTube with some of their videos grossing 30 million views.
2 They've Been On Ellen
Ellen is famous for pranking her guests and has had more than one celebrity jump out of their seat.
The same was true when BTS visited the show in August of 2018. The band, who also love pranks were thrilled to have been on the receiving end of Ellen's antics:
"It was a dream come true," said V. "It was really special. It was really fun."
1 BTS Visited The Set Of Friends
She didn't just give them a good scare, Ellen hooked the band up big time! After discovering that they were big supporters, the daytime host organized a visit to the iconic "Central Perk" set from the sitcom Friends.
It was Rap Monster who originally expressed his love for the show prior to the interview.
The band hid behind the coffee counter in Central Perk to surprise members who were coming through on tours. Participants were asked to "run lines" and when the tour guide held up a poster that read, "It's BTS!!" the band jumped out and scared fans.
References: billboard.com, uselessdaily.com, allkpop.com