If you’ve just recently become a BTS fan and you’re itching to know more about this popular South Korean boy group, you’ve come to the right place! Here are 10 things new BTS fans need to know.
When people hear BTS, they might automatically assume it means ‘behind the scenes’. The group’s name is actually an abbreviation of the group’s name in Korean 방탄소년단 (Bangtan Sonyeondan).
The meaning behind choosing this as their group’s name is because of their intention to block out stereotypes, criticisms and expectations aimed at the youth like bullets.
In July 2017, they announced that the group’s name would also stand for Beyond The Scene as part of their new brand identity along with their new logo. This extension of their group name is to signify the growing youth BTS who is going beyond the realities they are facing and going forward.
Plans to form BTS began in 2010 when Big Hit Entertainment CEO Bang Shi Hyuk met group leader RM and was impressed with his rapping. Various changes were made to the lineup which lead to the final lineup of RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook.
In the run up to their debut, they made their online presence known through social media platforms Twitter and YouTube and also posted song covers on Soundcloud. They debuted on 13th June, 2013 and released their debut album 2 Cool 4 Skool on the same day.
BTS fans are called A.R.M.Y which was the name given to fans on 9th July. The name stands for Adorable Representative MC for Youth.
The word army is associated with the military and body armour therefore this name is very fitting for BTS and their fans.
As mentioned before, the lineup for BTS changed considerably and the leader RM was the youngest in the original lineup.
What some BTS fans may not already know is that underground rappers from the crew DNH including Iron, Supreme Boi, Kidoh and illevn were meant to be part of the group. However, circumstances and expectations of the group changed leading to the BTS we now know.
BT21 is a group of characters created by the members themselves in collaboration with LINE. These characters were created in September 2017 and have become a staple among fans and the BTS members.
The BTS members were involved throughout the whole creative process and each character is a reflection of the BTS member. There are 8 in total: TaTa, Chimmy, Koya, RJ, Shooky, MANG, Cooky and VAN.
This collaboration has also meant that there are merchandise such as keyrings, plushies, stationery and much more.
Before entering the group, RM and Suga were well-known in the underground rap scene. RM went by the name Runch Randa whereas SUGA used to be known as Gloss.
RM was also part of the underground crew DNH where some of the members were in the initial lineup for BTS.
Member J-Hope was an avid dancer and used be popular in the underground dance scene. J-Hope was part of the popular street dance group NEURON.
In 2008, J-Hope won a national dance competition and was considered a dancer to keep an eye on which led to him being recruited for BTS.
The colour purple has significance in the fandom. On 13th November, 2016 during BTS’s 3rd Muster, the ARMY bomb lightsticks glowed purple in the stadium.
Member V explained how purple is the last colour of the rainbow and explained to fans ‘it means I will love you and trust you for a long time’.
On 1st November, 2017, they launched their UNICEF Love Myself campaign. They joined UNICEF in their #EndViolence against children and teens with the hope of making the world a better place through music.
Through their campaign, BTS want to lend a helping hand to children and teens exposed to violence.
Earlier on in this article, it was explained that the group’s intention was to block out stereotypes, criticisms and expectations aimed at the youth. Their music incorporates this and this is one of the main reasons many BTS fans say drew them towards BTS in the first place.
Through their music, they hope to achieve this through the messages they want to send out that people can resonate with. Examples include ‘FIRE’, ‘Lost’ and ‘So What’ all hope to give the message that you should live your life how you want and it’s okay to be a bit lost sometimes.
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