Which K-Pop boy group has been getting chart-topping songs in the U.S. this past summer, performing on Saturday Night Live, beating Taylor Swift’s YouTube record, receiving recognition from Forbes, and more? Well, if you guessed BTS, you guessed right. The group BTS, also known as “Bangtan Squad,” derived from the acronym “Behind The Scenes,” is the first K-Pop group to have a major influence in the U.S.
The band was formed by Big Hit Entertainment, and is composed of seven members: Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, Jungkook. They debuted on June 13, 2013 with their track “No More Dream.” They continued to gain prominence with subsequent albums Dark and Wild, The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever, which got on the U.S. Billboard 200, marking the first international influence in the U.S., explaining the recent social media craze about the band.
Their second full album, Wings, was released in 2016, which became their first million-copy- seller and debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200. They also managed to debut on the Billboard 100, entering with number 85, which rose to number 67, for a different title track album called “DNA.” One of the songs from the album was remixed by Steve Aoki with a feature from Desiigner. Both tracks certified gold, a first for any Korean act ever and selling to a million.
In 2018, they released Love Yourself: Tear, their third full album, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. It was the only K-Pop release to have reached that far, along with its title track “Fake Love” becoming the third song from the group to reach gold certification.
Later this year, they released a follow-up record, called Love Yourself: Answer, which also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.This became a successful feat for the group, marking continuous achievements that continue to expand as more American pop influences begin to work with the group, such as Nicki Minaj and, most recently, Yuna.
As the boy band continues to gain notoriety in the U.S., they will continue to grow. If you haven’t heard about them and don’t know who they are, now you do. Their style is similar to that of our hip hop culture today, which probably explains the rise in popularity and the feeling of familiarity in their song that peaks our attention. Not only their style and taste in clothing and music, but their good looks have caught the eyes of many teen hearts. Though they may be performing in a different language, BTS proves that these differences are a strong advantage in the music and business industry.