K-pop megastars BTS completes 10 years: A look at their rise to global stardom

Seoul this week marks 10 years of megastars BTS the supergroup credited with bringing Kpop into the global mainstream and generating billions of dollars for the South Korean economy Theyve been called icons of progressive globalism were once South Korean presidential envoys and have done everything from Korean Air inflight safety videos to campaigning for UNICEF At heart however theyre entertainers Here AFP breaks down what you need to know about BTSWho are theyAfter debuting on June 13 2013 the septet went on to become the first allSouth Korean act to dominate the US and UK charts raking in billions of dollars and building a global fandom known as ARMY in the process Their embrace of social media meant they barely missed a beat during the pandemic using direct engagement with fans online to cement their position as the worlds biggest and most influential boy bandDespite earlier breakthrough Korean hits like Psys Gangnam Style BTS are widely credited with bringing Kpop into the mainstream in the US As a South Korean idol group BTS have smashed so many preconceived notions and industry odds to become charttopping Grammynominated musicians Jeff Benjamin Billboards Kpop columnist told AFPCrucially they did it not by adjusting their viewpoints perspectives or languages to cater to the larger market but by firmly establishing themselves as the Kpop musicians they areWhat do they doAside from music the band has long championed global progressive causes from the Black Lives Matter protests to fighting antiAsian racism in the United States Theyve spoken at the United Nations and appeared at the White House while still remaining one of the most popular bands in the world on TikTok Instagram and TwitterPrior to BTS Kpop was treated as a niche interest separate from global culture Sarah Keith a senior lecturer in media and music at Australias Macquarie University told AFP BTSs global popularity has led to a change in this perspective BTS has arguably changed how the world perceives South KoreaHow are they celebratingIronically the band is currently on a hiatus with two members performing their mandatory South Korean military service All ablebodied South Korean men must serve at least 18 months in the military and after a yearslong debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption Jin the oldest member of the group began his service in December JHope started his service in AprilBut the septet released a new digital single last week to celebrate the anniversary Take Two purportedly a nod to the bands second chapter after a decade as musiciansAll seven members participated in Take Two their agency Hybe said The song conveys their appreciation for ARMY for all the love you shower them withA number of important tourist spots across Seoul including the Namsan Seoul Tower and Dongdaemun Design Plaza will be lit up in purple ARMYs colour in celebration of the anniversaryBand leader RM will attend the main event of the celebration in Seoul at the Han River Park on June 17On a breakThe band who are known to be extremely hardworking and have maintained a relentless pace of new releases in their nine years at the top said last year they were exhausted and would take a breakRM said at the time that the Kpop industry known for its cutthroat competition was not allowing him to mature as an artist saying he felt like a rapping machineSince the announcement BTS members who are still obliged to join the military have focused on their solo careersJimin released his sixtrack solo album Face in March with the single Like Crazy earning him a place in the record books as the first South Korean solo artist to land the number one spot on the top US songs chartBand member Suga is currently on his first solo worldwide tourWhats nextLocal media says the ongoing break may last as long as seven years if the septet decides to wait until all members complete their military duties before resuming group activitiesIn March Bang Sihyuk chairman of Hybe and the mastermind behind BTS said industry figures including global ratings and album sales showed a declining demand for Kpop blaming the BTS hiatusIt remains to be seen how the group can reintegrate as a sevenmember group once they have finished their military service as this is usually a difficult time for male artist groups Keith said But the ongoing break could be a growth period for BTS overall as members pursue solo interests and add more diversity to BTSs output she added