Who are BTS?published at 09:06 BST
09:06 BST
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption,
BTS at the Grammy Awards in 2019
Since their debut in 2013, BTS has rocketed to global stardom. They have been nominated for five Grammys, charted number-one albums faster than any group since the Beatles, and bagged 26 Guinness World Records, including several for the most-viewed music videos on YouTube.
Critics say the seven-member band – Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook – have just about perfected the K-pop recipe. Beyond a range of punchy hits and pop ballads, slick dance routines, and good looks, BTS has fostered a deeply loyal fan base by talking about acceptance, mental health and young people’s struggles.
They started off when most of them were not yet 20. Now everyone is 30 or older except Jungkook, who is 28.
But BTS’ star power has endured, even after a three-year hiatus, at the peak of their fame, to serve mandatory military service and focus on solo projects.
Now the K-pop royalty are back, with an 85-date world tour. It kicks off tonight in the South Korean city of Goyang, which has draped itself in the group’s signature purple colour ahead of the sold-out shows.