BTS: everything you need to know about the global K-pop superstars, from Too Cool For School to the Billboards
- With an army of fans around the world and songs and albums that have topped the Billboard charts, BTS are K-pop’s biggest band
- BTS interact with their fans on social media, sing about social issues and cross genres with their music
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when BTS became a global phenomenon. The boy band are South Korean pop royalty at this point, known to and beloved by fans of the genre for several years.
In mid-April, BTS became the first South Korean musical guests to perform on Saturday Night Live, with the single Boy With Luv from their latest EP, Map of the Soul: Persona. The release topped the Billboard 200 chart in its opening week, marking the group’s third No 1 after August’s Love Yourself: Answer and last May’s Love Yourself: Tear.
Billboard reported that the last traditional group to land three No 1 albums in under a year were The Beatles, who did so with the Anthology series in the mid-1990s. (The Glee cast did it with three soundtracks in a two-month period, but the cast members rotated.)
BTS performed Boy With Luv alongside featured artist Halsey on Wednesday night at the Billboard Music Awards, where a star-studded line-up included Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Madonna and Mariah Carey.
Here’s a brief guide to all things BTS.