K-pop band BTS thanks Army as its named Time magazine’s Entertainer of the Year
- The magazine cited BTS’ massive global fan base, which they have leveraged to support causes like Black Lives Matter
- The seven-member boy band in November received their first Grammy nomination for their hit song, Dynamite
K-pop superstar boy band BTS has had more than just a Dynamite year – they have become such a global phenomenon that America’s Time magazine named the group its 2020 Entertainer of the Year.
The magazine cited BTS’ massive global presence amid the pandemic, including leveraging their massive fan base to support causes like Black Lives Matter.
“Thank you, ARMY,” the group said on its official Twitter account, referring to the name of its fans.
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The group has become a staple of recent awards shows, performing their flashy No. 1 hit Dynamite. The song in November brought BTS its first Grammy nomination.
“There are times when I’m still taken aback by all the unimaginable things that are happening,” BTS member Suga told Time for an interview that accompanied the announcement. “But I ask myself, ‘Who’s going to do this, if not us?’”
Time Executive Editor Ben Goldberger on Thursday credited the relationship between the group and its fans for transcending Covid-19.
“The communal experience of watching a show, being at a concert, it just dissipated out of thin air and BTS managed to forge a really rich connection with their audience around the world in spite of these barriers which fell many, many other acts,” he told the AP.