BTS, also known as Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean pop music group that gained international fame in the mid-2010’s. The group is known for its expressive vocals, stylish image, sharp dance moves, and strong fan base and social media presence. BTS combines elements of rap, hip-hop, pop, and electronic dance music (EDM). The group also is known for its lyrics about the challenges that young people face. The group’s vocals are mainly in Korean. It also performs lyrics in English and Japanese.
BTS originally stood as an abbreviation for Bangtan Sonyeondan (pronounced PUNG-tahn SOH-nyun-dahn), Korean for Bulletproof Boy Scouts. The initials were later also said to stand for Beyond the Scene. The members of the group are J-Hope (born Jung Ho-seok), Jimin (Park Ji-min), Jin (Kim Seok-jin), Jungkook (Jeon Jeong-guk), RM (Kim Nam-joon), Suga (Min Yoon-gi), and V (Kim Tae-hyung).
BTS was formed by the South Korean music producer and record executive Bang Si-hyuk. The group’s first single was “No More Dream” (2013). The song deals with the pressures many young Koreans feel from their culture and society. Since 2013, the group has released many successful recordings. The band’s first full-length studio album was Dark & Wild (2014).
In 2017, BTS released the popular EP (extended play recording) Love Yourself: Her. An EP contains several songs but is not considered a full-length album. The EP’s songs “DNA” and “Mic Drop” became the first tracks by a Korean group to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). RIAA presents a gold record to an artist who sells 500,000 copies of an album. The group’s single “Idol” (2018) also became a huge hit. That same year, BTS became the first K-pop (Korean pop) group to reach number 1 on Billboard magazine’s “Billboard 200” music chart, with its album Love Yourself: Tear (2018).
In 2019, the video for the group’s single “Boy with Luv” (featuring the American singer-songwriter Halsey) became the most-viewed debut in the history of the video-sharing website YouTube. The group’s full-length studio album Map of the Soul: 7 (2020) also reached number 1 on the “Billboard 200.” Later in 2020, the group released the single “Dynamite,” making BTS the first South Korean pop act to debut at number 1 on the Billboard “Hot 100” chart. It was also the first song the group recorded entirely in English. The group’s other hit singles include “Butter” and “Permission to Dance” (both 2021).
BTS also has worked on projects with other musicians, including the American rap musician Nicki Minaj, the American electronic musician Steve Aoki, and the American rap musician Desiigner. In addition, some BTS members have released solo recordings. BTS has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on a number of campaigns for youth, including an antiviolence campaign and a pro-education and employment campaign.
In June 2022, the band members announced they would take a break to pursue additional solo projects. In July, J-Hope released his debut solo album, Jack in the Box. In October, the band’s recording label (brand or company) announced that all seven members would serve in South Korea’s military as required by law. BTS was expected to reunite around 2025.
