BTS

BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Music that debuted on June 12, 2013, with the single album 2 Cool 4 Skool. Its seven members are RM (leader), Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, with RM, Suga, and J-Hope contributing heavily to songwriting and production. The name stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan (“Bulletproof Boy Scouts”), reflecting a concept of resisting the pressures placed on young people.

The group broke through in 2015 with “I Need U” and reached a global audience with Wings and the Love Yourself series, whose Love Yourself: Tear became the first album by a Korean act to top the Billboard 200 in 2018. “Dynamite,” “Butter,” and “Permission to Dance” each hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. BTS is among the best-selling artists in South Korean history and partnered with UNICEF on the Love Myself campaign.

Full-group activities paused from 2022 to 2025 for the members’ mandatory military service, completed when Suga was discharged in June 2025. Their tenth studio album, ARIRANG, arrived on March 20, 2026, followed by the Arirang World Tour beginning that April.