Bangtan Sonyeondan

About

BTS Bangtan Sonyeondan, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a seven-member South Korean boy band formed in Seoul in 2013. The name became a backronym for Beyond the Scene in July 2017. The septet co-writes and produces much of their output. Initially rooted in hip hop, BTS' musical style has evolved to include a wide range of genres. Their lyrics, often focused on personal and social commentary, touch on the themes of mental health, troubles of school-age youth, loss, the journey towards loving oneself, and individualism. Their work features references to literature and psychological concepts and includes an alternative universe storyline. Popular for their live performances, the group has staged several world tours.

The group initially formed as teenagers under Big Hit Entertainment and released their debut single album, 2 Cool 4 Skool (2013). Subsequent work such as their first U.S. Billboard 200 entries The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 2 (2015), The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever (2016), and Wings (2016) helped establish BTS' reputation as a socially conscious group. Wings became BTS' first album to sell one million copies in South Korea. By 2017, BTS crossed into the international music market, leading the Korean Wave into the United States and breaking numerous sales records, becoming the first Korean group to receive a certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) with their single "Mic Drop." The band is the first and only Korean act as of 2019 to top the U.S. Billboard 200 with their studio album Love Yourself: Tear (2018) and have since hit the top of the U.S. charts with their albums Love Yourself: Answer (2018) and Map of the Soul: Persona (2019), making BTS the first group since The Beatles to earn three number one albums in less than a year. Love Yourself: Answer also broke South Korea's Gaon Album Chart's all-time monthly record previously set by Love Yourself: Tear and became the first Korean album certified Gold in the United States.

In 2018, BTS had the second and third best-selling albums worldwide and were the second best-selling artists worldwide. In 2019, Map of the Soul: Persona became the best-selling album in Korean history, and BTS became the best-selling artist in South Korea of all time, having sold over fourteen million albums. The group won Top Social Artist three years in a row and Top Duo/Group at the 26th Billboard Music Awards. Time magazine has named the band one of the 25 most influential people on the internet, featured them on their international cover as "Next Generation Leaders," and named them one of Time 100's most influential people of 2019. Forbes Korea Power Celebrity has named BTS the most influential celebrities of Korea in 2018. BTS are worth more than $4.65 billion to South Korea's economy each year, attracting one in every 13 foreign tourists that visit the country, and are cited as one of the key acts boosting global music sales to $19 billion in 2018, a figure not seen since 2006 after digital purchases gained momentum.

Following their philanthropic efforts in their Love Myself anti-violence campaign in partnership with UNICEF, BTS addressed the United Nations 73rd General Assembly and became the youngest ever recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit from the President of South Korea due to their contributions in spreading Korean culture and language.

Name

The group's name, BTS, is an acronym for the Korean expression Bangtan Sonyeondan , literally meaning "Bulletproof Boy Scouts". The name was conceptualized with the thought that BTS would block out stereotypes, criticisms, and expectations that aim on adolescents like bullets and protect the values and ideals of today’s adolescents.[1][2] In Japan, they are known as Bōdan Shōnendan , which translates similarly. In July 2017, BTS announced that in addition to being known as Bangtan Sonyeondan or Bulletproof Boy Scouts, the acronym would also stand for"Beyond The Scene" as part of their new brand identity.[4] This extended their name to mean "growing youth BTS who is going beyond the realities they are facing, and going forward."

History

2010–2012: Pre-debut

BTS' first members were recruited through Big Hit's "Hit it" auditions in 2010 and 2011. The original lineup went through several changes before the final group of members was established in 2012. Half a year prior to debut, the members began building their name and creating a relationship with fans through Twitter, video blogs, fancafe posts, and by releasing various song covers via YouTube and SoundCloud.

Before debuting in 2013, RM was already performing as an underground rapper and had released several tracks informally, including a collaboration with Zico. Jin had been a student at Konkuk University, majoring in acting, before being streetcast for auditions, while Suga was an underground rapper in Daegu. J-Hope, who was part of a street dance team named NEURON, was active in the underground dancing scene, participating in various battles and competitions. Before joining Big Hit, Jimin entered Busan High School of Arts as the top student in modern dance, but later transferred to Korea Arts High School with V, who auditioned in Daegu. Jungkook was cast by multiple agencies after leaving auditions for Superstar K, but eventually chose Big Hit after seeing Rap Monster's rap.

2013–2014: Debut and moderate success

The group's debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool, the first installment in their "school trilogy" series, was released simultaneously with its lead single "No More Dream" on June 12, 2013. While the album peaked at number five on the Gaon Album Chart and sold over 105,000 copies, "No More Dream" and the subsequent single "We Are Bulletproof Pt.2" were not major hits. Expanding their endeavors into Japan, "No More Dream" was later re-recorded in Japanese and released on June 4, 2014.

The second part to the "school trilogy" was the extended play O!RUL8,2?, released on September 11, 2013, which sold over 120,000 copies to date and peaked at number four. Its supporting singles "N.O" and "Attack on Bangtan". Revised Romanization: Jingyeogui Bangtan) failed to chart high. That same month, BTS starred in their own variety show, SBS-MTV's Rookie King Channel Bangtan, based on a fake broadcast station, "Channel Bangtan", through which members parodied variety shows such as VJ Special Forces and MasterChef Korea. At the end of the year, BTS was recognized with several New Artist of the Year awards, including the 2013 Melon Music Awards and Golden Disc Awards and the 2014 Seoul Music Awards.

The last act to their "school trilogy", Skool Luv Affair (2014) topped the Gaon Chart and sold over 200,000 copies. It also peaked at number three on Billboard's World Albums Chart. The album was supported by the singles "Boy in Luv"and "Just One Day" . That June, BTS participated as judges for a K-pop cover dance competition in the Bridge to Korea festival in Russia, an event that aimed to promote tourism between the two countries, where they also performed on stage. In August, the group also attended KCON in Los Angeles. That same month, they released their first Korean studio album, Dark & Wild, which peaked at number two on the Gaon Chart and sold over 200,000 copies. It was supported by two singles: "Danger" and "War of Hormone".

Their Japanese studio album, Wake Up (2014), released that December, peaking at number three on the weekly Oricon Albums Chart and selling 25,000 copies. Along with re-recorded Japanese versions of older songs, it also contained the original tracks "Wake Up" and "The Stars". Their first concert tour, 2014 BTS Live Trilogy Episode II: The Red Bullet, was held from October to December.2022: Proof and military service

On April 17, 2022, BigHit Music released a statement through Weverse which announced that BTS would be releasing an album on June 10, 2022 with more information will be shared at a later date. A logo trailer was posted on May 5 which announced the name of the album to be, Proof. BigHit later explained that Proof is an anthology album that looks back at the group's nine-year history and contains three new tracks.

On June 3, it was announced that BTS would be returning to perform on music shows for the first time after over two years. On June 14, the members revealed during their 2022 BTS Festa dinner that the group would be going on indefinite hiatus to focus on solo activities.

In October 2022, it was announced that the group will be on hiatus for their military service, with Jin being the first to enlist. The group is expected to reunite by 2025. On December 12, BigHit revealed that Jin would be enlisting as an active duty soldier on December 13.

On November 1, in a interview with Rolling Stone magazine between RM and Pharrell Williams, Pharrell announced that BTS will be featured in a song on his upcoming album friends.

U.S. President Joe Biden has shared a first glimpse of his private meeting at the White House with BTS!

On May 31 local time, BTS met with President Biden in honor of AANHPI (Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) Heritage Month. Ahead of their private meeting with the president, the BTS members made a special appearance at a White House press briefing, where they spoke about wanting to help put an end to anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination.

Later that evening, President Biden posted a brief clip of his meaningful meeting with BTS on the official POTUS Twitter account, writing, “It was great to meet with you, BTS. Thanks for all you’re doing to raise awareness around the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination. I look forward to sharing more of our conversation soon.”

In the newly released video, Biden tells the BTS members, “People care a lot about what you say, and what you’re doing is good for all people. It’s not just your great talent, it’s the message you’re communicating. It matters.”

Fandom

According to Kyung Hyun Kim, BTS' rise was facilitated by a great increase in music video programming and consumption on YouTube and the coming of an idol empire, including merchandising of nonmusical products, games, and fantasy fiction, as well as an expansion of online music fandom.The group has a large, highly organized, online community of fans known as ARMY (Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth), which translates the group's lyrics and social media posts into other languages and matches charitable contributions of BTS' members. As of 2020, some 40 million ARMY members subscribe to the band's YouTube channel, with more than 30 million following the official BTS Twitter and Instagram accounts. The fan community helps generate BTS' number-one chart rankings via coordinated campaigns on streaming platforms,[353] as well as pushes to feature BTS' music on radio stations and television.[354] Some ARMY members may even surpass the group itself in influence among BTS fans.

BTS interacted and engaged with their followers from their earliest days via social media,as well as via BTS Universe, an alternate storyline involving the members told through music videos, mobile games, books, short films, and more that gives fans room to theorize. Kim suggested that ARMY are drawn to BTS since the members are seen as underdogs, originating from the Korean countryside and a relatively minor Korean entertainment company, which allows young fans to identify with them.BTS' lyrics speak to social values, and fans respond by trying to improve the world. As a result, the fandom regularly embraces activism on charitable causes and socio-political issues such as refugee crises, racial discrimination, children's rights, global warming, and the COVID-19 pandemic.Feedback from ARMY to BTS affects the group's actions and lyrics; BTS has eliminated certain Korean words that sound like American racial slurs from their songs and ended collaboration with a Japanese producer when Korean ARMY members deemed his views extreme.

Per South Korean author Jiyoung Lee, the relationship between BTS and ARMY is "a mutual exchange between artists and their fans" that is about more than merely "ensuring the band's primacy", but also "extending the band's message of positivity into the world". Lee opines that BTS and ARMY are "a symbol of change in zeitgeist, not just of generational change".The band members themselves agree and have long acknowledged their fans' role in their success.According to Sarah Keith, "BTS embody a moment of generational transformation. ARMY represents a 'coming of age' for the young, in which cultural production and influence are global and meaningful, and where the youth are politically and socially engaged."

KIM NAMJOON

RM also known as Kim Namjoon was the first member to join BTS. The group released their debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool on June 12, 2013. Apart from RM, BTS also features Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook.

In an interview with Hype beast, RM said, "This is the most difficult question to answer truthfully. Recently, I watched Everything Everywhere All At Once. That film visualized many of the ideas that I’ve had, such as the idea about multiple versions of myself existing based on small choices I made. I often think about what it would have been like if I continued my studies or became something other than a musician."

"To be honest, one decision that I had often thought about was my choice to become a part of a boy band. In the late 2000s, musicians like Zico, Changmo, and Giriboy were the people that I started out with. In my journey with BTS, I drifted further and further away from that world and was tormented by the thought that the people that I liked – and the people who enjoyed the same music as I – did not have any love for me. I often wondered whether I made the right decision by joining a boy band. At the time, BTS, was treated like a complete outsider in the Korean hip-hop community. That stressed me out. I was constantly thinking about how I would be able to overcome that perception and how to define music or hip-hop,” he added.

RM released his first solo mixtape in 2015. Three years later, he released his second mixtape, Mono. RM has collaborated with artists such as Wale, Younha, Warren G, Gaeko, Krizz Kaliko, MFBTY, Fall Out Boy, Primary, Lil Nas X, Erykah Badu, and Anderson .Paak. Earlier this month, RM released his first full-length solo album Indigo.

KIM SEOKJIN

Kim Seok-jin , better known by the mononym Jin , is a South Korean singer-songwriter and record producer under Big Hit Music. He is a member in the boy group BTS, and has the positions of vocalist and visual.

As a solo artist, he has released three self-composed digital singles, "이 밤 (Tonight)" in 2019, "Abyss" in 2020 and "슈퍼 참치 (Super Tuna)" in 2021. He then made his official solo debut with his first single album "The Astronaut" on October 28, 2022.

Jin, the oldest member of BTS, is the first in the group to enlist. He will be one of about 560,000 army troops, according to the South Korean army website. BTS star Jin begins military service in dawn of new era for K-pop supergroup.

iconic line of Jin

Jin. "Your presence can give happiness. I hope you remember that." "Those who want to look more youthful should live life with a young heart.

Kim is a tenor and plays the guitar.In the 2019 novel BTS: The Review, members of the Grammy panel praised Kim's stable breath control and strong falsetto, calling it a "silver voice". Journalist Choi Song-hye of Aju News noted that BTS singles such as "Spring Day" and "Fake Love" displayed Kim's vocal stability, while the B-side "Jamais Vu" showcased his emotional range. Hong Hye-min of The Korea Times described Kim's voice as "tender, sorrowful, [and] free-spirited" and considered it to be the "standout element" on the solo ballad "Epiphany". Critic Park Hee-a, discussing "Epiphany", stated that Kim "sings the most sentimental emotions" of the solo tracks on Love Yourself: Answer (2018). In a review of "Fake Love", Park said that Kim's belting "proved the song's effectiveness".

MIN YOONGI

Min Yoongi born March 9, 1993, known professionally by his stage names Suga and Agust D, is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and record producer. Under Big Hit Music, he debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS in 2013. His first solo mixtape, Agust D, was released in 2016 and re-released in 2018 to digital download and streaming platforms, reaching number three on Billboard's World Albums Chart. In 2020, he released his second solo mixtape, D-2; it peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard 200, number seven on the UK Albums Chart, and number two on Australia's ARIA Album Chart. According to the Korea Music Copyright Association, Suga has songwriting and production credits on over 100 songs, including Suran's "Wine", which peaked at number two on the Gaon Music Chart and won Best R&B at the 2017 Melon Music Awards

Min Yoongi was born on March 9, 1993, in Daegu, South Korea. The younger of two sons, he attended Taejeon Elementary School, Gwaneum Middle School, and Apgujeong High School.

In March 2019, after graduating from the Global Cyber University with a degree in Broadcasting and Entertainment, he enrolled at Hanyang Cyber University for the Master of Business Administration program in Advertising and Media.

1993–2010: Beginnings

Suga became interested in rap after hearing "Ragga Muffin" by Stony Skunk, stating that it was different from anything he had ever heard before. After hearing Epik High, he decided to become a rapper.

By age 13, he began to write music lyrics and learned about MIDI. He worked a part-time job at a record studio by age 17. From then on, he began composing and arranging music, rapping, and performing. Before being signed, he was active under the name Gloss as an underground rapper. As part of the hip hop crew D-Town in 2010, he produced "518-062", a song commemorating the Gwangju Uprising.

Suga writes, composes, arranges, mixes, and masters his own material. Over 100 registered songs are credited to him by the Korea Music Copyright Association. He plays piano and produces mainly hip hop and R&B music. His lyrics involve themes that are "full of dreams and hope," conceived with the intent of his music becoming "many people's strength." He cites Stony Skunk and Epik High as his inspirations to pursue hip hop music. Particularly, he credits the former's reggae-hip hop hybrid album Ragga Muffin (2005) and its title track for igniting his interest in the genre.

Jeff Benjamin of Fuse said that Suga's mixtape "showcases the star's ear for hot productions, hardcore rap style, and how he can make his vulnerabilities a strength." Other critics stated that Suga's "storytelling execution in the music he creates tears down the barrier of censoring and sugarcoating".

In January 2018, Suga was promoted to a full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association.

JUNG HOSEOK

J-Hope was born Jung Hoseok on February 18, 1994, in Gwangju, South Korea, where he lived with his parents and older sister, Jung Ji-woo.[1]

In March 2019, J-Hope enrolled at Hanyang Cyber University for the Master of Business Administration program in Advertising and Media. He previously graduated from Global Cyber University with a degree in Broadcasting and Entertainment.

Before debuting with BTS, J-Hope was part of an underground dance team called Neuron, and took dance classes at Gwangju Music Academy for six years, from fourth grade to his first year in high school when he signed with Big Hit Entertainment.He was relatively well known for his dance skills, and won various local prizes, including first place in a national dance competition in 2008. His dancing eventually led to an interest in singing, and he auditioned to become an idol trainee.While a trainee, J-Hope appeared as a featured rapper on singer Jo Kwon's song "Animal", released in 2012.

On June 13, 2013, J-Hope made his debut as a member of BTS on M! Countdown. He was the third member to join the group as a trainee after RM and Suga. On June 14, 2019, J-Hope, together with fellow BTS member V, collaborated with Zara Larsson on a soundtrack song called "A Brand New Day" for the mobile game BTS World.

2018–present: Solo activities

J-Hope released his first solo mixtape, Hope World, worldwide on March 1, 2018. It was accompanied by a music video for the lead single "Daydream". A music video for the B-side single "Airplane" was released on March 6. The mixtape debuted at number 63 and peaked at number 38 on the Billboard 200, making him the highest-charting Korean solo act on the ranking at the time. Six of the album's tracks entered the World Digital Song Sales chart, with "Daydream" topping the chart and making J-Hope one of only ten Korean artists, including BTS, to reach number one.The success of his solo debut led to him ranking at number three on the Emerging Artists chart and number 97 on the Artist 100, both for the week of March 10; he peaked at number 91 on the latter the following week.He became the fifth Korean artist and second Korean soloist (after Psy), to chart on the Artist 100. Hope World charted in ten countries worldwide, and "Daydream" charted in three. The mixtape ranked at number five on Billboard's year-end World Albums Chart for 2018. For Hope World's three-year anniversary, J-Hope released the full version of its closing track "Blue Side (Outro)". The three-minute long version was uploaded to the BTS SoundCloud page for free on March 1, 2021.

In 2019, J-Hope released a free collaboration single, "Chicken Noodle Soup", on September 27, featuring American singer Becky G. The track debuted at number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100, making J-Hope the first member of BTS to chart on the Hot 100 as a solo artist, the third Korean solo artist to rank on the chart (after Psy and CL), and the sixth Korean artist overall to do so. "Chicken Noodle Soup" also became J-Hope's second song to debut at number one on the World Digital Song Sales chart.

On June 14, 2022, Hybe announced J-Hope as the first member of BTS to begin promotions as a solo artist.His debut solo album Jack in the Box, released on July 15, was preceded by the lead single "More" on July 1.J-Hope made his performance debut at Lollapalooza on July 31, as the headlining act for the final day of the festival. He became the first South Korean artist to headline a main stage at a major United States music festival.In September, J-Hope featured on the single "Rush Hour" by Crush.He was nominated for six awards, including Artist of the Year and Song of the Year, at the MAMA Awards, and made his solo performance debut at the show as the headliner for day two of the event, on November 30.He also made his solo performance debut at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve on December 31.

A documentary titled J-Hope in the Box, chronicling the making of his debut album and his appearance at Lollapalooza, will be released for streaming globally on Weverse and Disney+ beginning February 17, 2023.

PARK JIMIN

Park Ji-min , better known by the mononym Jimin,is a South Korean singer-songwriter and record producer under Big Hit Music. He is a member in the boy group BTS, and has the positions of vocalist and dancer.

As a solo artist, he has released two self-composed unofficial songs, "Promise" in 2018 and "Christmas Love" in 2020.

Early life and education

Jimin was born on October 13, 1995 in Geumjeong District, Busan, South Korea. His immediate family includes mother, father, and a younger brother. When he was a child, he attended Busan's Hodong Elementary Schooland Yonsgan Middle School. During middle school, he attended Just Dance Academy and learned popping and locking dance. Prior to becoming a trainee, Jimin studied contemporary dance at Busan High School of Arts and was a top student in the modern dance department. After a teacher suggested he audition with an entertainment company, it led him to Big Hit Entertainment. Once he passed the auditions in 2012, he transferred to Korean Arts High School, graduating in 2014.

Jimin graduated from Global Cyber University in August 2020, with a major in Broadcasting and Entertainment. As of 2021, he is enrolled at Hanyang Cyber University, pursuing a Master of Business Administration in Advertising and Media.

On June 13, 2013, Jimin made his debut as a member of BTS with the release of the single "No More Dream". In the group, Jimin holds the position of vocalist and dancer. Under BTS, he has released three solo songs: "Lie", "Serendipity", and "Filter". "Lie" was released in 2016, as part of the group's second Korean studio album, Wings. It was described as stunning and dramatic, conveying dark undertones and emotions that helped reflect the overall concept of the album. In contrast, "Serendipity", released on the Love Yourself: Her (2017) extended play (EP), was soft and sensual, unraveling the joy, conviction, and curiosity of love. "Filter", from the group's 2020 studio album, Map of the Soul: 7, was very different from its predecessor, with a distinct Latin pop-esque flair and lyrics that reflected on the different sides of himself that Jimin shows to the world and those around him.

"Serendipity" and "Lie" both surpassed fifty million streams on Spotify in 2018, followed shortly thereafter by the former's full length version from BTS' Love Yourself: Answer (2018) compilation album, which achieved the milestone in early 2019. With this, Jimin set a new record as the only Korean artist to have three solo tracks accumulate over 50 million streams each—previously Psy was the only Korean artist to ever cross the 50 million streams mark with "Gangnam Style" (2012) and "Gentleman" (2013). Both songs were also the only solos by a BTS member included in the Official Chart Company's list of the top 20 most streamed BTS songs in the United Kingdom as of October 2018, ranking at number 17 and 19 respectively. In April 2019, the list was expanded to reflect the top 40, and both tracks ranked at numbers 18 and 20 respectively, the highest of five solo songs included that year.

In May 2019, Jimin became the first BTS member to have a solo music video achieve 100 million views on YouTube with "Serendipity". It was the nineteenth BTS music video overall to achieve the milestone. He was the only BTS member with multiple solo songs in the January 2020 update of the Official Chart's top 40 list. "Lie" and "Serendipity" were the second and third most-streamed solos at numbers 24 and 29, behind only "Euphoria" by Jung Kook at number 19. "Serendipity"'s full length version debuted at number 38, behind "Intro: Boy Meets Evil" by j-hope at number 35 but ahead of "Trivia 轉: Seesaw" by SUGA at number 39. In February, "Filter" set a record for the biggest streaming debut among all Korean songs on Spotify with over 2.2 million streams in its first 24 hours of release, and went on to become the fastest Korean solo in the platform's history to surpass 20–60 million streams. It is also the first and only solo BTS b-side track to receive a Song of The Year nomination at the Gaon Chart Music Awards. As of March 2021, "Filter" has spent 53 weeks on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart—it is BTS' 15th song to spend a full year on the ranking.

Jimin was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit by the President of South Korea in 2018, along with other members of BTS for their contributions to the promotion of Korean culture.

Jimin's vocals have been described as delicate and sweet. He is regarded as an exceptional dancer among the members of the group and in K-pop in general. Noelle Devoe of Elite Daily wrote that he is often praised for his "smooth and elegant movements" as well as his charm on stage. In the BTS documentary Burn The Stage, Jimin said that he thinks of himself as a perfectionist, stating even the smallest mistakes on stage makes him feel guilty and stresses him.

He has cited singer Rain as one of his inspirations and reasons why he wanted to become both a singer and performer.

Solo Work

In 2014, Jimin collaborated with fellow BTS member and vocalist Jung Kook on a song called "Christmas Day", a Korean rendition of Justin Bieber's "Mistletoe"—the Korean lyrics were written by Jimin himself. The two collaborated again in 2017 for a cover of American singer Charlie Puth's "We Don't Talk Anymore" (2016), with Jimin singing the parts of Selena Gomez who featured on the original with Puth. Jung Kook had previously released a solo version of the song earlier that year in February, and the two prepared the duet as a special gift to the band's fandom, releasing it on June 2 during BTS' fourth anniversary celebrations. Commenting on Jimin's appearance on the track, Teen Vogue wrote that "adding Jimin's voice to the mix makes the rendition all the more lovely". Canadian outlet Flare magazine also praised his rendition saying, "...no shade, Selena—it honestly might be better than the original". Elite Daily described the cover as "nothing short of flawless".

Jimin appeared on several variety shows such as Hello Counselor, Please Take Care of My Refrigerator, and God's Workplace in 2016. He also served as a special MC on domestic music programs such as Show! Music Core and M Countdown. In December, he participated in a dance duet at the KBS Song Festival with Taemin from Shinee.

On December 30, 2018, Jimin released his first solo song outside of BTS releases, "Promise", for free on BTS' SoundCloud page. On January 3, 2019, the platform announced that "Promise" had surpassed the record set by Drake's "Duppy Freestyle" for the biggest 24-hour debut ever. Described by Billboard as a "mellow pop ballad", the song was composed by Jimin and Big Hit producer Slow Rabbit, who also produced the track, and features lyrics written by Jimin and fellow BTS member RM. On December 24, 2020, Jimin released his second solo effort "Christmas Love", a song about his childhood memories of the holidays.

KIM TAEHYUNG

Kim Tae-hyung , better known by his stage name V, is a South Korean singer-songwriter, record producer and actor under Big Hit Music. He is a member in the boy group BTS, and has the positions of vocalist, dancer and visual.

As a solo artist, he has released two self-composed unofficial songs, "Scenery" and "Winter Bear" in 2019.

He made his acting debut under his birth name on 2016 with the drama (Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth).

On June 13, 2013, he made his debut as a member of BTS on Mnet's M Countdown with the track "No More Dream" from their debut single album, 2 Cool 4 Skool. He was first credited for music composition in The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 1 when he co-wrote and co-produced the song "Hold Me Tight". He also contributed to writing lyrics for the song "Boyz with Fun", co-composed by fellow member SUGA. For the song "Run", V's melody was used with Jung Kook's original lyrics for the next album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 2. He then did the same for a solo single called "Stigma" from the album Wings, which charted at 26 on the Gaon Music Chart and 10 on the Billboard World Digital Singles Chart. V has also released, unofficially, a cover of "Hug Me" with BTS bandmate j-hope as well as a cover of "Someone Like You" by Adele.

In May 2018, his second solo song, "Singularity" was released as the trailer for BTS' then upcoming third LP, Love Yourself: Tear. A month after its release, The Guardian added "Singularity" to its "Top 50 songs for the month of June 2018" playlist. Billboard included it in their Critics' list of the "Top 50 BTS songs" at number 28. The track made its UK radio debut on BBC radio on October 25. Overall, "Singularity" was generally well-received by critics and as a result, was mentioned on several year-end Critics' Choice lists. The New York Times ranked it twentieth on its list of "The 65 Best Songs of 2018", alongside "FAKE LOVE". LA Times Pop Music Critic Mikael Wood named it the fourth "best and most replay worthy song of 2018". Guardian Music Critic Laura Snapes included it as one of her favorite tracks in their “Best Music of 2018: Albums and Tracks" list.

On October 24, V became one of the youngest recipients of the prestigious fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit medal, awarded to him by the President of South Korea along with the other members of BTS for their role in the spread of culture.

V, together with bandmate j-hope, collaborated with Swedish singer Zara Larsson on a song called "A Brand New Day" for the soundtrack album of their mobile game BTS World. It was released on June 14, 2019 and debuted at number 1 on World Digital Song Sales Chart. Eight months later, he collaborated with bandmate Jimin for the song "Friends" and he also participated in the composition and writing of his solo song, "Inner Child" on their album Map of the Soul:

Solo activities

In 2016, V made his acting debut with a supporting role in KBS2's historical drama Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth under his real name. He also collaborated with fellow BTS member Jin for the Hwarang soundtrack entitled "It's Definitely You". On June 8, 2017, he released "4 O'CLOCK", a song he co-produced with fellow BTS member RM, to celebrate BTS’ fourth anniversary.

V released his first full solo track outside of BTS, "Scenery", on January 30, 2019 through the group's SoundCloud page. The ballad was written and composed by V—he also photographed the cover artwork—and produced by Big Hit producer Docskim, with additional contributions from two other Big Hit producers, Pdogg and Hiss Noise. It broke SoundCloud records for reaching 100 million streams from 20 million in over fourteen days, the shortest time for the platform. Over the course of the two weeks following its release, "Scenery" broke the daily streaming record nine times. Seven months later, he released his second solo song and his first full English song entitled "Winter Bear" through SoundCloud, accompanied by a self-directed music video via BTS' YouTube channel on August 9. He co-produced the track together with RM, Hiss Noise, and Adora. He also photographed the cover artwork using his pseudonym Vante.

In 2020, V participated in a song titled "Sweet Night" for the soundtrack of the JTBC drama Itaewon Class which was released on March 13, 2020. Produced, written and sung by V, the indie pop song is entirely in English. The song received generally favourable reviews for its composition, vocal performance and warm lyrics, and debuted at number 2 on Billboard's U.S. Digital Song Sales chart, the highest debut for a Korean soloist in the chart's history. On December 25, 2020, V released a solo track titled "Snow Flower" featuring Peakboy.

V possesses a baritone singing voice that has received a generally positive critical reception, with particular praise for his vocal range and "husky" tone. He gained wider vocal recognition for his performance of his solo song "Stigma", and was praised for his falsettos that showed off his vocal range and unique musicality. V's tonality on "Singularity", the opening track of BTS' Love Yourself: Tear (2018), was noted as a prominent "tone setter" on the album by music critic Blanca Méndez. Similarly, Katie Goh of Vice deemed it as "one of V's best vocal performances." Karen Ruffini of Elite Daily stated in their article that "V... has no problem producing super soothing, low tones that are a key element in the overall sound for BTS," with Tamar Herman from Billboard also noting that V's lower range is a prominent piece of BTS' music. V's musicality is heavily influenced by his love for jazz and classical music. Eric Benet and Ruben Studdard are among his inspirations.

As a performer, V's style is known for its "duality", or his ability to evoke various emotions on stage. British journalist Rhian Daly, writing for NME, particularly noted this when discussing V's performance of "Singularity" during the Love Yourself: Speak Yourself World Tour, describing his movements as "precise and deliberate". Crystal Bell from MTV noted V's performances often work with live cameras in concert venues, and how he utilizes them to create subtle expressions during performances.

JEON JUNGKOOK

Jeon Jeong-guk, better known by his stage name Jung Kook,is a South Korean singer-songwriter and record producer under Big Hit Music. He is a member in the boy group BTS, and has the positions of center, vocalist, dancer, visual and maknae.

As a solo artist, he has released two self-produced unofficial songs, "Still With You" in 2020 and "My You" in 2022.

Jeon Jung-kook (Korean: 전정국) was born on September 1, 1997, in Busan, South Korea. His family consists of his parents and an elder brother. He attended Baekyang Elementary and Middle School in Busan. When he became a trainee, he transferred to Singu Middle School in Seoul. Jung Kook initially had dreams of becoming a badminton player when he was young, but after seeing G-Dragon perform "Heartbreaker" on television, it influenced him to want to become a singer.

In 2011, Jung Kook auditioned for the South Korean talent show Superstar K during its auditions in Daegu. Though he was not selected, he received casting offers from seven entertainment companies. He eventually chose to become a trainee under Big Hit Entertainment after seeing RM, now his fellow band member and leader in BTS, perform. To work on his dance skills in preparation for debut, he went to Los Angeles during the summer of 2012 to receive dance training from Movement Lifestyle. In June 2012, he appeared in Jo Kwon's "I'm Da One" music video and also worked as a backup dancer for Glam before his debut. He graduated from Seoul's School of Performing Arts, an arts high school, in 2017. In November 2016, he decided to forgo taking the CSATs, Korea's nationwide university entrance exam. As of 2020, he is enrolled at Global Cyber University, majoring in Broadcasting and Entertainment.

Solo Activities

In September 2015, Jung Kook participated in the "One Dream, One Korea" campaign, taking part in a song collaboration alongside numerous Korean artists in memory of the Korean War. The song was released September 24 and presented at the One K Concert in Seoul on October 15.

In 2016, Jung Kook was cast in the pilot episode of Flower Crew. He also appeared on Celebrity Bromance, and competed in King of Mask Singer under the name "Fencing Man," appearing in episode 72.

On November 6, 2018, Jung Kook performed "We Don't Talk Anymore" with original singer Charlie Puth in a special collaboration stage during the MBC Plus X Genie Music Awards. The song was one he had previously covered twice, solo and with fellow BTS member Jimin.

On June 4, 2020, Jung Kook released the song "Still With You", for free on platforms such as SoundCloud as a part of BTS' yearly debut celebrations. Billboard described the song as having "tinkling synths and gently strummed guitars and brushed drums". Jung Kook produced the piece himself.

In February 2022, Jungkook sang the soundtrack for 7Fates: Chakho, a new BTS-based webtoon. Titled "Stay Alive", and produced by bandmate Suga, the song earned Jungkook his first solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100 with its debut at number 95; his first solo top-ten entry on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S chart at number eight; and became the first Korean soundtrack in history to debut on the Official Singles Chart in the UK, at number 89. Jungkook collaborated again with Puth, featuring on the single "Left and Right", which was released on June 24. On November 20, Jungkook released the single "Dreamers" ahead of his performance at the opening ceremony for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar later that same day—the single will be included on the tournament's official soundtrack album. He headlined the event at Al Bayt Stadium and performed the song together with Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi, becoming the first Korean artist to sing an official theme for the World Cup and perform at an opening ceremony for the event.

In a 2019 survey conducted by Gallup Korea, Jung Kook ranked as the third most-loved celebrity of the year in South Korea. He debuted on the list in 2016 at 20th, then ranked 17th in 2017, and then 8th in 2018. In 2018, Jung Kook placed first for 10 weeks in a row for magazine Hi China, under the most beloved celebrities list in China. Jung Kook is also extremely popular on social media amongst fans. In December 2018, a video of him singing in the studio became the most retweeted tweet in South Korea that year. Various artists have cited him as an influence and role model, such as Kim Dong-han and Hyeongseop X Euiwoong. Jung Kook has cited Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake and Usher among his musical inspirations.

Jung Kook's popularity has earned him the nickname "Sold Out King" as items that he is seen using often sell out quickly. These include shoes, Downy fabric softener, wine, novels—namely I Decided to Live as Me by Kim Soo-hyun, which became a best-seller in both Korea and Japan—and Hanbok. Korean media reported that Jung Kook had created a "Modern Hanbok" fashion trend in the Korean entertainment industry when celebrities such as Jun Hyun-moo, Jang Do-yeon, Gong Hyo-jin, MC Oh Seung-hwan and The Return of Superman's Park Joo-ho began wearing similar clothing after he was photographed wearing it.

Jung Kook was 2019's most-searched male K-pop idol on Google according to their mid-year chart. He topped the chart again in 2020, and was the most searched K-pop idol on YouTube in 2019 and 2020. On Tumblr, he ranked 1st in 'Top K-Pop Stars' for 3 consecutive years. On Twitter, he had the most retweeted tweet of 2019, and the 2nd most retweeted tweet of 2020. In March 2021, Jung Kook set a new all-time record for the most real-time viewers in V Live history when his solo live broadcast surpassed 22 million simultaneous viewers—he first broke the record in October 2018, when his broadcast surpassed 3.7 million viewers worldwide.

In June 2021, a lawmaker of the Justice Party used photos of him to promote the legalization of tattoos in South Korea, which works under regulations. The posts were widely condemned by netizens, who accused the lawmaker of taking advantage of Jung Kook's fame for political purposes.

Military Enlistment

On October 17, 2022, Big Hit announced that following the release of Kim's debut solo single and the completion of its subsequent promotional activities at the end of that month, the singer would begin the enlistment process and carry out his mandatory military service. Kim was previously granted an automatic postponement in 2021 until the end of 2022, following revisions made to the Military Service Act in December 2020. On November 4, 2022, Kim filed paperwork with the Military Manpower Administration (MMA) requesting a termination of the postponement in order to proceed with his conscription.He enlisted as an active duty soldier on December 13.After basic training, he will serve as an assistant training instructor with the same division.

jin, the oldest member of K-pop mega-band BTS, has entered military service - the first of the group to do so. The 30-year-old posted a photo of himself with his new military haircut before enlisting on Tuesday. "It looks cuter than I expected," he said. As South Korea is still technically at war with its hostile neighbour North Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve in the army. Jin has begun five weeks' training at a bootcamp near the North Korean border. After this, he will reportedly be assigned to a frontline unit. This news sent his millions of adoring fans into a frenzy.