Korean pop group Bangtan Boys, or simply BTS, landed on the list of TIME’s 25 Most Influential People on the Internet.
#BTS is the only Korean citizens to make it to the A-list, which the international magazine churns on an annual basis. It is the third time that TIME released the roster for the category.
BTS, a seven-member boy band from Seoul, was recognized for their popularity across different platforms and for overtaking cyber-sensations Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez in Billboard’s “Social 50” chart.
BTS, which stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan, the Korean for “bulletproof boy scouts,” spent 29 consecutive weeks on top of the charts and also bested Bieber, Gomez, and Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes for the Top Social Artist at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards last May.
BTS in good company with powerful politicians and celebrities
The K-pop sensation - comprised of leader Rap Monster, V, Jimin, J-Hope, Jungkook, Jin and Suga - joins US President Donald Trump, singers Katy Perry and Rihanna, model and reality show superstar Kim Kardashian, and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling on the list that, according to Time.
The American news magazine first published the list with the category in 2015, recognizing how social media has been a powerful platform for politicians, entertainers, artists, and even gamers.
Also making it on the Top 25 list are cookbook author Chrissy Teigen, Chinese actress Yao Chen, Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny, seven-year-old Syrian Bana Alabed and Canadian model, Gigi Gorgeous.
Rising popularity since launch
BTS was launched in 2013 by entertainment agency, Big Hit. Their first album was 2 Cool 4 Skool, with the carrier single, “No More Dream.” They have since released four studio albums in Korean and Japanese, including Dark & Wild and Wings.
Their popularity has been rising since they were introduced in June 2013.
They have won numerous accolades for their work, the latest was when they clinched the 2016 MNET Asian Music Award (MAMA) for Artist of the Year. The award show was held in Hong Kong. The previous year also saw them bagging the Best World Performer Award in the 2015 MAMA.
BTS was also touted as among the most powerful and influential celebrities in Korea, landing on the fifth spot on the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity in February.
Wide international fanbase
Since their debut four year ago, the group had successful world tours anchored on their albums, the latest of which was for Wings. They staged sold out performances in the US, Asia, Europe and Australia, mainly due to their wide international fan base called the ARMYs (Adorable Representative M.C. for the Youth).
To celebrate their fourth anniversary last June 13, BTS released “4 O’Clock” and “So Far Away” in the group’s YouTube and Sound Cloud channels.
