Who are BTS?
BTS is a seven-member South Korean boy band and one of the most successful music groups in the world. They debuted in 2013 and helped bring K-pop to a global audience.
The members are RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook. The group was formed by Big Hit Entertainment, now part of HYBE, and debuted on June 13, 2013. The name BTS stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan, roughly meaning Bulletproof Boy Scouts, and later also Beyond the Scene.
BTS became the first K-pop act to top the US Billboard 200 album chart, in 2018, and the first to top the Hot 100 singles chart, with Dynamite in 2020. Their songs often deal with youth, mental health and self-acceptance. Their loyal fan base is called ARMY.
Break and return
From 2022 to 2025, the members paused group work to complete South Korea's mandatory military service and focused on solo projects. After all seven returned, BTS released the comeback album Arirang in 2026, named after a famous Korean folk song, and launched a large world tour.
Did You Know?
In 2018, BTS spoke at the United Nations General Assembly to promote a youth campaign called Love Myself, run with UNICEF.