If you haven’t heard of BTS, you haven’t been paying attention.
The Korean pop group’s new EP Love Yourself: Her is at or near the top of the charts on three continents (it’s currently No. 2 on iTunes in Canada) and the video for the single “DNA,” which debuted Monday, had 21 million views in its first 24 hours on YouTube.
Here’s what you need to know about BTS:
- BTS is an acronym for Bangtan Sonyeondan — Korean for Bulletproof Boy Scouts — but earlier this year the group said it also stands for Beyond The Scene.
- The group was put together by Big Hit Entertainment from 2010 to 2012 and debuted in 2013.
- BTS was named by Time as one of the 25 most influential people on the internet and by Forbes as the most retweeted artist. They won Top Social Artist at the Billboard Music Awards this year.
- BTS has done three world tours and released four studio albums and five EPs in four years.
- Kim Nam-joon, 23, is the group’s only English speaker and writes many of their songs. He’s known as Rap Monster.
- The other members are Kim Seok-jin, 24; Min Yoon-gi, 24; Jung Ho-seok, 24; Park Ji-min, 21; Kim Tae-hyung, 21; and Jeon Jeong-guk, 20. Fans know them better as Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook.
- BTS will be taking a well-deserved break during South Korea’s 10-day Chuseok holiday, which runs from Sept. 30 through Oct. 9.
- The new BTS EP includes a track called “Best Of Me,” which was co-written by Andrew Taggart of The Chainsmokers.
Check out the video for "DNA" below: