Making K-pop history

Korean boy band tops charts in US, UK, Japan

Boy band BTS is hitting new heights day after day to the delight of audiences within and outside Korea.

After sweeping major charts in the U.S. and U.K., the K-pop sensation conquered the Oricon chart in Japan, Wednesday, with its new album "Map of the Soul: Persona." It marks the third time for the Korean boy band to reach the pinnacle of the Billboard chart, after doing so twice last year. The album's lead track "Boy With Luv," featuring Grammy-nominated U.S. diva Halsey, hit more than 100 million views shortly after its release. BTS has also been nominated in two categories for the 2019 Billboard Music Awards set for May 1.

In addition to the astonishing success on the global charts, BTS has gained special recognition from Time Magazine. It selected the group for its list of the 100 most influential people in 2019, alongside global artists such as Ariana Grande and Brie Larson. "Behind those three letters are seven astounding young men who believe that music is stronger than the barriers of language. It's a universal dialect," Halsey wrote in recommending the group.

The continued success of BTS has brought new hope for the K-pop market which has been losing popularity on the global stage lately.

While there have been Korean singers such as Psy or BoA who have made it onto the Billboard chart, no Korean singer or group have been able to reach the sustained level of global recognition accomplished by BTS. The success of BTS beyond Southeast Asia, where K-pop has been popular for a long time, shows that good music will speak to the hearts of fans anywhere regardless of language. BTS will embark on its second world tour, "Love Yourself: Speak Yourself" on May 4.

Their continued triumphs are a breath of fresh air amid dark scandals surrounding K-pop stars lately. Seungri of the K-pop band BIGBANG has been undergoing a police investigation into allegations of arranging sex services for foreign investors. The scandal has tainted the image of Korean singers globally.

Despite its meteoric rise since its debut six years ago, BTS has remained humble and has often expressed its love for its loyal fans, known as the ARMY.

BTS, which is being called the "Beatles of the 21st century," emphasized that it wants to use its power to spread a "positive influence" during a press conference at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Wednesday. The success of BTS shows the global competitiveness and potential of Korea's cultural content.

We hope the history-making boy band will not rest on its laurels but continue to capture audiences worldwide with its innovative music, and boost the spread of K-pop around the world.