BTS’ global fandom Army has responded to a different view expressed by some K-pop and non-BTS fans by posting tweets with a sense of humor, resulting in the trending of the hashtag #ARMYIndependenceDay on Twitter. Some K-pop listeners and fans have recently expressed discomfort for the fast-growing BTS fan community. They have claimed that some of the band’s Army only listened to BTS and showed little interest for K-pop in general, leading to a flurry of posts with #ArmysRuinedKpopParty.In respo

K-pop sensation BTS' repackaged album "Love Yourself: Answer" ranked at No. 31 on the Billboard's main albums chart, data showed Wednesday. Previously taking No. 25, the album has now been on the Billboard 200 for seven weeks since it debuted atop on its release on Aug. 24.  (Yonhap)Along with the solid performance on the main chart, it was No. 1 on the "Top World Albums" chart, placed sixth on the "Independent Albums" chart and sixth on the "Top Album Sales" chart.The group's previous albums ar

The global K-pop group BTS has topped overseas iTunes Top Songs charts with a Japanese version of its hit song "Fake Love."The song with Japanese lyrics took the top post on the iTunes Top Songs charts of 38 regions, including Argentina, Chile, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Indonesia and Vietnam, on Tuesday. (Yonhap)The song was uploaded on online music services at 12 a.m., ahead of the release of the group's new Japanese album, which includes the song."Fake Love," the original Korean number

K-pop star BoA is gearing up for a return to the music stage with her ninth full-length album “Woman.”“The veteran singer is getting prepared to return with her LP on Oct. 24,” said S.M. Entertainment, which represents BoA. “A day after the release of the 10-track album via local digital music platforms, the LP will be released in CD format.” (S.M. Entertainment)Eponymous track “Woman” is a dance pop tune with rhythmical base sounds that shines with BoA’s powerful vocals and dance performance th

Contemporary classical music fans should not miss the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s upcoming “Ars Nova” concerts in October as this year’s edition could be the last season of the 13-year-long music series. In a statement released Monday, the SPO announced that it would not hold the “Ars Nova Series” in 2019, largely due to the current absence of experts who are capable of leading the series at the orchestra.The Seoul-based orchestra is in the process of filling its new music director, artistic

(Yonhap)BTS met South Korean President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook during the band’s visit to Paris for a concert celebrating the friendship between Korea and France.The group posted pictures on Twitter of its members with Moon and his wife at the Korea-France Friendship Concert at theater Le 13eme Art on Sunday.(Yonhap)In photos released by the Blue House, Moon looked proud as the group powered through the hit-packed set, including “DNA” and “Idol,” before an audience of 400, inclu

Stations like Hongdae and Gangnam are plastered with messages from fans to their favorite idols

BTS has come a long way to become trailblazing K-pop group

Philosophy professor says boy band expanding scope of how cultural content created and consumed

BTS’ approach to topics like self-esteem and depression resonates with fans across the globe

South Korea’s culture minister put an end to the debate surrounding whether BTS members would be exempted from military service during a parliamentary audit Wednesday.“All of the BTS members say they will definitely enlist for military service,” said Do Jong-hwan who heads the country’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.His remarks came as Rep. Cho Kyung-tae of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party had asked about Do’s stance on the recent contentious issue: whether BTS members should be

Twice has confirmed that it will release a third album this year.The release date is Nov. 5, the group’s agency, JYP Entertainment, announced Thursday.  (JYP Entertainment)Twice released its first album of 2018, “What is Love?” in April and its second, “Dance the Night Away,” in July.“What is Love?” was the group’s fifth mini-album and it topped the music charts. The group went on to reign through the summer with “Dance the Night Away.” Having made a smash on the Japanese music charts with its d

South Korean boy group BTS will stage a special performance in Paris next week at a cultural event marking the scheduled visit there by President Moon Jae-in, Moon's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.The event will be held Sunday, one day after Moon arrives in France on a four-day state visit.It will consist of various performances by Korean traditional and pop artists, including BTS, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials. (Yonhap)The seven-member boy group is causing a global sensa

Leaving footsteps all around the word, BTS has been honored by Time magazine as “Next Generation Leaders.” On Thursday, Time shared a lengthy article shedding light on the boy band’s ongoing global success with the headline “How BTS is taking over the world.” It also unveiled its latest cover with BTS.  (Time)Introducing the seven-piece act as “Next Generation Leaders” and “young trailblazers who are reshaping music,” Time chronicled BTS’ success story, analyzing how the group’s songs, despite b

Over 3,000 Koreans have signed a petition calling for the disbandment of boy band BTS on Cheong Wa Dae’s official online petition platform.The petition posted on Sept. 25 calls for the band’s disbandment on the grounds that the band members are “haughty.” (Big Hit Entertainment)“What have they done to merit military service exemption?” reads the post, expressing discontent over a military service exemption debate sparked by a lawmaker in July. The presidential office is required to issue an offi