PVPF 2024

BTS to Release Biography in July

After yet another No. 1 album, the three-disc collection "Proof," in June 2022, BTS announced in a social media video
on May 12, 2023

On July 9, an oral biography of the K-pop powerhouse BTS will be published in South Korea and the U.S., its American publisher, Flatiron Books, said on Thursday.

The writer Myeongseok Kang and group members wrote the book, "Beyond The Story: 10-Year Record of BTS," which will be released in South Korea by Big Hit Music.

The announcement supports widespread fan rumors that Flatiron will release a factual book this summer about popular cultural phenomena. The rumor gained traction after American retailers learned this weekend that a mystery novel with a July 9 release date was on the way.

It had a one million copy first print run and required booksellers to sign an affidavit promising to stock copies on the release day.

Following Taylor Swift's frequent usage of the number 13, fans first focused their quest for hints about who the mystery author may be. (The first release date for the book was set for June 13). Additionally, Swift made mentioned July 9 in her most recent album announcement.

However, the BTS community also places importance on June 13 and July 9.

The group made its public debut on the first date, and Army, which stands for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth, was established as BTS's devoted fandom on the second. The publication of the book will mark the fan community's tenth anniversary.

As rumors grew, preorders sent the still-untitled book up the best-seller rankings at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Clare Richards, Slin Jung, and Anton Hur worked together to translate the novel into English. Flatiron said the U.S. edition will include 544 pages, unique pictures, and a first pressing of one million copies.

The group's large, largely online fanbase has gained international notoriety for its support of the band by purchasing several copies of each physical release and managing well-planned social media campaigns. By creating active fan groups and translating BTS content into English and other languages, followers also help one another.

The impact of BTS in music and beyond cannot be overstated. The group's seven members—RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—visited the White House last year to speak out against crimes of prejudice against Asian Americans.

Since 2013, BTS has put out nine albums and six E.P.s, contributing to the global dominance of K-pop.

With "Love Yourself: Tear," the group became the first K-pop act to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. It achieved this feat twice in 2019 with "Love Yourself: Answer" and "Map of the Soul: Persona," tying a record previously held by the Beatles.

After yet another No. 1 album, the three-disc collection "Proof," in June 2022, BTS announced in a social media video that the group was taking a break so that its members may concentrate on their own creative endeavors.

Suga lamented, "I should be writing about what I'm feeling and the tales I want to convey, but I'm simply shoving words out because I need to appease someone. In only two days, the video received more than 16 million views. The band's label announced in October of last year that each member would follow the law and enroll in the military of South Korea, and some of them have already.

The news of the break was upsetting for both the entertainment industry and BTS's devoted fan base. The South Korean entertainment business Hybe, responsible for the group, had a 28 percent decline in stock price the day after the revelation surfaced, erasing $1.7 billion from its market worth.

According to the Hyundai Research Institute, the group's economic contribution to South Korea will reach $3.5 billion yearly by 2020 as its popularity has increased.

Many fans claim that in addition to being captivated by BTS's music and performances, its messages of love and inclusion have motivated them and some of them to become more politically engaged. They simply fight for what they love, said Nicole Santero, a fan who created a BTS Twitter account that was data-focused, to The Times in 2020. When you consider societal concerns, those traits transfer nicely.