K-Pop Stars BTS To Release Book Telling Their Own Story In July

K-pop juggernaut BTS will publish an oral history of the group in South Korea and the United States on July 9, its U.S. publisher, Flatiron Books, announced Thursday.

The book, Beyond The Story: 10-Year Record of BTS, was written by journalist Myeongseok Kang and the band members, and it will be released in South Korea by Big Hit Music.

The news confirms intense multi-day fan speculation that Flatiron will release a non-fiction title about a pop culture phenomenon this summer. The rumor spread once booksellers in the United States noticed last weekend that a mystery title with a July 9 release date was coming. It had an initial circulation of one million copies and required booksellers to sign an affidavit to stock copies on the day of publication.

Fans searched for clues as to who might be the author of the mystery, initially focusing on Taylor Swift and citing her frequent use of number 13 as evidence. (The original books announcement was scheduled for June 13.) Swift had also highlighted the July 9 date in her latest album. announcement.

But June 13 and July 9 are also important dates in the BTS community. The group debuted on the first date, and BTS’s passionate fan base, Army, which stands for Adorable Representative MC for Youth, was founded on the second. The release of the books will coincide with the 10th anniversary of the fan groups.

As speculation mounted, pre-orders sent the as-yet-untitled book rocketing up Amazon’s and Barnes & Noble’s bestseller lists.

The English translation of the book was edited by Anton Hur, in collaboration with Clare Richards and Slin Jung. The US edition will be 544 pages and feature exclusive photography, according to Flatiron, and will have a first print run of one million copies.

Powerful and highly fandom bands online have become famous around the world, known to support the band by purchasing multiple versions of each physical release and running intricately coordinated social media campaigns. The devotees also help each other by translating BTS content into English and other languages ​​and providing strong fan communities.

It’s hard to overstate the influence of BTS, in music and beyond. Last year, the seven members of the group RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook went to the White House to speak out against anti-Asian American hate crimes.

Since 2013, BTS has released nine albums and six EPs and helped K-pop become a dominant global force. In 2018, the group became the first K-pop act to reach No. 1 on the Billboards album chart with Love Yourself: Tear, a feat they repeated twice in 2019 with Love Yourself: Answer and Map of the Soul: Persona corresponding to a record. by the Beatles.

In June 2022, after another No. 1 album, the three-disc compilation Proof BTS posted a video on social media announcing that it was on hiatus so that its members could focus on creative solo projects. I should write about how I feel and the stories I want to tell, Suga said, but I just press the words hard because I need someone to satisfy. The clip drew over 16 million views in two days. In October last year, the band’s record label confirmed that its members would enlist in the South Korean military, as required by law. A part of them I have already.

The hiatus was devastating news not only for avid BTS fans, but also for the entertainment industry. The day after the news broke, the share price of Hybe, the South Korean entertainment company behind the group, plummeted 28%, slashing $1.7 billion from its market value. As the band’s popularity grew, it became a mainstay of South Korea’s economy, contributing $3.5 billion a year by 2020, according to the Hyundai Research Institute.

Many fans say that while they are drawn to BTS’s music and performances, they are also inspired by its messages of love and acceptance, which has led some to become more politically active. They are really, really passionate people who fight for what they love, Nicole Santero, a fan who ran a data-driven BTS Twitter account, told The Times in 2020. These characteristics translate well when you examine the social problems.

Caryn Ganz contributed reporting from New York.