EW The Ultimate Guide to BTS

An Ocean of Light At a 2018 concert in New York, ARMY demonstrate their love for BTS by illuminating the night sky. These ubiquitous light sticks are just one way attendees work together during a concert to show their support for the singers—there’s also the fan chant or the synchronized chorus of the names of the superstars at the beginning of songs. BTS THE EW INTERVIEW: The Band on Fame & Friendship· Every BTS Member’s Fave Tracks + Solo Projects PLUS What’s Next for the Superstars: “We miss you, ARMY, so much!”…

IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO EXAGGERATE just how beloved and significant BTS has become since their debut in 2013. The actual stats and figures proving the band’s popularity are mind-boggling, but it’s not just the numbers that set them apart. As much as cultural critics and journalists have tried, you can’t pinpoint just one thing that generates the utmost passion and loyalty to BTS from every culture and every demographic. They’re a phenomenon, and by definition, you can’t quite explain a phenomenon. But we’ll try. What makes the septet from South Korea the most influential entertainers on the planet right now—if not ever—is not just the breadth of their reach but the depth. More than 40 million people around the world have enlisted in ARMY, the group’s official fandom, and the fans…

JIN NAME KIM SEOKJIN BORN DEC. 4, 1992 HOMETOWN GWACHEON EMOJI He may be BTS’s official “visual” member, but Jin is more than just a pretty face. A trained actor, he successfully crossed over into music, becoming one of BTS’s most distinctive voices. THE FACE Kim Seokjin IT’S THE ULTIMATE K-POP FAIRY TALE: You’re walking down the street with your friends when all of a sudden you’re discovered by a scout from a major record label. Well, this fairy tale came true not once but twice for Jin: once by SM Entertainment when he was a student and known as Kim Seokjin, and later by a talent scout for Big Hit Entertainment while he was stepping off of a bus. Although his natural good looks opened doors early on—and he’s…

SUGA NAME MIN YOONGI BORN MARCH 9, 1993 HOMETOWN DAEGU EMOJI He’s as sweet as his stage name suggests, but there’s a depth to Suga too. A gifted rapper and prolific lyricist known the world over, he never forgets his roots. THE INTROVERT Min Yoongi SUGA TOOK ON HIS STAGE NAME early on in his BTS career based on his sweet demeanor and appearance (it’s also short for “shooting guard,” his position in school basketball). But Suga, who was born Min Yoongi and is known to ARMY more commonly as Yoongi, is far more complex than his gentle exterior suggests. There’s a fascinating duality that comes out in Suga’s art: One second, he can be a savage, aggressive rapper, spitting rhymes at a machine-gun pace, and the next he’s sweet…

J-HOPE NAME JUNG HOSEOK BORN FEB. 18, 1994 HOMETOWN GWANGJU EMOJI His moniker says it all: J-Hope is not only the upbeat heart of the group, he also extends his positivity outward—to the BTS ARMY and to children’s charities in his hometown—giving us all a little hope in the process. THE DANCER Jung Hoseok THE CATCHPHRASE “I’M YOUR HOPE. You’re my hope. I’m J-Hope” is one of BTS’s most instantly recognizable introductions. But the rapping-dancing-singing ray of smiling sunshine behind it is not just an extension of the comfort BTS has provided to millions of fans. No, it’s what member J-Hope himself wishes to be his larger purpose. Jung Hoseok was born on Feb. 18, 1994, in South Korea’s southern city of Gwangju, an area known for its rich cuisine.…

RM NAME KIM NAMJOON BORN SEPT. 12, 1994 HOMETOWN ILSAN EMOJI The first to join, this rap genius leads BTS with a strong, steady hand that never falters. Through his expressive lyrics, RM gives fans a window into the “Real Me.” And we like what we see. THE LEADER Kim Namjoon IN KOREAN CULTURE, AGE-BASED hierarchies are important, so it might be a bit surprising that RM is the fourth oldest and fourth youngest in BTS, placing him squarely in the middle. But nothing about RM—affectionately known to fans by his given name, Namjoon—is middle of the pack. Despite not being the oldest in years, Big Hit Entertainment assigned him the official role of leader of the group, and it’s a role he fills naturally. Rarely the flashiest in terms…