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K-pop giants BTS will release the group’s oral history on July 9 in South Korea and the United States, US publisher Flatiron Books announced Thursday.
The book, Beyond The Story: 10-year Record of BTS, was written by journalist Kang Myung Suk and members of the group and will be published in South Korea by Big Hit Music.
The news confirms days of intense fan speculation that Flatiron will publish a non-fiction title about the pop culture phenomenon this summer. The rumors spread after US booksellers noticed that the mysterious title with a July 9th release date was coming out this past weekend. The first edition of the book had a circulation of 1 million copies, and bookstore clerks were required to sign affidavits on stock copies on the day of publication.
Fans searched for clues as to who the mystery writer was, initially focusing on Taylor Swift, citing her frequent use of the number ’13’ as evidence. (The book was originally scheduled for release on June 13th.) Swift also emphasized the July 9th date for her latest album. announcement.
However, June 13th and July 9th are also important days for the BTS community. The group debuted on the first day, while BTS’s ardent fan base, Army (short for adorable representative MC for young people), was established on the second day. The book’s release coincides with the fan group’s 10th anniversary.
As speculation mounts, the as-yet-untitled book has surfaced on Amazon and Barnes & Noble bestseller lists for pre-orders.
The English translation of this book was led by Anton Haar with contributions from Claire Richards and Surin Jung. According to Flatiron, the U.S. edition will feature 544 pages of exclusive photography and will print a first edition of 1 million copies.
The group’s strong and highly online fandom has become world-renowned, known for buying multiple versions of each physical release and supporting the group by running intricately coordinated social media campaigns. It is Followers also help each other by translating BTS content into English and other languages and providing a strong fan community.
It’s hard to overstate BTS’ influence in music or any other field. Last year, seven members of the group (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook) visited the White House and delivered speeches against anti-Asian-American hate crimes.
Since 2013, BTS has released 9 albums and 6 EPs, helping K-pop to become a dominant force globally. In 2018, the group became the first K-pop artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard album chart with “Love Yourself: Tear,” and in 2019 they doubled with “Love Yourself: Answer” and “Map of the Soul:.” This feat was repeated several times. Persona” – rivaling the record set by the Beatles.
In June 2022, after releasing yet another number one album, the three-disc compilation “Proof,” BTS released a video on social media announcing their hiatus so the members can focus on their solo creative projects. . Suga said, “I should write what I feel and the story I want to tell, but I’m just forcing myself to squeeze out words because I want to satisfy someone.” This clip he received over 16 million views in two days. Last October, the group’s label confirmed that the members would enlist in the South Korean military as required by law. Some already have.
The hiatus was devastating news not only for BTS’s die-hard fan base, but for the entertainment industry as well. The day after the news broke, shares in Hive, the South Korean entertainment company that runs the group, fell 28%, shaving $1.7 billion from its market capitalization. As the group’s popularity grows, it will become a pillar of the South Korean economy, contributing $3.5 billion annually by 2020, according to Hyundai Research Institute.
Many fans say that while drawn to BTS’s music and performances, their messages of love and acceptance have also inspired some to become more politically active. “They are really, really passionate people who just fight for what they love,” fan Nicole Santero, who ran the data-driven BTS Twitter account, told The Times in 2020. “These traits apply well when looking at social issues.”
Caryn Ganz Contributed to the report from New York.
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