BTS are widely credited for bringing K-pop into the mainstream in the US, and analysts say the pandemic supercharged their role on the world stage
Members of Korean K-pop group BTS arriving on the red carpet during the K-CON 2014 (Korean Culture Convention) at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
Image: Mark Ralston/ AFP
South Korean supergroup BTS return to the stage in Seoul to play for their adoring home-grown fans for the first time since 2019 on Thursday, after tickets for the three-night stadium concerts sold out in minutes.
While Covid-19 emptied arenas and shut clubs worldwide, the K-Pop septet thrived during the pandemic—scoring a string of number one hits, expanding their global fanbase, and reaping record profits.