BTS made their debut back in 2013 but rose to international heights in 2017 paving the way for a broader audience reach. The K-Pop group has won a Billboard Music Award and continue to top music charts. Recently, Bang Shi Hyuk, the CEO of BTS’ agency, shared to Soompi his ultimate goal for BTS. The CEO, who the BTS Army refers to as Bang PD, revealed he always had high hopes for the band that they would reach global success.
In 2017, BTS entered the US entertainment industry with a strong and supportive fan base. The popular K-Pop group auditioned for Bit Hit Entertainment to create an idol group. But for Bang PD it was more than creating an idol group people would talk about. He envisioned the band as strong and relatable. He wanted BTS to be like a close friend you can lean on.
BTS As Global Artist
According to the CEO, he wanted BTS to become a significant artist in the global music market. Bang PD shared his goal with the boys before BTS debuted. Because he wanted to give them a sense of what the band was striving for. Now, the goal isn’t that far out of reach. BTS has already reached international appeal. They’ve already made numerous TV spots on popular talk shows like Ellen and Jimmy Kimmel. Bang PD hopes they continue to grow as they maintain their success.
Bang PD mentioned in the interview with Soompi about what he believes was BTS secret to success. He mentioned that the subject matter BTS sings is universal. The band focuses on telling stories specific to the youth of their generation. Their lyrics are honest and that’s what makes them click with their listeners. BTS takes their social responsibility as artists seriously and won’t glorify youth culture. Bang PD also mentioned how the boys do not hide under a cloud of mystery but instead, they are open to their fans- especially on social media. BTS enjoys communicating with their fans and Bang PD, on the other hand, enjoys scouring the internet for anything BTS related. This helps him learn how to communicate with both fans and haters.
#BTSoutcast Horror AU
The Twitterverse is in a frenzy when BTS fan and Twitter user @flirtaus posted a Horror Alternate Universe (AU) Fanfiction. The BTS Outcast AU focuses on the boys playing a game called Outcast and after installing the game they receive mysterious messages. It’s then revealed that Yoonji is controlling the fate of Jimin’s character while Hoseok is controlling the fate of Jungkook’s character.
The AU is also an interactive story. there is a poll at the end of each night where the readers can choose the next step. This left fans on the edge of their seats because their choices might change the route of the plot. A Twitter user has compiled the stories for easy reading, here’s Part 1 and Part 2 of BTS Outcast. But reader’s discretion is advised since the AU contains violence.
The creator of the AU, @flirtaus has ended the story on a cliffhanger making fans want another chapter. Fans have expressed their reactions on Twitter hoping they’d get another ending. The BTS Army couldn’t get enough of the AU, they’ve even posted theories explaining the story’s origin. Because of the massive support, @flirtaus promises to post a bonus story answering fans many questions about the ending.