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 Since its 2013 debut, the
seven-member South Korean boy band has surfed
the global K-pop craze to dizzying heights. On
Monday it landed top spot in the Billboard Hot
100 chart with breezy disco hit "Dynamite", a
first all-English language single that's been
lapped up by mainstream U.S. pop fans.
For BTS, the global smash - with a Youtube video
that's already racked up 275 million views -
raises hopes of glory at the Grammys - the band
performed there earlier this year alongside
rapper Lil Nas X, but has never been nominated
for an award.
"The Grammys is the place that all artists would
dream of, and we're hoping that we will be able
to stage our own performance, secure nominations
and if possible, win an award," said band leader
and rapper RM, 25, speaking alongside his
bandmates during on online news conference on
Wednesday.
Members said the Billboard achievement still
didn't "feel real", lamenting being unable to
celebrate it with fans as the coronavirus
pandemic prompted them to cancel a scheduled
world tour.
"All the performances and concerts we had always
held have now become a dream," said RM, whose
real name is Kim Nam-joon. "But we still want to
do an outdoor show some day, inviting many
people and throwing a festival at a big square."
BTS boasts an extensive global fanbase,
collectively called 'ARMY', who together with
the band have been active on social media
supporting social and humanitarian campaigns, as
well as raising more than $1 million in funds
for the Black Lives Matter movement.
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"Dynamite" notched 33.9 million U.S. streams and
300,000 sales in its first week, according to
Nielsen Music data. BTS also scored the biggest
digital sales week in nearly three years, the
numbers showed.
While the group's introspective 2018 album "Love
Yourself: Tear" was aimed at showing fans how
the young stars dealt with and overcame doubts
and fears, the new single was designed to give
energy to fans who might be grappling with
coronavirus gloom, the band said.
"Everyone should join hands to help fight the
pandemic, in which lifting people's spirits is
vital," said vocalist Jimin.
"What we should and can do is to give a bit of
comfort and refresh them, that's another goal of
ours," the 24-year-old said.
As BTS basks in its success, the group's
management label, Big Hit Entertainment,
meanwhile said later on Wednesday it plans to
raise up to 962.6 billion won ($811 million) in
an initial public offering of shares expected in
October.
(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Kenneth
Maxwell)
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