BTS will reveal their gradual journey to becoming K-pop superstars through a new Apple Music weekly limited series launching on Saturday.
The streaming service announced on Thursday that the record-breaking South Korean group will release their new show BTS Radio: Past & Present on Apple Music 1. The three-episode limited series will be broadcast weekly, leading up to the release of the band’s new album, Proof, which will be out on June 10.
The Grammy Award-nominated band will take listeners on their quest to stardom, while sharing stories and songs that helped to shape them. The group are known for their hit songs such as Dynamite and Butter.
“We wanted to use this radio show to celebrate nine years of BTS with you guys and with our Army all over the world,” said RM, of the seven members of the boy band. The others are J-Hope, Suga, Jungkook, V, Jin and Jimin.
“Every episode is dedicated to you,” RM says. “And we wanted to share the BTS songs that help tell our story.”
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BTS through the years: the K-pop band at the Korean Culture Convention (K-Con), held at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on August 10, 2014. AFP -
Members of BTS arrive on the red carpet for K-Con 2014. AFP -
BTS on the red carpet for the Asia Artist Awards in Seoul on November 16, 2016. AFP -
Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and JungKook of BTS at Music Choice in New York City on March 22, 2017. Getty -
BTS perform Fake Love at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 20, 2018. AP -
BTS accept the Top Social Artist award at the Billboard Music Awards on May 20, 2018. Reuters -
BTS attend the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2018. AP -
BTS perform during a Korean cultural event in Paris as part of the South Korean president's official visit to France on October 14, 2018. AFP -
BTS on the red carpet at the Mnet Asian Music Awards in Hong Kong on December 14, 2018. AP -
BTS at the Seoul Music Awards on January 15, 2019. Getty -
BTS present the award for Best R&B Album during the 61st Grammy Awards on February 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. AFP -
BTS perform on Saturday Night Live on April 11, 2019. Getty -
BTS before rehearsals for KBS 2TV's Music Bank in Yeouido, Seoul, on April 19, 2019. Getty -
BTS perform at concert to promote 18th Fina World Championships at a stadium in Gwangju, South Korea on April 28, 2019. EPA -
BTS and Halsey performing Boy With Luv at the Billboard Music Awards on May 1, 2019. Reuters -
BTS attend Youth Day at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul on September 19, 2020. Reuters -
BTS present a purple gift box to President Moon Jae-in during the inaugural Youth Day event in Seoul on September 19, 2020. EPA -
BTS on the red carpet during the annual Mama Awards at Nagoya Dome in Nagoya, Japan, on December 4, 2019. Reuters -
BTS at the 34st annual Golden Disk Awards ceremony in Seoul on January 4, 2020. EPA -
BTS arrive at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on January 26, 2020. AP -
BTS visit the Today Show at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City on February 21, 2020. AFP -
BTS give an address as part of the YouTube Originals Dear Class of 2020 speeches. YouTube Originals -
BTS performing as part of the YouTube Originals Dear Class of 2020 speeches. YouTube Originals -
BTS perform 'Dynamite' during the MTV Video Music Awards on August 30, 2020. Reuters -
BTS accept the award for Best Pop Video for 'On' during the MTV Video Music Awards on August 30, 2020. AP -
BTS arrives to security check-in at the United Nations headquarters during the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 20, 2021. AFP -
V, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope of BTS arrive at the 2021 American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California on November 21, 2021. Reuters -
BTS accepts the award for artist of the year at the American Music Awards in 2021 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. AP -
Jin, Suga, V, Jungkook, RM, Jimin, and J-Hope of BTS hold their award for the Favourite Pop Song, Favourite Duo or Group and Artist of the Year awards during the 2021 American Music Awards. Reuters -
BTS pose on red carpet of iHeartRadio Jingle Ball concert in California on December 3, 2021. Reuters -
BTS perform at Jamsil Olympic Park in southern Seoul, South Korea on March 10, 2022. EPA -
BTS pose on red carpet of 64th Annual Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 3, 2022. Reuters -
BTS perform Butter during 64th Annual Grammy Awards show in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 3, 2022. Reuters -
BTS Permission to Dance concert in Las Vegas on April 10, 2022. Photo: Big Hit Music -
Members of BTS join Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, centre, during a news conference at the White House in Washington DC on May 31, 2022. Photo: Oliver Contreras / Sipa / Bloomberg
In the first episode, BTS explain the beginning of the group, with songs that inspired their sound and style. The second episode — which will be released on June 3 — will have the band pick some of the BTS Army’s favourite songs.
BTS will show how the group ultimately achieved fame as global music sensations in the final episode on June 10.
The announcement of the new show came hours after the White House announced that the group would meet US President Joe Biden on Tuesday, as part of a series of events celebrating Asian-Americans and denouncing racism against them.
Biden and BTS will "discuss Asian inclusion and representation, and address anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination, which have become more prominent issues in recent years", the White House said, referring to the group as "youth ambassadors who spread a message of hope and positivity across the world".
BTS have in the past been praised for lending their voice to various social movements.
In March last year, they issued a statement on the #StopAsianHate movement, posting a letter in English and Korean to Twitter to express their support for the campaign.
“We send our deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones,” the statement begins.
“We feel grief and anger. We recall moments when we faced discrimination as Asians. We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look. We were even asked why Asians spoke in English.”
The group also discusses how those experiences have affected their self-esteem.
“We cannot put into words the pain of becoming the subject of hatred and violence for such a reason. Our own experiences are inconsequential compared to the events that have occurred over the past few weeks. But these experiences were enough to make us feel powerless and chip away our self-esteem. What is happening right now cannot be dissociated from our identity as Asians.”
In 2018, a speech by the group at the UN headquarters in New York went viral.
Speaking for BTS to help launch a Unicef campaign called "Generation Unlimited", an impassioned RM outlined the issues that they, their fans and young people around the world face today and the need to step up.
"I want to hear your voice, I want to hear your conviction. No matter where you're from, skin colour, gender identity, just speak yourself. Find your name [and] find your voice," he said.
— Additional reporting by AP
