A new BTS hashtag every day: the social media campaign trying to get the K-pop superstars to the UAE

The UAE Army are hoping a new social media campaign can get the attention of concert organisers, as well as the band itself, with hopes of bringing them for a concert

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

It’s been three years since BTS last performed in the UAE and despite their rising global stardom, there is one constant that's remained the same: their Army (a nickname given to their fans that stands for Adorable Representative MC for Youth) in the UAE are desperate to see the K-pop boy band return once again.

After it was announced that the popular band would be performing in Riyadh as part of their Love Yourself: Speak Yourself world tour on October 11, fans in the UAE were slightly disheartened with the band being so close yet so far away. In fact, they tweeted out their frustration with the simple hashtag #WeWantBTSinUAE.

Scroll through our gallery above to see BTS through the years

Even though the group didn't make a stop in the UAE (although they did have a brief layover in Dubai while travelling on Emirates to go to Riyadh) that hasn't deterred fans from trying.

Now a new social media campaign has been created by BangtanUAE, the Twitter account to follow for BTS fans in the UAE. The fan group provides constant updates about the band and has helped launch the BTSxUAE Purple Week campaign. They are asking fellow fans to help trend a new hashtag every day until November 1 with the hopes of raising attention to how much fans want to see BTS back in the UAE.

They have asked the Army to help with tweeting these hashtags for the rest of the week as well as topic. Each campaign will start at 7pm:

• #BTSinAD, favourite pic/video from a BTS concert Live performance, on Tuesday, October 29
• #BTSXThinkFlash, show the power of UAE Army online and offline, on Wednesday, October 30
• #BTSxUAEconcert, favourite BTSxArmy moment, on Friday October 31
• #BTSxZayedSportsCity, ideas for concert projects, on Friday, November 1
• #UAEArmyWithBTSForever, thank you letter to BTS, on Saturday, November 2

They’ve also asked for the hashtags to be tagged with the main BTS account as well as Flash Entertainment, DCT Abu Dhabi, Zayed Sports City, Bit Hit Entertainment (the management of BTS) and Abu Dhabi Calendar.

The seven-member band will wrap up their world tour at home in Seoul while the campaign in the UAE continues. Here’s a look so far at some of the best posts from the social media movement with today's hashtag of #BTSTourinUAE and topic of favourite BTS Live performance:

Whether the group or their agency hears them or not remains to be seen. A survey conducted by Spotify however mentioned that Saudi Arabia and the UAE were the top streamers of K-pop in the Mena region with BTS being the most streamed K-pop artist regionally.