Mattel Inc, maker of Barbie and Hot Wheels toys, is turning to a Korean boy band for help luring the new generation of kids.
Mattel will create a toy line inspired by the seven-member pop group BTS that includes dolls, collectible figures and games, the El Segundo, California-based company announced back in January.
Already a couple of Mattel's tweets have already gone viral as they've hinted as to what the dolls will look like:
No more dreaming. Something big's coming… 💜 #BTSDollsOfficial #BTSxMattel pic.twitter.com/pANsDMgrrD
— MATTEL (@Mattel) March 18, 2019
Here they offer a partial close-up of one of the members while quoting lyrics from the BTS hit song Idol:
You can call him an artist, you can call him an idol… 💜 #BTSDollsOfficial #BTSxMattel pic.twitter.com/2rVdAcJWkH
— MATTEL (@Mattel) March 19, 2019
As well as sharing a up close photo of the material used for the dolls:
Is there such a thing as handsome overload? 💜 #BTSDollsOfficial #BTSxMattel pic.twitter.com/6k833bfSWP
— MATTEL (@Mattel) March 20, 2019
In a note so surprising note, their fan base known as the #Army took it upon themselves to quickly share how excited they were for the dolls to arrive (and perhaps more impressively could identify which members were previewed - for those unaware, it's Jin and RM):
ARMY: pic.twitter.com/NZdTp0Yvfm
— Miss Park⁷ (@MarisInsik) March 18, 2019
I can’t wait💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 pic.twitter.com/4EHKuafVjF
— Suga and more Suga🍭🍭🍭 (@Terrytruett5) March 20, 2019
Mattel has also offered more details including a release date in the summer and that the dolls will have a 11 points of articulation with fully poseable arms, legs, hands and feet. They also said that the dolls be shared with "retailers around the world" hopefully meaning they come to the UAE as well.
BTS, whose name is drawn from Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Beyond the Scene,” is one of the best-selling music acts in the world. Last year, BTS became the first Korean pop group to top the Billboard album charts in the US, and sold out a concert at New York City’s Citi Field.
Thanks to their loyal fan base, the group's economic value is estimated at more than 4 trillion won (Dh13.2 billion), according to the Hyundai Research Institute. Asian retailers reported double-digit increases in customers for books and albums around the release of the group's Love Yourself: Tear.
Some large companies are beginning to see commercial potential for BTS — and the growing power of Korean pop culture more broadly. Carmaker Hyundai Motor Co, messaging app Line and the sneaker brand Converse are all working on new products with BTS.
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Read more:
Will BTS be the most successful K-Pop band ever?
Exo's Kai and Blackpink's Jennie are dating - here's what it means for K-pop
Korean singer Wheesung: 'I believe K-Pop will evolve to a different level soon'
WATCH: Why do people in the UAE love K-Pop so much?
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