RM, V of K-pop group BTS to start mandatory military service

SEOUL -- Two more members of K-pop phenomenon BTS, RM and V, were set to start mandatory South Korean military service Monday, local media reported, with the final two members expected to enlist this week.

All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military.

After a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved an exemption, Jin, the oldest member of the group, enlisted last year and his bandmates J-Hope and SUGA followed this year.

RM and V were set to begin their five-week basic training at an army boot camp in South Chungcheong province on Monday, the Yonhap news agency reported.

RM -- whose full name is Kim Nam-joon and is the leader of BTS -- posted a message to fans late Sunday, saying it will be "a time of learning and new inspirations."

"Goodbye for now. Let us be us, whenever and wherever! Let's meet in the future," he wrote on social media platform Weverse.

V -- real name Kim Tae-hyung -- shared selfies donning his newly shorn, military-approved buzzcut with sunglasses and a scarf.

"It has been a dream to wear sunglasses with a shaved head. I wanted to try it someday and it worked out well," he wrote Sunday on his Instagram account.

The septet has become a global cultural phenomenon, selling out stadiums around the world and dominating key US charts while raking in billions for South Korea's economy and building an international legion of fans known as ARMY.

Their label BIGHIT MUSIC had confirmed in November that the last four members of the group would enlist, but did not disclose additional details.

The two remaining members, Jimin and Jung Kook, are due to enlist on Tuesday, according to local media.

Agence France-Presse

Shares of BTS label tumble after band announces hiatus

SEOUL — Shares in the management agency of the K-pop supergroup BTS plummeted Wednesday in early trading in Seoul after the band announced they were taking an indefinite break.

The 7 members, credited with generating billions of dollars for the South Korean economy, dropped the bombshell during their streamed "FESTA" dinner, part of a celebration that marks their anniversary as a group.

The news sent shares of the band's label HYBE tumbling -- it was down about 27 percent as of 10:40 a.m. local time (9:40 a.m. in Manila).

The stock -- down nearly 60 percent so far this year -- was headed for its lowest close on record since its trading debut in October 2020, wiping $1.6 billion off its market value, Bloomberg News reported.

The group cited the pressures of fame and success in explaining the break, and said they planned to focus on solo pursuits.

BTS's label enjoyed a surge in profits despite the group staging fewer concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The septet is the first all-South Korean act to reign over Billboard's US top singles chart, a milestone they achieved with "Dynamite" -- the first BTS song performed completely in English.

They are also one of few acts since The Beatles to release 4 albums that hit number 1 stateside in less than 2 years.

The group has twice been nominated for a Grammy but has yet to win.

BTS recently made headlines for visiting the White House to deliver a message to US President Joe Biden on the fight against anti-Asian racism.

BTS has said they were going on short breaks before, first in 2019 and later in December 2021.

Agence France-Presse

BTS to hit the stage in South Korea for first time since COVID began

SEOUL — South Korean boy band BTS is to put on their first shows for their home fans since the coronavirus pandemic began, with three concerts in the capital, Seoul, next month, their agency said on Wednesday.

The concerts, part of their "Permission to Dance on Stage" tour that has been disrupted by the pandemic, will be at Seoul's Olympic Stadium on March 10, 12, and 13, and will also be live-streamed, Bit Hit Music said.

"We would like to thank all ARMY for patiently waiting for an in-person concert to be held in Korea," the company said on its online fan platform, Weverse, referring to the band's global fan base known as Adorable Representative MC for Youth.

Since their 2013 debut, the band has spearheaded a global K-Pop craze with catchy, upbeat music and dances, as well as lyrics and social campaigns aimed at empowering youngsters.

The seven-member band made history in November, becoming the first Asian artist to win the top prize at the American Music Awards.

Their last concert for South Korean fans was in October 2019, a couple of months before the coronavirus emerged.

As the pandemic spread in 2020, the band postponed and then called off what was meant to be their biggest international tour involving nearly 40 concerts. They held some online shows instead.

They played their first in-person concerts since the onset of the pandemic in November, in Los Angles, and some die-hard South Korean fans flew in for the shows.

The pandemic has also affected some members of the band, though all are fully vaccinated.

V, the singer, and songwriter whose real name is Kim Tae-hyung, was on Tuesday confirmed as the band's fifth member to contract COVID-19, Bit Hit said.

V had no symptoms apart from a mild fever and sore throat, and all other members had tested negative.

"He is currently undergoing treatment at home," the company said in a separate statement, promising a speedy recovery.

Rapper RM, vocalist Jin, and rapper Suga tested positive in December shortly after their return from the U.S. shows, and singer Jimin contracted the virus last month. 

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin Editing by Robert Birsel)

-reuters-

3 members of K-pop sensation BTS diagnosed with COVID-19

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Three members of the K-pop superstar group BTS have been infected with the coronavirus after returning from abroad, their management agency said.

RM and Jin were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Saturday evening, the Big Hit Music agency said in a statement. It earlier said another member, Suga, tested positive for the virus on Friday.

All three took their second jabs in August, the agency said.

BTS is a seven-member boyband. The four other members are J-Hope, Jungkook, V and Jimin.

According to the agency, RM has exhibited no particular symptoms while Jin is showing mild symptoms including light fever and is undergoing self-treatment at home. The agency said Friday that Suga wasn’t exhibiting symptoms and was administering self-care at home in accordance with the guidelines of the health authorities.

RM had tested negative after returning from the United States earlier this month following his personal schedule there. But he was later diagnosed with the virus ahead of his scheduled release from self-quarantine, the agency said.

After returning to South Korea this month, Jin underwent PCR tests twice — upon arrival and later before his release from self-quarantine — and tested negative both times. But he had flu-like symptoms on Saturday afternoon before he took another PCR test that came back positive, the agency said. Media reports said he also had traveled to the U.S.

-Associated Press-

BTS wins Artist of the Year at 49th American Music Awards

BTS receives an award for Artist of the Year at the 49th Annual American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California on Sunday. The K-pop band beat rival nominees Ariana Grande, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift and The Weekend.

-reuters-

K-pop megaband BTS leaves Sony for Universal

South Korea's BTS has signed a new distribution and marketing deal with Universal Music Group, the world's biggest music label, dropping Sony Music's Columbia Records, the music band's manager said on Friday.

Hybe Co Ltd-owned Bighit Music, which manages BTS, did not disclose the financial terms of the deal but said Universal and its American record label Interscope would distribute and market BTS' music in the United States and other regions.

The deal expands the entertainment company's existing partnership with Universal, as it seeks to boost the popularity of K-pop music globally.

BTS, which shot to global fame after the release of its English songs such as "Butter" and "Permission to Dance", is the first K-pop group to ever receive a Grammy Award nomination.

The seven-member band has garnered millions of fans worldwide since its debut in 2013, teaming up with big names including Coldplay, Steve Aoki and Halsey.

Last month, BTS performed at the United Nations in an effort to promote global goals of tackling poverty, inequality, injustice and climate change ahead.

Universal, whose other hit singers and catalogues include Justin Bieber and The Beatles, was spun off by France's Vivendi last month.

Sony Music and Universal Music Group did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Ramakrishnan M.)

-reuters-

McDonald's BTS-meal frenzy sparks virus closures in Indonesia

JAKARTA - More than a dozen Indonesian McDonald's outlets were temporarily shuttered Wednesday over virus fears as the chain's new BTS meal deal sparked frenzied buying from fans in the K-pop mad country. 

Jakarta and several other cities slapped closure stickers on at least 13 outlets that were deluged with online food-delivery drivers picking up a meal set named after the hugely popular Korean boy band. 

"We temporarily closed four of six McDonald's stores here in Semarang for a couple of days," said Fajar Purwoto, the city's public order agency head.

"I don't want Semarang to be in the COVID-19 red zone again."

Indonesia is one of the hardest-hit nations in Asia.

Jakarta authorities did not respond to requests for comment. But local media said five stores in the capital were shut over BTS meal orders.

The meal set of chicken nuggets, fries and a drink, first made available in Indonesia Wednesday, has been on offer in dozens of countries since May.

BTS have become global superstars with millions of fans around the world since their debut in 2013.

Agence France-Presse

BTS releases new album after historic success of 'Dynamite'

SEOUL -- K-pop sensations BTS released their highly anticipated new studio album on Friday, following the historic success of their all-English single "Dynamite."

The trailblazing septet cemented their prominence in the world's biggest market in August, becoming the first South Korean act to top the US singles chart -- with "Dynamite" entering the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1.

They are credited with generating billions for the South Korean economy, and last month their label Big Hit Entertainment made a high-profile stock market debut.

Their latest effort, titled "BE", was to be given a simultaneous worldwide release at 2 p.m. South Korean time.

The new, eight-track record is the group's fifth Korean-language studio album, and "contains the most 'BTS-esque' music yet," Big Hit said in a statement ahead of the release.

"BTS have been on an explosive trajectory this year -- an amazing feat considering how much they've been continuously attracting new fans for years now," Jenna Gibson, a researcher at the University of Chicago, told AFP.

"Before this year, some skeptics may have still had doubts that BTS were just a fad, that the growth would drop off. This year has clearly, firmly, put those doubts to rest.

"It's hard to overestimate the anticipation for this album."

The English single "Dynamite" is among the tracks on the album, and the first number, "Life Goes On," aims to deliver a "message of healing" in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Big Hit said.

"Our goal with the music on 'BE' is that it can be a comfort to a lot of people," member Jimin told a press conference Friday. "If many people can relate to it, I will be really thankful."

Since their debut in 2013, BTS have ascended to global superstardom, holding a string of sold-out shows in Los Angeles, Paris and London last year.

Their lyrics are often socially conscious -- themes include societal competition and the ills of consumerism -- and they consistently engage with fans at home and abroad through social media, having accumulated 30.7 million followers on Twitter.

"What this album needs to do is to persuade the skeptics who have more recently heard about BTS that their work is powerful, original, and deep," CedarBough Saeji, a visiting professor at Indiana University Bloomington, told AFP.

"If this album can demonstrate that loyal fans exist in large part because of phenomenal artistic offerings, the critics who attribute BTS's success only to loyal fans will be forced to reassess."

The megastars are scheduled to perform "Dynamite" and "Life Goes On" for the 2020 American Music Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles. 

Agence France-Presse

K-pop kings BTS win 4 MTV Europe Music Awards at virtual ceremony

K-pop stars BTS picked up four prizes at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Sunday, including best song for "Dynamite" and best group, capping a year in which the Korean band underlined its status as a major global act.

The group's first English-language song, Dynamite logged nearly 34 million US streams and 300,000 sales in its first week, making BTS the first Korean act to debut at No. 1 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

The seven-member band also snagged MTV awards for best virtual live act and the biggest fans, although the coronavirus pandemic meant there was no audience and no ceremony to mark their achievement.

Instead, the music channel created a virtual stadium full of waving and cheering fans for the event, with acts appearing in pre-recorded performances from wherever they were located and winners accepting awards to camera.

British band Little Mix hosted the show, without member Jesy Nelson who was reported to be ill. They appeared on a computer generated stage within the "stadium".

In a nod to the pandemic, US rapper Jack Harlow sang "Whats Poppin" on a stage with four dancers wearing face masks.

Karol G won the new best Latin act category and best collaboration for "Tusa" featuring Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga took the best artist award and DJ Khaled was awarded best video.

Little Mix, who performed "Sweet Melody" in a performance recorded in London, won the best pop act for 2020.

Cardi B was named best hip-hop act, Coldplay won the best rock category and Hayley Williams won the award for best alternative act.

Among the performers was Alicia Keys who sang "Love Looks Better" and Sam Smith, who performed "Diamonds" on the stage of an empty theatre.

US singer and rapper Doja Cat, who took home this year's best new act award, opened the show with her hit "Say So".

French DJ and producer David Guetta, who won the award for best electronic act, performed "Let's Love" with British singer Raye at the Széchenyi Bath complex in the Hungarian capital Budapest, accompanied by a laser show. 

-reuters-

BTS agency shares double on stock market debut

SEOUL - Shares in the management agency of K-pop sensation BTS more than doubled in the opening minutes of trading on their stock market debut Thursday.

The initial public offering in Big Hit Entertainment was priced at 135,000 won ($118) per share but within minutes of the Kospi exchange opening, the stock was priced at 330,000 won.

The IPO of shares in Big Hit Entertainment saw staggering demand earlier, with the public section oversubscribed no fewer than 607 times and applicants receiving only a tiny fraction of their requests.

The firm's centrepiece asset BTS have risen to global stardom in recent years, cementing their prominence in the world's biggest music market in August with their all-English track "Dynamite" topping the US Billboard Hot 100. 

At the IPO price of 135,000 won ($118) per share, Big Hit would have a market capitalisation of 4.8 trillion won -- well over $4 billion, and more than Hanjin Kal, the holding company for the conglomerate that includes the South's flag-carrier Korean Air.

Big Hit founder and CEO Bang Si-hyuk is worth $1.4 billion at the IPO price, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and is retaining a stake of more than 36 percent of the firm. 

The flotation also boosts the band members' own wealth -- Bang gave each of them more than 68,000 shares in August, worth around $8 million at the IPO price and totalling 1.4 percent of the company.

Analysts expect the shares to rocket as soon as the market opens.

"Considering all the information about the firm now available, the IPO price could be the lowest price we will ever see," Park Sung-ho of Yuanta Securities told AFP.

Earlier this year, his company estimated Big Hit's enterprise value -- its market capitalisation plus accumulated debt -- at two to three trillion won, he said.

It has since raised it to 10 trillion won after assessing its business models including licensing sales, he added. 

- Military impact - 

But there is one inescapable hurdle looming for the newly listing agency: mandatory military service for all seven boy band members, who made their debut in 2013.

South Korea requires all able-bodied men to serve in uniform to defend it against security threats from the nuclear-armed North.

Under the existing conscription laws BTS member Jin -- real name Kim Seok-jin -- aged 27, will have to report for duty by the end of 2021.

The other six members, born between 1993 and 1997, will have to follow in the coming years.

South Korea is currently debating exemptions for stars such as BTS, who have been at the forefront of the Korean Wave cultural phenomenon in recent years and are estimated to generate billions for the country's economy.

But no such dispensations have so far been granted to pop stars, and if they are forced to leave the stage it could blow a hole in Big Hit's finances: BTS were responsible for 97 percent of its revenues last year, according to the IPO prospectus.

Big Hit acknowledged their anticipated absence as a "risk factor".

It is looking to expand activities such as "contents licensing sales" that do not require the artists' "direct participation" to try to cushion the blow.

But it acknowledged their time off-camera "could have a negative impact on the company's profitability and growth". 

Agence France-Presse

Excitement builds as S. Korea firm behind BTS nears IPO

SEOUL - Investors are anxiously awaiting as the South Korean entertainment company behind hugely popular K-pop boy band BTS plans its initial public offering next Thursday, with its market value expected to reach 4.8 trillion won ($4.14 billion).

As institutional investors sought a slice of Big Hit Entertainment shares, the company's IPO price has reached the top end of the range indicated by it earlier. As a result, the company is set to raise around 960 billion won from debuting on the Korea Exchange.

Seven members of the band, who are all in their 20s, will each receive shares worth 9.2 billion won.

Since its debut in South Korea in 2013, BTS has gone on to win many fans across the world with its synchronized dance moves and hip-hop songs as well as their beautiful melodies.

BTS's songs are known for lyrics that address social issues, one reason the group seems to resonate with many young people. The group topped the Billboard album chart in 2018 and reached the No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart this year.

For many years, South Korea's entertainment business had been dominated by three major companies. But Big Hit Entertainment, a relative new entrant to the market, had an operating profit last year larger than those of the three companies combined.

Most of its earnings come from businesses related to BTS.

The South Korean government has expressed hopes for increasing demand for BTS-advertised products and BTS-related tourism. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently estimated that its recent big hit single "Dynamite" would alone generate an economic effect worth 1.7 trillion won.

As is often the case with a South Korean boy band, however, mandatory military service hovers over the group members. That leaves a potential question mark on Big Hit Entertainment's post-IPO prospects.

Concern over the company's business prospects briefly arose when speculation grew that the group's oldest member, 27-year-old Jin, would soon serve in the military. South Korean men usually begin serving in the military before turning 28.

The company sought to quiet the chatter in early September, after it had announced its IPO plan, by saying that Jin's conscription could be postponed until the end of next year under a provision in the military service law.

The company is believed to be referring to a provision that allows people enrolled in graduate schools to postpone their mandatory service.

But all seven members will have to serve between 18 and 22 months in the military at some point, provided the law remains unchanged. That means the company will have to find a way to keep the group relevant while it lacks some of its members due to military duty.

-Kyodo News-

BTS launches music video of new single ‘Stay Gold’

MANILA – Big Hit Entertainment finally released the official music video of “Stay Gold” on Friday.

The track is the lead single of South Korean boy band BTS’ “Map of the Soul: 7 The Journey” album which is slated for a July release.

Two days since it was uploaded, the music video already garnered more than 36 million views on YouTube.

BTS is composed of RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook.

Their other hits include "Boy With Luv," "Dionysus," "On" and "Fake Love."

Watch the full music video of “Stay Gold” below.


news.abs-cbn.com

South Korea's BTS boyband management apologizes over bar visit

SEOUL -- The manager of South Korea’s popular boyband BTS has apologized on behalf of one of its members who went to a bar in April, contrary to government advice, just as the country is trying to contain a recent coronavirus outbreak around Seoul’s club scene.

Jungkook, the BTS’ main vocalist, visited a restaurant and a bar in the Itaewon neighbourhood with friends on April 25, the boyband’s management Big Hit Entertainment said on Monday.

A new cluster of virus cases emerged in that neighbourhood this month as social distancing measures eased on May 6, prompting authorities to delay school reopening and close bars and clubs again.

“We have no excuse that we placed the artist’s personal life before we were able to emphasise the importance of social distancing. We bow our head in apology,” the company said.

The 22-year old, who was there before the first case among Itaewon clubgoers was confirmed, is not showing any symptoms and has tested negative for the coronavirus, Big Hit said.

“He is also deeply regretting on how he did not follow social distancing measures seriously.”

South Korea has been lauded for its quick and effective response to the pandemic but the resurgence of cases has raised concerns about a second wave of infections here

Before the rules were eased on May 6, authorities had allowed clubs and bars to stay open as long as they complied with strict social distancing measures, while advising people not to visit them.

Local media reported three other boy band members were with Jungkook during that outing, including Cha Eun-woo of Astro, Mingyu of Seventeen and Jaehyun of NCT.

The managers of all three issued statements confirming they were in Itaewon on the same day as Jungkook, apologising for their failure to follow social distancing measures. Jaehyun posted a handwritten apology on social media.

As of Monday, 170 cases have been traced to the Itaewon outbreak, with several hundreds in self isolation, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The seven-member BTS suspended their world tour over coronavirus concerns last month.

-reuters-

S. Korea's boyband BTS suspends world tour over coronavirus

SEOUL --South Korea's K-pop boyband BTS will suspend their world tour over worries about the spread of the novel coronavirus and restrictions aimed at stopping it, their management said on Tuesday.

The seven-member band had already postponed the North American leg of the tour, that was scheduled to start on April 25, and cancelled a Seoul concert because of the coronavirus outbreak.

"Due to the nature of BTS concerts involving travel by thousands of international fans no matter where the performances are held, it is also difficult to resume the tour with the current strict restrictions on cross-border movement still in place," Big Hit Entertainment said in a statement.

"Therefore, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the previously announced tour schedule and develop a new schedule."

The suspension of the tour, which was due to include concerts in Europe and Japan, comes as the coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 3 million people globally, with countries imposing travel restriction and lockdowns.

Big Hit Entertainment said it would give details of a new tour schedule as soon as they were clear.

-reuters-

BTS cancel Seoul concerts as coronavirus spreads in South Korea

SEOUL - K-pop megastars BTS on Friday canceled four concerts they were due to hold in Seoul in April, their agency said, as the coronavirus outbreak spreads in South Korea.

The country has so far confirmed more than 2,000 cases of the novel coronavirus, by far the largest national total outside China, the origin of the disease.

"We regret to announce" that the Seoul concerts have been cancelled, BTS agency Big Hit Entertainment said in a statement.

How BTS shot a ‘top secret’ video in Grand Central Terminal
The four concerts, scheduled to take place between April 11 and 19 at Seoul's Olympic Stadium, home to the 1988 Games, were expected to draw "over 200,000" BTS fans.

It was "impossible at this time to predict the scale of the outbreak", it said, creating uncertainty over the movement of staff, equipment and fans, making the cancellation "unavoidable", it said.

The move came after the boy band held a press conference to promote their new album in an empty hall on Monday because of the virus.

BTS -- or Bangtan Sonyeondan, which translates as Bulletproof Boy Scouts -- are the first K-pop group to top charts in the United States and Britain.

Their latest album "Map of the Soul: 7", released last week, was the most pre-ordered South Korean album of all time, with more than four million copies sold before its release.

kjk/slb/qan

Agence France-Presse

How BTS shot a ‘top secret’ video in Grand Central Terminal

NEW YORK — The video clip of BTS, the South Korean boy band, performing at Grand Central Terminal is only 6 minutes long. But it took almost 2 months to arrange for “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” to film the K-pop group dancing beneath the celestial ceiling inside the iconic train station.

BTS is wildly popular, a singing and dancing global phenomenon with millions of fans and dozens of awards. Last year, their music video for the song “Boy with Luv” generated 74.6 million views in 24 hours, a record.

How did they manage to pull off filming inside a busy transit hub that welcomes about 750,000 visitors every day?

Timing is everything.

The “Tonight Show” production team approached Metro-North Railroad, which runs Grand Central Terminal, to schedule a time to shoot last December, said Meredith Conti, manager of special events for Metro-North Railroad.

Once the day, Feb. 8, had been agreed upon, the crew of about 180 members, including dancers, a marching band, camera operators and members of the production team arrived to set up at Grand Central Terminal at about 10 p.m.

“It’s Saturday so it’s a much quieter time,” said Catherine Rinaldi, president of Metro-North Railroad.

She added: “We are over the moon about how successful this has been.”

The terminal, home of the MTA Metro-North Railroad and a subway station serving the 4, 5, 6, 7 and S lines, was still open as usual (it closes at 2 a.m.) But it was the weekend, when traffic is not as heavy, said Conti, who has overseen hundreds of productions in her 14 years on the job and was present the day of the shooting.

“I’ve seen quite a few,” Conti said. “This was pretty cool.”

It was a “top secret” mission to keep BTS hidden.

The backup dancers and the marching band stayed in Vanderbilt Hall and the North West Balcony rooms rehearsing while the crew set up their multiple cameras, Conti said.

Then, at about 12 a.m., RM, Jin, SUGA, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook — the members of BTS — got to the terminal, which remained open.

It was important that the public not catch a glimpse of the K-pop group members because their appearance on “The Tonight Show” was a surprise.

“They were not in the public areas while we were still open,” Conti said. “It was top secret.”

It wasn’t until 2 a.m., when the terminal had officially closed to the public, that BTS set foot on the main terminal floor.

They had 2 hours to nail the perfect video clip of “ON” from their new album, “Map of the Soul: 7,” before the terminal’s cleaning staff came in to wash the floors. The doors would open to the public again at 5:15 a.m.

Jimmy Fallon and BTS rode in a special subway.

The episode, which aired Monday night, also featured a #FallonAsksBTS segment in which the seven members of the group rode the subway with Fallon while answering some of the questions their fans, also known as the army, posed on Twitter.

“Can you ask BTS, when they make a song, what comes first, the melody or the lyrics?” Fallon asked the group on behalf of a fan.

The segment was filmed inside an R160 subway car two days after the Grand Central Terminal video, said Sarah Meyer, chief customer officer with the New York City Transit. Fallon’s team had contacted the agency in December, Meyer said.

But this was no regular commute: The train used for the segment is no longer operational but is rented out for special events, including TV and film productions, as well as training, Meyer said.

“It was moving while the cameras were rolling,” Meyer said.

Two train operators, one on each side of the train, were in charge of transporting Fallon and BTS back and forth along a track from a Bowery platform to a Canal Street platform.

The shoot, which was eight hours, took place on a recent weekday afternoon, Meyer said, but they managed to keep it secret, too.

“We wanted to keep the number who knew about this to a minimum,” Meyer said. “It was kept quiet.”

You, too, can shoot a video at Grand Central.

Every year, the staff of Grand Central Terminal accepts 20 to 30 large-scale production requests from TV and film companies, Conti said.

Movies with scenes filmed inside Grand Central include “Men in Black II” and “The Proposal.” The location has also been used for music videos like “Carry On” by Fun and “Legend in Your Own Time” by Carly Simon.

Productions are usually scheduled for the weekend or overnight, avoiding rush hour and aiming for times when service does not have to be disrupted, Conti said.

Small-scale productions, like wedding shoots or student films, which do not require more than one camera or additional support from her office, usually take place between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., outside rush hour.

Conti said that her staff grants about 500 of these requests per year. The Terminal does not allow any recording from late November to late December, when traffic is heavier because of the holidays, Conti added.

(If the price is right.)

“The Tonight Show” did not film inside Grand Central for free.

The Terminal charges a labor fee that includes staff used to supervise the production, electricians, on-site safety and customer service representatives, as well as a rental fee for the space, Conti said. She declined to comment how much Fallon’s show paid for the BTS shoot.

“The Tonight Show” also paid to rent the special subway.

“We were really excited about this one because we do believe that Jimmy Fallon and BTS bring diverse communities together and that’s exactly what New York City Transit does as well,” Meyer said. “There is good synergy.”

But back to the rental fee: When the MTA wrote a message to BTS and Jimmy Fallon that read, “Thanks for riding with us” on Twitter, one person replied, “Take the money they gave you and fix the damn trains.” 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Korea's BTS to release new album with 4 million pre-orders

SEOUL -- K-pop superstars BTS were releasing their new album Friday, breaking records even before it came out as the country's most pre-ordered album of all time, with its lead single the first track to make its debut on video app TikTok.

BTS -- or Bangtan Sonyeondan, which translates as Bulletproof Boy Scouts -- have gained a huge global following, becoming the first K-pop group to top charts in the US and Britain with a string of sold-out shows in Los Angeles, Paris and London's Wembley Stadium.

Their latest effort, "Map of the Soul: 7", was launching worldwide at 6 p.m. Friday South Korean time.

The digit is a reference to the number of members in the band, and the years since they made their debut.

The group rolled out a 30-second preview of lead single "ON" exclusively on TikTok Thursday, momentarily causing the short-form video app to crash.

They are the first band to introduce a single via TikTok, and the snippet offered a challenge titled #OnChallenge -- where fans were invited to use the sound to create their own videos.

More than 33,000 videos were made using the track by Friday morning, including fans dancing and reacting -- in places including classrooms.

"Guys I'm so excited and nervous and probably gonna skip a few minutes of my biology lesson and listen to Mots: 7 at the toilet," one fan posted on Twitter.

The song "ON" is "like a diary of our past seven years," BTS member RM told Apple Music. "We stumble from time to time but we got back up... It's like a declaration that we have admitted our destiny."

The collection is already the most-preordered South Korean album of all time, with more than 4.02 million copies sold.

"We did expand our musical spectrum," RM said, on the group's remarkable career since its debut. "In 2013 we had a performance in front of 300 people, 500 people. But now we are doing stadium tours, so everything's got bigger and happier."

Another Twitter fan posted: "Finally it's coming and I'm so proud of Bangtan. We will break records again and we will be even stronger together."

But one dark cloud on the band's otherwise stellar horizon has emerged: a high-profile concert initially scheduled for March 8 in Daegu has been cancelled due to the novel coronavirus outbreak in the city.

Agence France-Presse

K-pop playback: BTS collaborations

Earlier this week, South Korean boy band BTS dropped the track list for their upcoming album, “Map of the Soul: 7.”


The first 5 of the 20 tracks in the album come from the past record, “Map of the Soul: Persona,” while the rest are new songs, including the recent single “Black Swan” and title track “On.”

The septet will release two versions of “On” – a BTS-only song and one featuring Australian singer Sia, which will be available only on the album’s digital version.

The team-up with the “Chandelier” hitmaker, which the band reportedly organized, is the latest in a string of high-profile collaborations since 2017, the year BTS made history as the first Korean group to win an award at the Billboard Music Awards.

In anticipation of “Map of the Soul: 7” and the song with Sia, which are both slated for release on Friday, here’s a look-back at some of BTS’ work with other artists:

source: news.abs-cbn.com

No military service exemption for K-pop group BTS, Korean gov't says

Members of the Korean boy group BTS will not be exempted from mandatory military service, as the South Korean government aims to limit military exemptions.

According to a report from The Korea Herald, the Korean government announced a new amendment to its military service law.

Lee Nam-woo, chief of the Defense Ministry’s personnel welfare office, said the government would reduce the quota for military exemptions and enforce stricter conditions for eligible sports and arts personnel.

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon also explained that the government needs to reduce military exemptions due to controversies in the system, including the country's low birthrate and fairness of the system, among others.

Under South Korea's Military Service Act, all able-bodied Korean men are required to serve the military for about two years.

Exemptions may be offered to qualified athletes and artists, such as those who bring home gold medals at the Asian Games or the Olympics, and artists who win high honors in international competitions.

Fans have criticized the exemption system for excluding musicians, such as BTS, who has topped international music charts.

South Korean performers such as Psy, whose 2012 hit "Gangnam Style" became the first video to top a billion views on YouTube, have previously broken into Western markets, but none have achieved BTS' sustained success. — with a report from Agence France-Presse

source: news.abs-cbn.com

BTS member Jungkook causes minor car accident

MANILA -- Jeon Jungkook, the youngest member of the K-pop boy band BTS, admitted to committing a traffic law violation after he was involved in a car accident last week, his agency BigHit Entertainment said in a statement.

While driving his car, the 22-year-old K-pop star had a “minor collision with another vehicle due to his own mistake,” according to the BigHit statement translated and published Monday by the Korean entertainment website Soompi.

The police have yet to close the case so details surrounding the incident cannot be revealed, according to BigHit.

“Jungkook and the victim did not sustain any major injuries,” the statement added.

After the accident, Jeon admitted to committing a traffic law violation, underwent police questioning, and settled with the victim, said BigHit.

Jeon debuted in 2013 as a member of the septet BTS, which has become one of the most popular K-pop acts in recent years, gaining a massive global following.

source: news.abs-cbn.com