BTS Festa 2023; Jimin and the boys reminisce on their official 10 year anniversary as Seoul lights up for BTS

Today marks 10 years since K-Pop megastars BTS formed, and with BTS Festa 2023 in full swing, their importance on South Korean culture is none more evident than a number of buildings in Seoul lighting themselves up in purple in honour of the band. An 11-hour livestream video from SBS News showed five landmarks honouring BTS while playing news clips of the group’s many accomplishments, as the band themselves took to social media to share some stories about their 10 years as a group.

With thanks to AllKPop once again for the translations, BTS’ breakout star (if you had to pick one) Jimin spoke about the unwavering support the band has received from their BTS Army: “I’ve told you ARMYs a few times already, it’s not easy to support and love someone and give them strength for no particular reason. That is why I am able to understand how happy we are. You, who made us feel this way, should feel overflowing happiness and receive love. You must. Understand? ARMY, whom I am always thankful to and love, Let’s be happy for a long long time.”

Those sentiments were echoed by J-Hope, who is currently undertaking military service, but found the time to reach out to the group’s fans through the BTS Weverse account and BTS’s Twitter, saying: “About now, I’m probably in an extremely nervous state with my military discipline!! In a sort of ‘scheduled text message’ vibe… To comfort all of you going through this Hobi-less time, I will send my greetings through letters on special days like this, even though it’s short!!”

RM was the third member (so far) to also give his thanks to the many legion of fans the band have accrued not simply in South Korea, but around the world. “It’s a really special thing to be enchanted by certain words,” AllKPop once again translated, “Until a noun becomes a pronoun; when BTS becomes BTS and when ARMY becomes ARMY…There was a lot of rain and wind, and also love. We built our own world that no one could possibly understand.”

“Thanks to the ARMYs and so many people who helped us, I was able to experience something special that I won’t be able to experience again. Looking back, I became used to kicking open the door and leaving after being absorbed in reminiscing briefly. Even now, I’m still imagining our part 2. It feels like it can be anything.”

BTS Festa continues throughout this month (June), with the release of a new book, highlighting the career of the band so far, alongside a new single featuring all the members of the band, with “Take Two” released late last week. The boys have also been the talk of the fashion world also, with a number of members joining other K-Pop stars such as BLACKPINK’s Jennie Kim becoming ambassadors for fashion houses such as Dior, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co.

How did BTS form 10 years ago?

BTS (also known as Bangtan Sonyeondan - Bulletproof Boy Scouts) began their journey in 2010 when Big Hit Entertainment initiated a nationwide talent search called "Hit It" to create a new boy band. The company's founder and CEO, Bang Si-hyuk, had a vision to assemble a group that would focus on social commentary and youth empowerment.

Through the auditions and subsequent training, RM, Suga, and J-Hope were the first members to join BTS. Later, they were joined by Jin, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. The group's name, BTS, is an abbreviation for "Bangtan Sonyeondan," which translates to "Bulletproof Boy Scouts." It represents their desire to defy societal expectations and stereotypes, acting as a metaphorical shield for the youth.

After several years of rigorous training and preparation, BTS officially debuted on June 13, 2013, with the release of their first single album titled "2 Cool 4 Skool." The album introduced their unique blend of hip-hop, pop, and R&B, showcasing their impressive rap and vocal skills. Despite initial modest success, BTS faced challenges in gaining mainstream attention. However, their perseverance paid off with subsequent releases and their dedicated fan base, known as ARMY, growing steadily.

The breakthrough for BTS came with their 2015 mini-album "The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 1," which featured the hit single "I Need U." The album's introspective and relatable lyrics resonated with fans worldwide, propelling them to new heights of popularity. They continued to release successful albums, such as "Wings" (2016), "Love Yourself" series (2017-2018), and "Map of the Soul" series (2019-2020), which solidified their position as global superstars.