BTS, the Most Popular Boy Band Ever, Returns to a Changed Industry
After nearly four years, the world’s most popular boy band is back. In an exclusive interview, BTS tells Bloomberg how the group has evolved, the creative process behind their new album Arirang, and how this upcoming global tour will be different.
On a Thursday afternoon in early March, the seven members of BTS have converted the second floor of the Hybe Co. headquarters in Seoul into a private practice space. Dressed in off-duty luxury, the group responsible for bringing Korean pop to the masses is preparing for BTS: The Comeback Live | Arirang, a Netflix live-streaming event scheduled for Saturday. A handheld camera shadows them and a boom mic sways overhead as about a dozen people monitor the rehearsal. Access to the second floor is so tight that even senior Hybe executives struggle to enter and exit.
After running through Aliens, a song on their new album Arirang, the group shifts to Butter, the 2021 smash hit they performed at the 2022 Grammy Awards. Under the direction of J-Hope, who claps out a sharp tempo, the group stumbles its way through the choreography. After a few failed attempts, they run over to a laptop in the corner of the room to watch an old performance. It’s been a few years since the group last performed it in public.