...BTS style.
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by PAM
Fresh from a successful four-night concert, "Permission to Dance on Stage - Las Vegas" at the Allegiant Stadium in April, with simultaneous Live Plays at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the phenomenal group from S. Korea, BTS, are at it again. As their 'comeback' anthology album awaits release in about a dozen of days, there has been constant significant buzz in the social media. This buzz erupted into a real thundering noise following the announcement that Pres. Joe Biden will be meeting the group at the White House. Among others, the meeting will tackle anti-Asian hate crimes and Asian representation as part of the celebration of the Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders Heritage (AANHPIH) month.
As a result of their hard work, this 'supergroup' from Asia has won various awards, the most significant of which is their twelve (12) Billboard Music Award (BBMA) wins that ties the record of Destiny's Child as the winningest group in the history of BBMA. They also tie with The Beatles (yes, The Beatles!) with the most number of No.1 Album on the Billboard Chart in less than a year - three albums. But they overtook The Beatles by achieving this in just 11 months, while The Beatles took 11 months and one week to accomplish this feat. They have been nominated for Grammy Award as well (Pop Duo/Group Performance) for two consecutive years: 2021 and 2022 - the first Asian artists to muster such remarkable accomplishment.
They are not just about awards and record sale though. They have been using their fame and strong worldwide positive influence to alleviate youth mental health issues as well as combating cancel culture and the many forms of discrimination that often lead to demotivation of our younger generation. They do this though their songs, messages and social media contents. They support advocacies such as environmental sustainability and inclusive education around the world. As such, they were appointed by the President of S. Korea, Pres. Moon Jae-in, as "special presidential envoy for future generations and culture". True enough, the worldwide popularity of their music, supported by their millions of fans from all ages and walks of life who called themselves "ARMY", transcended cultural barrier and promote understanding and inclusiveness.
They also worked to alleviate adverse effects of the pandemic and other devastating calamities - natural and otherwise. They held various online performances at the height of the pandemic to bring good cheers to their fans, most of whom are young people who were badly affected by the pandemic.
It is because of these positive influences and impact that, on the 31st of May, BTS will be meeting the President of the United States, Pres. Joe Biden, at the White House to work together to address anti-Asian sentiments in the US and hate crimes against Asians in the US and Americans of Asian descent. And so, between May 28 and 29, the members of BTS traveled to the US, and will be Pres. Biden's special guests at the White House. Naturally, this thrills ARMY worldwide, and they hope for favorable outcomes from this current endeavor of their idols towards the attainment of their goals as advocates of understanding around the world, inclusive and shared progress, and awareness of and commitment to sustainable living.
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Image credit: The photos above do not belong to me. They were grabbed from various websites such as the White House Press and the BTS Official Instagram account - I give full credit to the owners, and I acknowledge them for the loan of the photos.
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