BTS' impact seems to go larger every minute. Their worldwide influence has been highlighted as part of Time magazine's "Next Generation Leaders" campaign. It is where the K-pop stars discussed their careers and why it's important for them to make an impact on a global level.
"As a Korean, we love our country and we're proud of our country so much," BTS' leader RM said in a video interview, which was released on Thursday (October 11). "And it's even just an honor to be called an ambassador of Korean K-pop."
RM's reference comes after his recent "Speak Yourself" speech at the United Nations during the launch of a new UNICEF program. It is actually only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to BTS' rising influence, but the origin of that movement is embedded deeply in their culture, Billboard reports.
"Many in our parents' generation were born right after the Korean War," Suga, one of the two rappers of BTS, chimed in during the sit-down. "And so they grew up not being able to eat or dress well." He added that they are fortunate to be "representatives" in spreading Korean culture.
View this post on InstagramLike the Beatles and @onedirection before them, @bts.bighitofficial serves up a mania-inducing mix of heartthrob good looks and earworm choruses, alongside dance moves in the vein of @nkotb and @nsync. But the band—whose name stands for Beyond the Scene—is also breaking new ground. Not only is BTS the first Korean act to sell out a U.S. stadium (to say nothing of the records they’ve set across Asia), but they’ve done so without catering to Western audiences. Only one of their members, RM, speaks fluent English, and most of their songs are in Korean. The group is also preternaturally adept at leveraging social media, both to promote their music and connect with their fans. And although BTS has idol elements—the slick aesthetics, the sharp choreography, the fun-loving singles—they also embrace their flaws. “Even if there is a language barrier, once the music starts, people react pretty much the same wherever we go,” says Suga. “It feels like the music really brings us together.” BTS is one of the three TIME International covers showcasing the Next Generation Leaders. Read more on TIME.com. Photograph by @nhuxuanhua for TIME A post shared by TIME (@time) on Oct 11, 2018 at 4:31am PDT
In addition to the interview, Jimin, the members of BTS also appear on the cover of Time's latest issue titled "Next Generation Leaders." They are not the only artist who appeared on the said cover, though. Among them are Ariana Grande, Christine, Queens, and The Weeknd, Flipboard notes.
Time's annual "Next Generation Leaders" list highlights young people in a wide variety of industries who are reshaping the world around them. BTS topped the Billboard 200 albums chart not once but twice this year with their sets Love Yourself: Tear and Love Yourself: Answer, and are currently in Europe amid a global, sold-out world tour.
Along with the video, Time also released a magazine cover featuring the superb septet BTS, which will reportedly appear on the global edition, and a written interview with the group, during which the men talked about several topics including their approach to creating music with empathy "that people can relate to," according to Suga.
