Billboard Releases Exclusive BTS Photoshoot And Interview For Their Magazine Cover Story
BTS has landed their first U.S. cover as the models for Billboard Magazine’s February 17, 2018 issue.
Billboard flew writer E. Alex Jung (who is of Korean heritage) out to hold the interview and write the cover story. The photoshoot was held at Korea House in Seoul, symbolizing BTS’s roots as Korean artists.
The article suggests that the reason why BTS is so big is that they have “connected with millennials around the globe” through music laced with social commentary and criticism.
“Honestly, from our standpoint, every day is stressful for our generation. It’s hard to get a job, it’s harder to attend college now more than ever.” — RM
Suga also added his thoughts about the social change he’d like to see, not just in South Korea but all over the world.
“Adults need to create policies that facilitate that overall social change. Right now, the privileged class, the upper class needs to change the way they think. And this isn’t just Korea, but the rest of the world. The reason why our music resonates with people around the world who are in their teens, 20s, and 30s is because of these issues.” — Suga
The story also notes the difference between BTS’s approaches to doing an interview in Seoul while speaking Korean and doing interviews in the U.S. while speaking English.
“Here at home, speaking in Korean, they’re calmer and less eager to impress than they were on their recent, occasionally awkward American press tour…Today, their voices are noticeably deeper, more sonorous.”
Amongst discussions about politics, societal expectations, and more—the article also touched upon the death of SHINee’s Jonghyun and the topic of mental health struggles.
“I really want to say that everyone in the world is lonely and everyone is sad, and if we know that everyone is suffering and lonely, I hope we can create an environment where we can ask for help, and say things are hard when they’re hard, and say that we miss someone when we miss them.” — BTS’s Suga
Billboard has released an exclusive, limited edition box set complete with all 8 versions of the issue, posters, and a collector’s box as well.
Purchase our exclusive BTS Limited-Edition Box Set (complete with ALL 8 versions of the BTS issue!) #BTSonBillboard https://t.co/fAzIuRuwZO pic.twitter.com/2Q7wIUcSLt
— billboard (@billboard) February 16, 2018
The individual covers are already sold out!
So many fans have visited the website searching for the video, that Billboard has even included a “BTS” option on their home page’s main menu!
Check out the rest of the photos from the photoshoot:
Watch a video from Billboard’s interview with BTS talking about lighter topics in English below:
